Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-31
A MORAL UPHEAvAL
Element in Hampton at Work
to That End. m.
OMNIBUS DIscouRsEs
Work Commenced on the New Electric
Railway. Sunday at Buckeoe Beach.
Mr. Drifting hams Horse
Advertisements. .H| 81.

| That Hampton is on the verge Of a
| moral upheaval scarcely admits of a
| doubt There are numerous reasons
! TO support this statement, reasons
which rise far above the doubtful dig
nifty of an effervescent passing senti-
| ment. Men who are intensely interest
| ed in the moral and religious progress
and who realize that both of these
helpful and hope-inspiring conditions
are trudging along in the back ground
while their opposites are spreading
| themselves like green bay trees, are at
this very hour sowing the seed that in
a few weeks, or months at most. Will
yield wonderful harvest. Thes. men
do not proclaim Hampton to be town
in which high-handed evil exists. for
that would not be true. Indeed, there
is not a city in the State with a larger
proportion of jealous and fearless
Christian men and women. But they
have resolved to cry out against the
multitude Of insidious evils by which
the young Of both sexes are lured into
dangerous paths. and they do wear
ing. as they do. the garb of apparent
innocence. deceive people of mature
years and thus neutralize the efforts of
those who are devoting their time and
talents to the PRONUNCIATION of moral
and religious truth. This, at least. is
what is said and it is given to the read
any other matter of local interest
would be laid before them.
TWO sermons were preached here on
Sunday which bear unerring testimony
to the facts as above set forth. The
first came from the heart as we'll as the
lips OF the Rev. DR.. Woodfin. 1t was
a profoundly thoughtful discourse and
dealt with the shortcomings of Chris
tian people with reference to the duty
of boldly speaking for Christ The
words of David, written in The 10th
verse Of the 119th Psalm. furnished the
text: II will speak of they testimonies
also before kings. and will not be
ashamed" To present clear synopsis
of DR.. Woodtin's discourse would re-
quire at least a column and half in
the Daily Press. 1t was fervent.
forceful, truthful presentation of facts
which had been painfully impressed
upon the mind of the able divine. the
knowledge of which he could not as a
faithful ambassador of Christ concea,
from his people. Had they spoken, like
David. Of the testimonies Of God" The
test of Christian character lies in the
work it does. The truly converted man
cannot hide the fact from the world.
Ne will let those around him know that
he is child OF God. He will speak out
to all men, regardless Of their condition
or station-he will be bold. courageous.
with evil. he will not hesitate to make
any sacrifice, he will not ashamed
At night the Rev. G. H. Lambeth,
pastor of the West End Methodist
church. addressed a large congregation
on summer pleasures. The eloquent
young minister threw his whole soul
into the sermon. He spoke as one
having authority as. one by one. he
took up the dangerous amusements
young people are wont to engage. The
pernicious influences of convivical as
sociations, by which SO many promis-
ing boys are entrapped and finally
hopelessly manacled. the dance. the
seaside resorts of bad repute with their
numberless cunningly devised amuse-
ments for erasing the touches of love
that flow from the sacred altar OF
home, were held up in the plain light
OF Christian truth. The minister spoke
of the vows assumed by his people
when they entered the church--r.mind-
ed then, that they had pledged them
slves to abstain from the wicked
pleasure@ of which he had spoken. The
requirements of the Methodist church
could not be mistaken. They were
made plain to every applicant for adj
mission and it grieved him to be COM
PEELED to say that there are many who
have violated their solemn promises to
Almighty God.