The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-01-15
HURTFUL OR HELPFUL.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Discourses on
tho Influences OF Club Life.
organizations which May be beneficial OF
DETRIMENTAL Influence OF the
Club on Domestic and Com
mercial Life.

line bealtful and unhealthful condi-
lions surrounding club life. The text
is:
Let the young men now arise and p az before
EsS- II Samuel, H., II.
There are two armies encamped by
the pool OF Gideon. The time hangs
heavily on their hands. One army pro
poses a 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 nad 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 winch opened in innocent
fun ended in the massacre OF all the
"a sportsmcn. Was there ever "a better
illustration Of what was true then,
and is true now, that that which is in
.nocent may bc 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 it
rnay become IL healthful recreation,
like the contest OF the - men in the
text when they began their play; in
the other Case it becomes the massacre
of body, mind and soul, rs in the case
of these contestants in the text when
they had gone too far with their sport.
Ali tclligcnt ages have had their
gatherings for POLITICAL social, literary
purposes gatherings characterized by
the blunt old Anglo-Saxon designation
Of ''club." ..
If you have read history, you know
that there was II Kings Head club, II
len JOnson club, a Brothers club, to
which Swiftand Bolingbroke belonged,
a literary club, which Burke and Gold
smith aud Jonson and Boswell made
Immortal; a Jacobin club, II benjamin
Franklin Junto club. Some of these
10 indicate justice, some To favor the
arts, some To promote good manners,
some TO despoil the habits, some TO de-
struy the soul. If one will write an
honest history Of the clubs Of England,
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 thrived well in
American atmosphere. Who shall tell
bow many belong to that kind of club
where men put purses together
and open house, apportioning the ex-
peuse of caterer and servants and
room, and having sort of domestic
Embellishments style of club house
which, in my opinion, is far better
than the ordinary hotel or boarding
house? But my object now is to speak
of club houses of different sort, such
as the Cosmos, or Chevy Chase, or Lin
coin clubs, of this capital, or the
Union leagues Of many cities. the
Omitted Service club of London, the
LotoS Of New York, whore journalists,
dramatists, sculptors, painters and
artists, from al branches, gather to-
gcther TO discuss newspapers, the
aters and elaborate art; like the
Americas, which camps out in
summer timc,. dimpling the pool
with its hook and arousing the
forest with its stag hunt; like the
Century club, which has its large
group Of venerable lawyers and poets,
Like the Army and Navy club, where
those who engaged in warlilie service
once ON the land or the sea now come
together TO talk over the days OF car
mage; like the New York Yacht club,
with its floating palaces Of beauty up
holStered with velvet and pancled with
ebony, having all the advantages of
electric bell and of gaslight, and OF
kings pantry, one pleasure boat cost
ing s., 900, another Slj, 700, another
$50, 900, another SIS, 900, the fleet of
pleasure boats belonging to the club
having cost over $2,OO0,O00; like the
American Jockey club, to which
belong men who have passionate
f0ndncSs for horses, fine horses,
a. had job when, in the
Scriptures, he gives US sketch of
that king of beasts the arch of its
neck, the nervousness of its foot, the
majesty of its gait, the whirlwind of
its power, crying out: blast thou
clothed his neck with thunder? The
glory of his nostrils is terrible; he
pawcth in the valley and rejoiceth in
his strength, he saith among the trum-
pets ma. ma. ana lie Slnclleln the Dat-
tie afar off, the thunder of the cap
taiHs, and the shouting;" like the
Travellers club, the Blossom club, the
Palette club, the Commercial club, the
Liberal club, the stable Gang club, the
Amateur Boat club, the gambling
clubs, the wine clubs, the clubs of all
si1 80. the clubs of all morals, clubs us
good rs good can be, and clubs AS bad
a. bad can be. clubs innunerable.
During the day they are comparatively
lazy places. Here and there an aged
tnan reading newspaper, or au en-
pIoye busting sofa, or u clerk writing
up the accounts; but when the curtain
OF the night falls on the natural day,
then the curtain of the club house
HOSTS for the entertainment. Let
us hasten up. now, the marble stairs.
what an imperial hallway! See! here
are parlors on the side, with the up
holstery OF the Kremlin and the Tuil-
cries; and here are dining halls that
challenge you to mention any luxury
sthat they eau not afford; and here are
"a. l.xN., ,,,l Int