The San Francisco call., 1897-02-22
SAYS NEVADA'S
STAR IS DARKENED
Rev. DR.. Boynton's Opinion
of the Fight at
Carson.
Some ScathiDg Words at the
Action of the Sagebrush
Legislature.
Sensational Pre- uie to Sermon at
the First Baptist
Church.

Rev. DR.. Nj. P. Boynton of the First
Baptist Church, in a prelude to his SER
mon last night, spoke OF the legalizing of
pugilism in Nevada as follows:
The blue of our flag is thickly studded by
cleaning stars that bespeak a sisterhood of
States that in company have been striving for
better life and truer light, and this march to
q higher morality has been watched with
earnest solicitude on the part of al good
citizens.
One blot after another has been washed
away, until we had hoped that the cleaning
would go on until by bonds of purity we stood
united as Nation. There has been cordial
sympathy between the States. The battle has
been common one. Each was interested Tor
all, and ali for each. But suddenly we are
called to attend the funeral of one OF the fam =
lily; sister has fallen, has committed moral
suicide The poor girl was very poor, having
lost much OF her wealth; her people had
moved away, her commercial life was at low
ebb, and, being desperat te, she sold herself to
the abomination tbs had been rejected by all
other States in the Uui
1t is cause for than.s that the sagebrush
arid plains and barren mountains abound ana
people are so scarce. The evil Will not do the
damage that would be done were the State
more thickly populated.
So closely related are we as Nation that
the disgrace OF one is the shame OF all. The
fifth cast by Nevada S Legislature upon the
skirts of Columbia scents with It's polluting
odor the whole raiment OF the Goddess of Lib
erty.
1t is to be regretted that we have not Federal
laws that would cover such cases and arrest
the downfall OF a sovereign State. The obi
CATION owed the whole Nation by Nevada has
been trampled In the dust for few unclean
dollars. The sack OF gold she thus obtains will
prove milestone about her neck TO drag her
down out of sight. What father would settle
in such State? What mother would feel safe
to allow her daughter to reside there?
But let US not despair. Nevada will arise
and purge hers III of this awful stain. Though
this may rest as a shadow upon her for years
yet to come. still with schools, churches, de-
Vot motherhood and q loyal citizenship she
will lift her head among her noble sisters and
take her place in the ranks of those whose voice
is for greater freedom and less slavery to the
beast that liyeth by the blood OF men.
1t is to the credit of America that it has
spoken out so boldly against the thing. The
voice of the Governor, of the pulpit and OF
every Christian freside rings out against the
diabolical action of q desperate State.
God bless the Christians and true Americans
of Nevada's plains who lifted their voices in
solemn protest, and wipe the name of the
Governor and every faithless legislator out of
the rolls-men who, by voice, pen or vote
helped on the iniquit tous scheme.
do no. speak thus against this abomina-
ton, expecting my words of protest TO arrest
the downward course of our neighbor State,
but to speak the Indignation that fills, l am
sure, every loyal American heart
The sermon that followed was on THE
Mill of the Philstines." The text was
from judges xvi:21: land he did grind
All IDe pFlSOn~uOuS6. ne speaker told
the story OF Sam on and drew some help.
ful lessons from his life. He said:
Weshould understand the enticements of sin.
II we keep conn pany with her she will surely
get our secret and work our ruin. You notice
how every time Samson spoke he neared he
thing that marked him for God. First at his
word, in the house of Delilab, they bound his
limbs, then his arms, after that fastened the
web to his hair, and then, having wormed
from him the secret, shaved his head and put
out his eyes and made him grind in the prison.
house. And so IL will be with every one who
tempts TEN ptation.
He was overconfdent; he went boldly in the
way oi The enemy. He is brave man who
when II is necessary, will face the foe
but he is q fool who, from mere bravado, will
put himself within range OF the guns of the
enemy. A wise man sees the danger and
passes on into the safe way.
a violation of conviction of right brings
sorrow and defeat. That was sad sight in
the mill of the Philistines to see the once
strong man doing the work of a woman
Grinding corn, not in a mill the running of
which required the strength of an OK, but
with a handful of corn and little mill that a
chfld could manage the great Samson, TO he
delight and glee of the enemy. ground corn
But there is sadder sight than this, to see a
soul shorn OF its strength and grinding in the
prison-house of the devil. A sadder thing is
the suicide of the i'm mortal.