The Brinkley argus. (Brinkley, Ark.) 1883-current, 1898-01-20
HURTFUL OR HELPFUL
Orxanisations Which May be Beneficial or
DetrImental-The Influence of the
Club on Domestic and Com
mcrcial Life.


In the following sermon Rev. T. De-
Witt Talmage endeavors to draw the
line healtful and unhealthful condi-
tions surrounding club life. The text
is:
Let the young men now arise and play befors
us.-IL Samuel, H., IA
There are two armies encamped by
the pool of Gideon. The time hangs
heavily on their hands. One army pro-
poses game of sword-fencing. Moth
could be more healthful and innocent.
The other army accept the challenge.
Twelve men against twelve men, the
sport opens. But something went ad-
versely. Perhaps one of the swords
men got an unlucky clip, or In some
way mad his ire aroused, and that
which opened in sportfulness ended IN
violence. each one taking his contest-
ant by the hair, and then with the
sword thrustinG him in the side; SO
that that which opened in innocent
fun ended in the massacre of all the
"a sportsmen. Was there ever better
illustration of what was true then,
and is true now, that that which is IN
nocent may be made destructive?
At this season of the year the club
houses of our towns and cities are in
full play. have found out that there
is legitimate and an illegitimate use
OF the club house. In the one case 1T
may become healthful recreation,
like the contest of the "a men in the
text when they began their play; in
the other case it becomes the massacre
Of body, mind and soul, as in the case
Of these contestants in the text when
they had gone too far with their sport.
All intelligent ages have had their
gatherings for political, social, literary
urposes--gatherings characterized by
the blunt old Anglo-Saxon designation
of club
II YOU have read history, you know
that there was a Kings Head club,
Ben Jonson club, Brothers club, to
which Swift and Boiling belonged,
literary club which Burke and Gold
smith and Jonson and Boswell made
immortal; q Jacobin club, Benjamin
Franklin Junto club. Some of these
to indicate justice, some to favor the
arts, some to promote good manners,
some to despoil the habits, some to de-
stroy the soul. If one will write an
honest history of the clubs ofEngland,
Ireland, Scotland, France and the
United States for the last 100 years, he
will write the history of the world.
The club was an institution born on
English soil, but it has thriyed well In
American atmosphere. Who shall tell
how many belong to that kind OF club
where men put purses together
and open house, apportioning the ex-
pense of caterer and servants and
room, and having a sort of domestic
establishments style of club house
which. in my opinion, is faf better
than the ordinary hotel or boarding
house? But my object now is to speak
of club houses OF a different sort, such
as the Cosmos, or Chevy Chase, or Lin
coin clubs, of this capital, or the
Union leagues of many cities, the
United Service club of London, the
..otos of New York, where journalists,
ramatists, sculptors, painters and
rtists, from all branches, gather to-
ether To discuss newspapers, the
ers aud elaborate art; like the
mericus, which camps out IN
INNER time, dimpling the pool
tn its hook and aronsing the
est with its stag hunt; like the
fury club, which has its large
sup Of venerable lawyers and poets,
the Army and Navy club, where
50 who engaged in wariihe service
o on the land or the sea now come
.ther to talk over the days of car.
); like the New York Yacht club,
its floating palaces of beauty up
cred with velvet and paneled with
y, having all the advantages OF
tic bell, and of gaslight, and o.
spantry. one p. easure boat cost
-, 0ao, another s15. oo0 another
j another sS5, oe9. the fleet O.
re boats belonging to the clut
cost over Ss.ooeooo; like the
ian Jsrkey club, to which
sc hare q passionate
eve rses
the
CHI o.