The San Francisco call., 1895-07-28
THIS IS SATAN'S SEAT, SAYS MR.
VARLEY.

Henry Varley who is engaged in evangelistic
work about the bay, signs his name to letter
appearing in the London Christian of June 20,
in which San Francisco is denounced in un-
sparing terms. Mr.. Varley says;
'sI have been in many cities, but this is the
most extraordinary ! have ever visited. 1t is
honeyeombed through and through with every
nostrum under heaven. Every man appears to
be q law unto himself-one might almost say
lawlessness n reigns: The tides OF wickedness
"The daily press is OF the lowest type have
ever seen; it abounds in coarse and low sensa-
tionalism. Murders and horrors largely oc,,
cupy the columns. To see little boys and
'hoodlums' hawking these wretched sheets
about with the cry of fresh murder or some
horrible crime uhon their lips is o pitiable
and terrible training. The San Francisco press
is distinctly injurious, morally considered.
Not worse than Others, they say. By the
way, have you noticed how this phrase mot
worse than others is everywhere used as an
excuse for tolerated iniquities to the ends of
the earth. Ah! well, we are not worse than
Paris said the Mayor of Melbourne to me some
years. since, when made acquainted with
abominable wickednesses being winked at by
the police. 1t is high time this associated plea
for the tolerance of depravity was everywhere
challenged and cast out"
Mr.. Varley disapproves of the number of
religions on this coast which he terms ''legion,"
and writes, "There seems to be no room for
new and fresh gods. The stock must be ex-
HhuSlSu surely. he SlUgl6S OuJ CeTtdlu CIctUS
III connection with this statement.
In conclusion Mr.. Varley says:
's s'Setan's seat may indeed be described as
found in San Francisco, and could not allow
the widespread intdelity here concerning his
very existence TO pass any longer unchal-
lenged. ] have, therefore, written pamphlet
entitled is there personal Dev1lg which !
intend scattering over q wide area-2O,OOO at
least, if can"
The New York Observer calling attention to
this letter issues challenge, saying: what
nave the press and ministers of the Gospel to
say of Mr.. Varley's criticismsf"
The Occident of this City replies
"First-That as Mr.. Varley himself draws
comparison in denouncing the press and City
of San Francisco, he should not, in the same
those who make reply. Not worse than
Others Mr.. Varley says, SIS everywhere USED
as an excuse for tolerating iniquitieS to the
ends of the earth. True, but suppose one
charges: Your City is the most wicked In the
world; lawlessness reigns. The tides OF wick
not reply: Not worse than others, without
being also accused ol 'tolerating iniqufty?'
.sSecond-The intensity of Mr.. Varleys des-
cription of our City's deprav1ty, unrelleVed by
one word of acknowledgment as to there
being even five righteous ones IN IT, might call
also for comparison.
"Third-We can scarcely suppose that Mr..
Varley intended this sentence to be under
stood literally: sSatan's seat may indeed be
described as found in San Francisco, ana l
could not all ow the widespread infdelity here
concerning his very existence to pass any
longer unchallenged.
t"Taken as 1t reads in the article this implies
that Mr.. Varley is the only prophet OF the
Lord in the City to cry against It's inlq@ulsies. @
OF course the writer does not mean 10 ignore
the vast number of earnest Christian laporers
and ministers who are doing faithful service
for the Master here"