The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-16
ALAS! IMMORAL RICHMOND !
Rev. Dr.. Young Tells Of The Many Vices
PlouriShins In This City.
rHE GAMBLERS AID SUNDAY LIQUOR.
He Dwclls Upon These Eviis--MentioDs
the Unfortunate Condition of Mu-
nicipai Anairs Refers To Tho
Times Fight Against
Vice Churches.

There was large congregation at PARK
Place church Sunday night The pas
:or. Rev. DIR. Young took for his sub
,ect, shall Richmond be Redeemed
Who Shall Redeem IT." The text was
the words OF Christ. aye are the salt OF
the earth" DR.. Young spoke in part as
follows:
IL fear that the salt is 10 a large ex-
tent packed away In the warehouse OF
The church. instead Of being so distributed
As TO be the preservative OF the world
am here tonight to urge upon you the
duty OF applying this salt OF your Chris-
tan character TO our civic needs
have no startling disclosures 10 MAKO
Nor is IL needful i should. Ihe charges
brought by the Richmond Times In re-
gard to election frauds, Sabbath viola
ton, and gambling have not been denied.
Persons on the streets talk about the4A
as If they took these things for granted
we read of men being shot or arrested
IN gambling dens. We have men point
ed out 10 us as gamblers or policy deale'S'
We have houses In prominent localities
pointed out TO US as their shops. our
new Chief OF Police calls together the
barkeepers TO warn them that he will en-
force the law against the viS'ation OF the
Sabbath. We read of irregularities III
one or more of the departments of our
sity affairs. An this is. am sure, in
iictment enough.
HIS DUTY TO srrAK.
I insist upon II that it Is both my right
md my duty to speak my mind. j am
.it.zen Of this Commonwealth, and must
De an example 10 the flock in good citi-
tenship. as well as in all else. / am
faI
men the need Of applying that Gospel TO
every department Of life. They must not
,nly be citizens. but Christian citizens.
Bryce has said in his american Com
monwealth" that the tendency in our ma
lion is for the rulers to become more ana
more the mere servants of the people,
and for the people 10 becom, the true
rulers. debating to them what they are
20 do. | sometimes look on with pro-
ound sympathy at those in authority in
iur cities. The vicious elements clamor
Or immunity, because II means for them
hleir livelihood; while the better forces
Of TIE city have no word to say IN regard
20 the conduct OF affairs. If there is evil
IN the city. we must as Christian citizens,
demand a purer civic life or we are to
blame. We are the creators of public
sentiment. and the man in office IS vane
to tell which way 1t is blowing. Some
times we are silent because we are indii-
ferent: sometimes .ecause we say II is
not our business: sometimes because we
DO not like To be mixed up in things SO
unclean: sometimes because we are afraid
of the effect on our pocket-books.
UPHOLD THE LAWS.
We hear ii often boosted that so many
OF our citizens are connected with our
churches. Blessed thought. But have
you thought how great our sin If we al
low a wicked minority TO control our al
fairs 10 the damnation Of our youth? l
would remind you of the bad effect of
permitting the violation with impunity
of any law. Better not have the law.
The end of such course Is anarchy.
The reaping time from such a harvest Is
sure to come. II it is right TO violate
one law IL is right to violate another. If
the saloon may violate the Sunday law,
why may not We who are opposed to the
saloon refuse TO recognize the license CIV
en- by the State and lead a fanatical band
to destroy the property Of these drunk
ard factories? / would remind you of
the influence OF this laXity on our moral
and religious life.
The EVIL rTFECTs.
The liberation Of the evil has its reac-
tive effect on our lives The evil forces
snatch away from us the weak ones who
have been brought into our churches
while the gaping mouths Of hell hold fast
a great multitude whom we cannot reach.
We cannot. / know. make people good
by legislation, nor can We make them
well by the came process. But we can
help both the morals and the health. The
law OF prevention is the rule Of the day
Nor must You forget the effect on the ma
terial welfare of the city. Indeed the
moral and the material welfare are bound
together by an indissCluble bond.
Ia hoe sos In ~ 81
ry'' is that the moral law is written on
the tables OF eternity. Justice and truth
alone endure and live Injustice and
falsehood may be long-lved, but dooms-
day comes at last to them-in French rev.
olutions and In other terrible ways"
THE w1CKrD GAMBLER.
OFTEN the ENLIGHTENMENT or the forged
check are traceable 10 the trickery of the
gambler. / am astounded that so many
Christian people plead for the gambler
that he is liberal or kind-hearted. or keeps
Il bank account ana helps the circulation
OF money; that so many excuse the viola
ton Of the Sunday law by the saloon 4
gambler cannot be a good citizen. He is
outlawed by law. human and divine. The
money he uses he gets without giving any
thing In return. lie does not create
values. but destroys. The money he dis
tributes would be distributed anyhow. and
- tH''' NAp NOtil use II not gwen
20 him for wise ends. His business is. at
bottom, theft 1t is a small matter for
thief to leave you your collar-button IL
he takes your watch.
SUNDAY LIQUOR.
Is is not enough that the saloon mars
your men six days? shah IL have a better
chance at them on the Lords day and
shall that day be thus turned 10 a curse?
j have counted among my friends very
often men who We're profes sional gam
blers and barkcepers. but my very love
Tor them made me more tenacious than
ever of my hatred for their trades.
have one word more. The two facts-thc
prevalence OF political corruption and Of
other civic evils. and the large member
snip IN our churches-nake me fear that
our Christian people are in one way or an
other involved in these sins. Is il true?
In any event l beg you think on these
ina