New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-09
PARKHURST ON THE ISSUES.
HIS ELOQUENT ADDRESS TO CHRISTIAN
ENDEAVORERS.
THE BEST INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A SUCCESS
FIJI WARRIOR AGAINST THE STRIPED TIGER
THE GREAT DANGER OF MIN

THE GREAT DANGER OF MIN
The tenth annual convention of the Christian En-
deavorers OF this State begun yesterday morning
in Brooklyn. Simultaneous evening sessions were
held In the Academy OF Music and at Plymouth
Church. The Rev. DR.. Charles II. Parkhurst and
the Rev. Dr. r. X. Meredith. of Brooklyn, were the
principal speakers OF the evening. Both spoke at
each meeting the one alternating with the other.
Long before the hour announced for the opening OF
the doors large crowd congregaed outside the
Academy OF Music and within half an hour after
the delegates and others began TO stream into the
building. the vast auditorium was packed in every
part. and even standing room was quickly at pre-
MUM. So great was the eagerness Of people to at
tend OF the evening meetings that 1t is estimated
at least two thousand disappointed persons were
turned away from the Academy OF Music ana
Plymouth Church. Tonight the difficulty OF accom-
modating all the supporters and sympathizers OF the
movement will be met by holding overflow meetings.
The Rev. DR.. II. r. McEwen presided at the Acsd-
envy Of Music and briefly introduced Dr. ParKhurst
to the meeting. Upon rising TO begin his address on
christian Citizenship" Dr. Parkhurst met an ex-
ceptonay gratifying reception. His speech was
frequently interrupted with applause and laughter.
REMARKS OF THE DOCTOR.
In part he said:
the Church in the direction of promoting civic and
political morality. Speaking for my own church !
the Church and the Synagogue tnat pasied lam,
many Hall last autumn. and II the warfare Is held
unmixed It is the Church and the Synagogue una.
san anh VII a s Sqi tGfSS IS q
possibility OF resuscitation and buried beyond 'nr
the Church. When once it becomes conscious, Of It's
own imminent highland when once with lntehheehTIe
it surveys that might in It's relation to tina; whole
territory of the devils works that Christ declares
he came to destroy. and that He has lett 10 nis
Gods people is that while they would like to make
end to the devil. the devil In society the devii
in business and in politics, they do not quite IKE 10
dirty their hands with him. situation which that
great adversary of all that is decent has been ex-
one Il the great comforts with which cheer
myself in times which are as roublous as the pres
deavorers in the city OF New-York to whom religion
means not simply going into the closet Ioi TO sinai pa
fighting individual devils in Individual parts put
shns the grand combination dew that b e images
whole towns and cities subject to his black and
awhile. and to he in It deep to appreciate the
strength of the current that is setting satanward
ment; there is not an ounce Of pessmism in my
makeup Pessmism is either atheism or bilors-
WHERE THE TROUBLE LIES
But it is not civic distractions that compose
difficulty; the trouble is that American politics
particularly I think municipal politics. pos
sessed Of the devil. and the devil Is not going to
be exercised by discussion, however full of sense
and wit II cogency 1T may be TIE final equip
inteeritv and graced and inspired by the baptism
Of the 81, rt OF God Now that are upon this
matter of difficulties in the case. might go on and
cay that the chief obstacle with which We have TO
contend is not iniquity pure and simple. Iniquty
that IL not part one thing and part something else
unmixed deprav!ty. ! rather like. There IL d.
rectness and frankness about il that leaves you
knowing where you are standing. what you are at
and where you at: and that is why ike Dick
Croker; that is why used TO be 80 fond OF Paddy
Diver Tom Grady and other administrative and
esa lights IN my my cy ee Gn' nd th.m there
is Hyde-Jekyl business about them they are
consistent they are OF the same fibre all the way
through. There is about them none Of the flavor
of decency or faint of respecabiiity that makes
them an uncertain quantity. When you talk about
them. people know what you talking about. but
when you talk about men that are hfty per cent
imp and the other fifty per cent angels OF light
the performance becomes complicated The intel
igence of audience goes 10 pieces and you wish
that all men were thoroughbreds either OF one de-
scrption the other. This is only for the pur
pose Of helping you 10 appreciate the difficulty or
the situation and not for the purpose OF discourage
ment. but to the end of helping you keenly to feel
the warfare being what 1t Is. the weapons Of our
warfare have got to be something besides carnal
THE CHIEF PROBLEM
The problem that makes the most urgent and I'M
mediate demand upon here In the United States
is that of the moral regeneration Of our cities Only
q small beginning has been made yet People are
hardly more than seriously thinking OF IL. II |
could feel tonight that at the end OF nifty even
one hundred years from to- might Brooklyn and New
York would have each OF them attained to settled.
"A spasmodc. character, OF municipal decency
and dignity, settled that some little revcrson OF
feeling would have no power to turn the whole
thing topsy-turvy the year after. should consider
that had exceedingly bright future before us,
though were confident that the Tiger were go
Ing to break loose Manhattan Island again In two
and with its litter of striped cubs the
stricken domain Of the entire Empire state. 1t IS
necessary. therefore, to try TO do everything at
once There is room for sagacity as well as pety
In this matter Shrewdness Is an important ee
ment in religious efforts well as in any other. !
know il is very difficult to be shrewd and pious at
the same time. but unquestionably advantageous II
II be done. | have seen people working on re-
form lines " no very holy and yet so innocent
Of anything Ike sagacy that do verify believe II
would be better for them. we'll for all the rest
us, II lttle-not much. but littlc-of their