The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
DEVIL IN OUR DIVERSIONS.
A TExAN RBVITALIsT SEES HIM
IN 4 EUCHRE DECK.

TAe rev. prr. CiaEett lsouru net shot late That
Irrsiiaiess Pauline Progressive Euohre-
~ Dancing DE- wer.e, ana Theatres Are Un-
steatasie-Hypecriay In rev ana Paipit.
The Rev. w. II. Clngett, President OF the Board
OF Trustees OF tho Texas Presbyterian Univer-
sity OF Dallas, has been conducting revival SER
vices in the Ross Street Presbyterian Church in
~ williamsburg for tho past week. The pastor Of
the church is the Rev, John Erskino Adams.
Before the first service Of last Monday evening
Few, ~ any. had ever heard Of the Rev.
~ Mr.. ClaRett. Now NIL williamsburg and
half OF tho remainder of tho borough
Of Brooklyn have heard Of the Texas preacher
and are talking about him. The first night he
preached on Gravostones." On the following
nights his subjects wore: Gods Call 10 the
Christian. " The Blood of Christ In tho Old Tcs-
lament" "Tho Blood of Christ in tho New Tea.
lament" and "Repentance-What Is 1tf'
~ This morning no will preach on rs There n God
of Mercy T. and this evening on "Hell-The
Home Of the Lost" The services on Sunday will
be at 1890 A. NJ. and 7:45 p. NJ.
The Texas rcvivslist has attacked the ~favorite
diversions at social functions across the bridge,
such as oaneing. card playing, and the theatre.
OnMonday night Mr.. Claaett, in speaking about
card playing. said that IL any ono would tell him
OF n parson who played cards and had any OF
the grace Of God in his heart he would go
straight to F. T. Barnum, were the great show
II, man alive, and tell hin that he tClagetp
had a now freak for him. And" added the
preacher. "Barnum would pay well for such a
curiosity" A reporter Of THE SUN who called
n upon Mr.. ClaRctt yesterday afternoon learned
what his views were on dancing. card playing.
and the theatre. In the course Of the interview
Mr.. Clagett said:
1.-THE ~favoritc pastimes of modern society
are dancing, card playing, and the theatre. or
all games Of cards. progressive euchre is the one
- IN highest favor. Everybody Is playing II, from
IS the youngest TO the oldest. 1t has come to
be q craze. It is one Of tho cunningest
schemes that Satan over invented to
fill up his fiery dominion. 1t Is one
of the greatest evils that menaces Christianity.
1t actually makes me blush to think that there
10 q need to talk to Christians about the right or
the wrong of this thing. 1t began MS a fad, q
mnkeshift OF those who could find no other way
of entertaining company. Now 1t is a curse, as
serious and moro widespread than ordinary
s s
ago I received q call to a Presbyterian Church
IN Taylor. Tex. I hod learned that the whole
town had virtually COMO daft on the subject of
progressive euchre. There were progressive
cuchre parties ovcry night, and some of the
most inveterate players were Numbers Of the
church which called me. i accepte the call.
as pastor 1 had a very frank talk with my con.
RreGntion. Among other things told them that
every member OF the church would have to stop
my people knew how I fecl about the matter
and they knew that I meant just whit l said.
The result was thst. with Gods help. I broke
mp progressive euchre playing in my church
been won one Of the mos: intellectually brilliant
women in the town, u member Of the Episcopal
"..Do you know. Mrs. Ciaaett. I'm glad your
husband has stopped progressive euchre play.
q certrin amount of entertaining. and 1t was
the only. form Of diversion that was popular.
II doesn't take my brains to play progressive
That woman told the truth; 1t takes little
f sss,n' is t. p sopuI Raef n sosiet sa'hI But 'p The 'R Riss:
Ing Of the game interfere res with the he
those who indulge in 1t. 1t wenns them
elevate men and women. I do not wish to de,
enchre, though, and I hone that, by calling at.
aroused to q sense of tho danger that confronts
Cots churches.
ers on it's rolls. or a Christian who played pro-
greesive euchre. or a home where the game was
power. There can niHEtS Re no family alta! in a home
where progressive euchre Ia encouraged. l am
sorry for the man or woman who finds aolace In
cards. the. acknowledged tools OF the gambler.
Cardsa re found IN every saloon. every dive, every
ss oIer q in na The C dnfssISn0 honey snSs SA0oio not %
"sometimes when 1 preach / use a stereop-
s s!ssn +. sspp 5!la''' { !.h Sha' throw asx' 10 sa sag a:
ecene a picture showing Christ and the
s.stc5 d M isbyo, and n1dv, Peter ros Js%as; s and !" John II
would shock every one who snw it,. The mere
suggestion OF ~ would be horrible to- dwell upon.
fessing Christian should do th"t which his diTpine
5 Master would not do. As Christians should live
they should have different amusements."
What about dancing =, asked the reporter;
oh nRitpSaae % saSSid th nGs S ar. 'E %ans mss wS by
dane. who would not think of permitting their
S SaHeassf' There he SISTERS IS an 10 un sRs 3 IA FS"ne
Of tho dance, round dances ms we'll as square
Siaes'i they y would would not %sn dare %ey suggest %pss " even ss
spoken words, Ninety:nine women may be able
Sre Siaa' may s yisld to them and that one; an %y
brother may be- BE- yo onS .Ssr I'll, Think ofit! Think inx
q should e sp be tSle el,s an IN c tRsh tSl1 soeie I, dancing
Mr. IW glsss yis vn. do ss EeSS hold as to the theatre r
end have his thoughts an : eIey ,s,f Nv T. S,ot God
S are the he p aafsssGS christie 1s'A and w which
arc notl II YOU cannot: then Christians
30 willing to walk down almost any OF the
and look at the theatrical postersi II the posters
are 50 bad, how much worse must 1t be to sit in
atheatre and watch the plays these posters adj
"Now / don't want to be misunderstood. I
can see no harm In the members OF my family
sitting down quietly in my parlor to a game Of
cards. Neither would I find fault with my sons
and daughters having q quiet dance at home to
the music of tina piano But, unfortunately. we
eannot keep those diversions within proper
4b bounds. We must take then. as VI find them,
and as we find them they are all wrong.
"The position ] take 10 very simple. When a
i man or u woman becomes a protesting Christian.
they should be different from the ordinary
~, run of men and women. They have prom
Used to follow the Example and the
teaching Of Christ, and II they fulhl
their promise, they must be different from
Others who are not In the church. 1t is because
90 many are not that the world says that the
church 70 filled with hypoerites: There Is a
Ing 10 weed out the hypocrites.
"Thefe are not only dishonest persons in the
pulpits, and the latter are the worst Of all.
a man who receives from the governing body
Of q chureh-from Presbytory OF the Church
to which ] belong. for instance,,authority to
nraaah the dncfrinaa nf that church and then re-.