The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-13
ARE SOCIAL CLUBS EVIL 2
Two Notable Alameda Sermons
on the Subject Of So.Called
"Man.Traps."
CHRISTIAN AND METHODIST.
Revs. Bovard and Morgan Take Oppo.
site Views on a Topic of Much
Public Interest,

clubs and churches.
In his preliminary remarks Mr.. Morgan
said that while during the past week much
had been said concerning the moral condi-
ton of Alameda, he seriously doubted if
what had been said would materially alter
existing conditions. He then continued:
My private opinion is this: After three
months personal experience and observation
l would say candidly, if asked, there is no
better place in which TO rear family than
Alameda.
There are opportunities here afforded to be
either wise or foolish, moral or immoral, carnal
or spiritual.
Ny experience in life so far has been that
the worst place imaginable in which to rear
boy is IN a community where there are no
'man-traps' or pitfalls, and where churches
control the politics of the town.
TO Illustrate what | mean | will cite an in
stance have observed in this State. There is
town in this State where no liquor is allowed
TO be sold and where card playing and theaters
are prohibited by law. What is the moral
status OF the young men OF that town? Are
they better than the young men OF Alameda?
Are they all church-goers? By no means.
During the year that is past the church that
from the beginning has looked after the moral
and prudential welfare of the community has
been shaken to its very center by a fearful
scandal involving many church members
Time and again have heard mothersIsay, ooh,
that could get my boys away from this fear
Withal it would seem ii young man is a
Christian and has principle he is safe in
Alameda as he would be on the farm; aye and
safer, too, If the churches were all Christ in
tended his churches to be.
1t seems TO me that one great trouble with
the church to-day is we have too many small
editions OF DR.. Parkhurst. Scarcely hamlet
but can boast ''Parkhurst." Social reformers
are those who open their mouths rather than
their Bibles, and cry aloud regardless of sense
or reason. If arrested for SANDER they hide be-
hind some technically and thus escape being
punished. Such men are sure to bring con-
tempt on the ministry.
II there is an Institution on the face OF the
earth to-day that needs reformation, or rather
restoration, it is the church. There is room
for hundreds, yea thousands, of such reform
Heron in our pulpits. Oh, for men to-day
who viii cry aloud and spare not the follies
and sins of the church! The church to-day is
but shadow OF what it was in the days of the
apostles
The church is looked on by the world as the
representative OF Christ. But how does 1t
represent him? Does IL feed the hungry, heal
the sick, care for the oppressed and preach the
glad tidings to the poor? Do the ministers go
about doing good? These were the proofs
Jesus gave OF his divinity. If we can give the
same proofs to the world to-day Jet us shout
for JOY, and be lieye the club men viii shout
with u.s. II we cannot do these things let us
not pose as critics even OF saloon-keepers until,
IN the language of Christ, we have cast out
the beam from our own eye.
Let us face this matter fairly, brethren.
WHAT are the churches doing to provide places
of rest and entertainment for the young men
OF our town? Where young man go to
spend a social evening? What are we doing
VINO are doing so little criticize the clubs?
Verify, the children OF the club are wiser in
their generation than the children of light
we should cast our eyes inward before cast
ing them outward. We are cursed with a
curse. The young men are not in the church,
nor do the common people hear us gladly. We
must return TO Jerusalem and sit at the feet of
the Christian If we are TO be fishers of men,
The churches must throw, away their conflic-
ton, creeds and most of their orthodox theo-
ogy before they VIII be able to do much more
than brighten the fishes away and curse them
for not biting at their artificial flies.
II the Master were in Alameda the common
people would hear him gladly The publican
and sinner would feel they had q friend and
the members of El Nido, while they might not
become his disciples, would have a profound
respect for the gentle peasant who went around
doing good. The religious bigot and the hypo-
critic would hate him as of old, nail the holy
hands and feet to the cross and put to silence
the eloquent tongue that told them so plainly
that instead OF being children of God they be-
longed to their father, the devil.
Park-street Methodist Church.
ALAMEDA, CAL, Jan. 13.-At the Park
street Methodist Church last evening the
subject of Rev. F. d. Bovard s sermon was
charity; but there was prel ude, whose
subject was 'Mantraps Explained This
was understood to be an elaboration of a
prelude by the same gentleman last Mon
day night on "Man-traps,' which caused
considerable stir. The charges and state
ments were sensational Ill tho extreme.
The announcement of a second prelude
last night on the same subject drew an
enlarged and interested audience. The
prelude was as follows:
The trap is the most cunning of all the de-
vices OF man. Every trap is constructed on
three invariable principles.
First-Secrecy. 1t must hide all its dangerous
qualities; in fact, the better the trap the less it
VIC hda fTaT
only harmless but helpful. The cunning of a
trap is in the perfect secluslon of its real de-
sign. "Walk into my parlor said the spider to
the fly; it's the prettieSt little parlor thateve
you did spy represents the genius of the trap
principle.
The second principle is the alluring power of
the trap. The real design OF the trap must not
only be hidden, but the external conditions
must be attractive to the victims. The natural
instincts of the victim are considered. 1t is
sometimes constructed to appear as shelter:
it may appeal to hunger. it in all cases seeks 10
crafty somewhat the victim. The more per-
fectly it appeals to the particular natural in
stincts and desires OF the animal the more per-
feet the trap.
The third principle OF trap is power to see,
seize and hold lis victim. The intelligence of
the victim must be overreached and his
strength must be overcome, and he must find
himself in the trap before he knows there is
any trap.
The principles reduced mean this: The de-
sign Of the trap, the bait of the trap and the
triggers OF the trap Given these principles, |
construct q man-trap. Having decided what
kind of men we want to trap, We will select the
location and the general conditions. If we
want to catch the poor fellow who is already
in the ruins of his character these old victims
that have the web of habit already about their
feet, we will open saloon. The minister and
temperance people will assail the trappers, but
the very OF O saloon will keep them
away This is bad man-trap, we all know |
1t is really more of a mill than q trap. 1t
grinds up the bones and pulyeriZes the old
fragments of manhood after society has cast
them out.
We must not mistake mill for a trap. The
principles are essentially different. Society is
the real trapping ground. Society must be de |
ceived. The name OF the trap must be some
thing that society will receive as tolerable |
The rules of the trap must be such that society |
will accept. Now observe both the name and |
the rules are intended to deceive society. The |
are under lock and key. The one |
side of the code which is turned toward So |
ciety reads, mo gambling" but behind the |
lock and key 1t means little else but petty gam
bling, playing for cigars, drinks and tickets en-
titling the winners to liquor and it often |
means the last cent the poor victim possesses |
is not only gambling but fastens Ialsehood |
on society by changing the truth into & lie |
which is the very grandmother of all lies, the |
prima materia of all deception. This is not |
only taught within the walls of the trap but I
on the streets and in the newspapers that pre- |
tend to defend these traps. When any at |
tempt is made to expose these traps then the |