The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-12
UNDERGROUND CITY LIFE.
RtI. Dr.. Young Warns Young Men
Esainst Secret Vices.
BLOW TO PROFLIGATES AND GAMBLERS
There should be Ono standard of Virtue,
says fhr Preacher for Men and
Women services az Pine-strcc.
baptist-Othcr Church News.

AZ Pask-Place church. Sunday night.
Rev. ir. Young preached sermon sug-
gcstcd ~ the opening Of the week Of
prayer Of the Y. NJ c. A., taking for his
subject. "Undererctnd City Life" The
text was selected from Eph. ", II, Y.
And have no fellowship with the an
fruitful works OF darkness. but rather
reproVc th'm. For IL is a shame even
TO speak OF those things which are done
OF them Ia secret"
some OF the thoughts Of the sermon
fellow. These woras were written 10
tie people OF a large city. cities have
ever been, not only centres OF culture
and OF trade, bat also Of every I'rm OF
wee. IL is "a fact worthy Of noe That so
many Who aecome prominent Ia the life
oil our cities. IS merchants and lrOfes-
sicNai men, were brought up in the coun-
"a. away from the settlement and sin
vi the crowded street. Vice nearly al
ways hides lts head and carries on its
operations in the secret place. fhe sa-
ioon mas lts blinds and frosted pane. The
samDlin-hOusc is out OF the way upstairs
and rel tape Is needed il You would get
Ia. Tho dtns OF shame are forced into
sections where they viii escape the gaze
OF the respectable. The secrecy consii-
tutes d temptation TO the curiosity. and
makes ii easier TO escape detection.
Don't MfNiIo> THIN
We are told that q IS a shameful thing
even 10 talk Of these things. The
wicked conversation is the first step ia
vice. The obsceue jest is ineNcusable
II is right 10 speak OF these things to
ItDr0Ve Them Tho Bible IS f.ll OF the
ALA A fr
YOUNG men, especially, need 10 be warned
OF the consequences of certain vices, ana
20 be told plainly the things which their
curiosity leads them TO find out IN ways
mat are both hutfui and criminal.
Surely the veil Of beauty should be torn
away from the ugly features Of vice, nd
men should be made To see what Is. as
the wise man puts II. al the last The
secrecy of vice rs one of the dement's
of our hypocrisy We are satisfied with
an outward speciality. Ne received
into the best circles the Vllcst wretch,
provided only he does not drag with him
iis vulsarity and sin. Young women
are glad 10 have the attention Of the
N.les; of men. and their fathers permit 1t.
u the sutton has money or social stand
ing. Even I'm the church. and Richmond
is no exception. there are many men who
hide their indeccncy with hyInm-nook and
pfayer-book and official position and Sun
day clothes.
SHRINK FROM PUBLICITY.
Young men look on. Disguised with re-
Iigion. and learn well the lesson taught
them. that the sin is not the commission
Of the vice. but the publicity of II. AT
the same time. / would remind you,
especially you young men. that here is
grand tribute 10 virtue the admission
that virtue is so beautiful, that we must
play the virtuous man. If we can do no
better The goli-plated goods are an
announcement of tho beauty and OF the
value of gold. though at the same time
they teli ms that some are too poor or
too stlngy TO buy IT,
An tins grows out Of the disgusting
theory that men, being engaged I'm public
affairs. cannot De good. This Is the
strongest argument II IS thought why
our women and our preachers Should
let an public life alone. except that
which properly belongs TO their sphere.
SO we have two standards OF virtue-one
for men and another for women. God
has but one standard. and that man Is
worthy OF an contempt who demands OF
wife and sister and mother what he VIII
not give. Every commitment of God
may be- obeycd f We desire TO obey.
Gods laws are not mere beautiful theories
of l.fe So few of us are i'm this world,
first of an TO DO right and TO DE good.
We are. not many OF rs. like the shoe
maker who told his pastor that il was
hs business to follow Christ and that
he made shoes to help Jay expenses.
THE GAMBLING HABIT.
You know. too the prevalence If the
idea thlf the successful man must
see the world. which nearly always
means The bad side of it. You DO not
have 90 practice on yourself Viviscction.
whether pfvsieal or moral You have but
10 look around YOU 10 see The effects OF
vice. you are fool indeed. II YOU
wish TO try FL on yourself. one OF tile
chief causes of our city life is the fact
that so often IN our homes ana
iu our business and i'm cur So
clety Afe there Is so much Underground
life. The father IS perhaps prohisate,
tie mother. a woman OF the world. The
merchant goes from the underground
passage of his dishonest business. prac-
ticca 20 the faro bank or the roulette
sable
We must correct the evil. 10y giving
our BOYS good parents boy letting thcm
be Well-bcn in the better sense of the
Phrase. We must give thtm a correct
training. letting them know the evil
tuirscnuenccs Of q lie CT vice. teaching
them ourselves what they VIII find out
.u the wrong way. if we do not teach
ihcm. We must make home attractive but
not q mere clubhouse. We must stand
~ our Y. NJ G. ~. q pure place Of resort
COR our sons. But above all we must
teach them TO accept Christ, the only
Saviour OF men. and so would I urge You
young men TO accept my Lord. TO learn
BIS secret which he ever whispers in The
nqrs Of those who love Him.