The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1898-01-15
HURTFUL OR HELPFUL.
Rev. DR.. Talma4e Discourses on
the Influences Of Club Life.
Or : a,lizattons Which Nay be BsnedOlsl 81
Detrimsntsl-TA0 Iaflos0cs Of the
Club ON Domestic and Com.
m0RoIol Life.

m0RoI0l Life.
In tho following sermon Rev. I. De-
witt Valmage endoavoFs TO draw the
line healtful and unhealthful condi-
lions surrounding club life. The text
il:
Lot the young men now arise and play before
us.-IL Samuel IL. IL
There are two armies encamped by
the pool Of Gideon. The time hangs
heavily on their hands. One army pro-
poses u game of sword-fencinR. Moth
could 10 more health1ul and innocent.
The other army accept the challenge.
Twelve men against twelve men. the
sport opens. But something went adj
vcrscly. Perhaps ono of tho swords-
n.cn got IN unlucky clip. or In some
way had his ire aroused. and that
which opened In sPortfulness ended In
violeucs. each one taking his contsst-
ant by the hair, and then with the
Aword thrusting him In the side; 20
that that which opened in innocent
fun ended In tho massacre of oil the
- spor tsmen. Was there ever q better
illustration Of what was true then.
and IL true now, that that which 10 In
noccnt msy be made destructivs1
At this season OF the year the club
houses of our towns and cities are in
full play. have found out that there
Is y Legitimate and IN illegitimats use
Of the club house. In the ono case It
may become . health3ul recreation,
like tho contest Of the - mon in the
text whom they began their play; in
the other oase 1t becomes the massacre
Ut body, mind and soul, - In tho case
of these contestants in the text whom
they had gone too far with their sport.
All intelligent ages have had their
gatherings for political. social, literary
Purposes-gathsring characterized by
ths blunt old Auglo-Saxon designation
VI CLUB"
II you have read history. you know
that there was Kings Head club, .
ltcn JOnson club. Brothers club, to
which Swift and BolingbrOke belonged,
. literary club. which Burke and Gold |
smith and JOnson and Boswell made |
Immortal; . Jacobin club. . benjamin !
Franklin Junto club. Some Of these |
to Indicate justice, some to favor tho |
arts. some 70 promote good manners,
some TO despoil tho habits. some 70 de.
stToy the soul. II one will write IN
l.nnest 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.
Abe club was an institution born ON
Euglish soil. but Il has thrived we'll 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-
pvuss Of caterer aud servants and
room. and having . sort Of domestic
establishments style Of club house
which. In my opinion. 10 far better
than the ordinary hotel or boarding
houss7 But my object now Il to speak
II club houses Of . different sort, such
No tho Cosmos. or Chevy Chase, or Lin.
uoln clubs. OF this capital or the
Union leagues" Of many cities. che
United Service club Of London, the
Lotos Of New York. where journalists,
sculptors, painters and
Artists, from all branches. gather To-
gsther 70 discuss newspapers, the
Aters and elaborate art: like the
Amerlcus, which camps out IN
summer time, dimpling the peol