The Progress., 1897-07-10
SAFETY FOR CITIES.
REv. OR. TALMAGE breaches ON
MUNICIPAL WELFARE.

Country From = Moral and Religious
Stand point-Counsel to Those Who Hold
Public Positions.
WASHINGTON. July 4.-This sermon OF
DR.. Talmage discusses from q moral and
religious standpoint the welfare Of all the
towns and cities of our country. His text
Is Ezekiel XVII, 8, 20 thou that art stu
alto at the entry Of the seal"
This ia part Of an impassioned apos-
trophe to the city of Tyre. 1t was a beau
tiful city-a majestic city. At the east end
OF the Mediterranean 1t sat with one hand
Reckoning the inland trade and with the
other tho commerce Of foreign nations. 1t
swung u monstrous boom across It's har-
Dor to shut out foreign enemies and then
swung back that boom to let In Its friends.
The air of the desert was fragrant with
the spices brought by caravans to her fairs,
and all seas wero cleft into foam by the
keels of her laden merchantmen. Her mar
kets were rich with horses and mules and
camels from Togarmnh; with upholstery
and ebony and Ivory from Dedan; with
eme1alds and agate and coral from Syria;
with wine from Helbon; with finest noe
dlework from AshuF and Chilmad. Talk
about tho splendid staterooms OF your Gu
uard and inman and White Star lines Of
International steamers--why, the benches
of the staterooms In those Tyrian ships
we're all ivory, and instead Of our coarse
canvas ON the mast Of tho shipping they
bad tho finest linen. quilted together and
inwrought with embroideries almost MI
saoulous for beauty. Its columns over
shadowed all nations. Distant empires
felt its heartbeat. Majestic oity. "situate
ct tho entry Of the SEQ"
But whore now 10 the CLEAN OF her tow
ers, tho roar OF her ohaIiots, the nasts OF
her shlppingf Let the flshermen who dry
their nets ON tho place where she once
stood, let tho sen that Fushes upon the bar
renness where she once challenged the adj
miration of all nations. let the barbarinns
who build their huts on tho place where
her palaces glittered, answer the question.
Blotted out foreyeri She forgot God. and
God forgot her. And while our modern
cities admire her glory let them take warn
ing at her awful doom.
The First City.
Cain was the founder Of the first oity,
and I suppose 1t took after him In morals
It IL n long while before . city can get over
tho character OF those who founded 1t.
were they criminal exiles, the filth, and
the PRISONS and the debauchery arc the
shadows Of such founders. New York
will not for 200 or 800 years escape from
the good influences OF Its founders, the
pious settlers whose prayers went up from
the very streets where now banks discount,
and brokers shave. and companies declare
dividends, and smugglers swear custom
house lies, and above the roar OF the drays
and tho crack Of the auctionecrs' lnallets Is
heard tho inscription, 1--WE worship thee, O
thou almighty dollarr' The church that
onos stood on Wall street still throws Its
blessing over all the scene Of traffic and
upon tho ships that fold their white wing:
In tho harbor. Originally men gathered
IN cities from necessity. 1t WAS to escape
the incentiiarys torch or the assassin's
dagger. Only the very poor lived In the
country, those who had nothing that coult
bc stolen or vagnbonds who wanted to b.
near their pince Of business, but since civ
iiiu,tion and religion have made 1t SAFE
for n,cn to live almost anywhere men con
sreguto I'm cities because OF tho opportunit,
for rapid gain. Cities are not necessarily
evils, as has sometimes been argued. The!
have been tho birthplace Of civilization
In them popular liberty has lifted up 1t
voice. Witness Genoa and Pisa and Ven