El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-22
THE CHURCHES.
CONTINUED from 9Th psge)

already ruined morally and socially
Hear them, We whose sons are still uu-
contaminated, and let your own hearts
answer. Are these hell-born 1nstltu-
tions what a city needs? And do they
bring US a real, desirable, success?
But here is another thought. These
institutions do not stop with their In
huence on our boys and men Iney
reach out indirectly and seek to con-
mothers. These all have native con-
fidence if not pride in what father, hus-
baud or brother does. And they
should have real character on " h1ch to
base this pride. What an inspiration
for man to do right! God pity the
man who abuses it for as they live
worthy of, or abuse il they affect the
moral sentiment of these fair ones of
earth. Mark this: If loose women
make loose men, it is equally true that
the tendency of loose man is to lower
that high standard of moral sentim ent
among all the pure and good with
whom he associates. If father DRINKS
and g Am bles or contends that We must
have the violations of law, and vile
institutions in order to the success of
the city, the tendency is for the wife
and daughter to believe he is right.
She can't exactly see 1t that way, but
if father and brother and sweetheart
says it's 80, it must be so. And thus
they often drift, and sometimes, alas!
too far.
Now put all 1 have said together,
and you will see that it is not so
strange after all that leading saloon
in our little city should announce in
the paper special seats for ladies who
wish TO witness the expert feats in
gam bling: that at certain sea sops of
the year when gambling institutions
nil the streets of our sister city, when
vice turks in every corner seeking to
seize any and all its victims, sweet,
pure, innocent young girls will press
their way to the gambling table,
hemmed In by a''tin-horn" gambler
on one side and a public prostitute on
the other, breathing their breath, ex-
changing looks and smiles with them
in the thong htlessness and excitement
OF the moment, and even cOnversing
with them as all together they wait
the results of the gamblers call; that, |
as 1 have been told, some of the ladies !
of our best families have been led to ]
believe that it is all right for them to
go into beer-garden at the rear of q |
whisky saloon and there regardless of |
the character of the crowd they are ia
spend the evening hours of the Lords |
given by the saloon, even if they do
not themselves join in drinking with !
the crowd.
Such is the subtle, blighting infiu-
ence OF these Institutions that some !
men say are necessary to the success of |
the town. Tell me, ye fathers and |
mothers, husbands and wives, brothers |
and sisters of conscience and expert |
euce. is it so? Which do we need. that |
it be said, ''the devil is there" or ''the |
Lord is there?" If you say the latter, |
that we need law and order along NOR
al as well as other lines, then how are
we to get it? Have the officers enforce
laws? Yes, that is good, and
this could be done if men would only
do it. The idea that 1t cannot be done
is false. The gam bling houses have
been closed and kept closed in Ell Paso,
am told, and that by the city officers
alone, and when the tone of moral sem
,imeDt was much lower, presumably,
,han it is now. Then why can they
lot be closed again? Every store and
every saloon could be closed on Sunday
( the officers would determine, at :
whatever cost, to do it.
But there is another thing that must
lot be forgotten here. 1t is, alas, too
rue that the officers do not always
ave the support of q high standard of :
'ublic sentiment. Officers are men.
Apd men are weak. And while the Of
Icer ough to enforce the law, regard =
esS VI VINO opposes, yet until they can :
eel that they have a strong public
ointment and support behind him, it is Y
las! often, too true that they will not :
o their duty. And Indeed they ought l
o have strong public support behind I
hem. And whether the matter should .
here or not, it is my candid =
alignment that so far as our city is con- :
erned. what we need is to start in the :
hurches and in our homes more ,
igorous campaign against wrong;a L
reater endeavor to build up strong
ublic sentiment against all ipstitu- !.
ons and customs that imperil the
lorals OF our homes, and drag the :.
anne of our city in the dust of humili- =
= and shame: a campaign unitedly, :,
and persistently wsged :,
the spirit of our blessed master will u
bring glorious victory; Il
Id cause to be written on every sign
,st that leads thousands outside into
lr beautiful city, 1.-THE Lord is there.
be Lord is there l..
Two dozen fresh eggs for twenty-fiveI
hts at the Ell Paso Grocery. Il
Best Flour is the best q
/