The stayer. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1896-1903, 1902-07-03
PROBLEMS OF REFORM.
SERMON BY REV. V. c. EVERS on THE
SUBJECT OF MUNICIPAL GOV
ERNMENT YESTERDAY.
RESPONSIBILITY OF
PUBLIC.
The Morals of u City Are in
Keeping with the Moral
Condition of u Ma
jOrity Of its Citi-
ZenS.

Municipal Government" was the
subject of n sermon delivered yester-
day at the Tabernacle Methodist
Church by the pastor, Rev. V. G.
Evers. A large congregation was
present and gave close attention to
his remarks.
His text was: "If thou fOrbear to
deliver them that are drawn unto
death, and those that are ready to
be..slain, II thou sayest, behold, we
knew 1t not; doth not he that pom
dereth the heart consider 1t, and he
that keepeth thy soul. doth not he
know 1t, and shall not he render to
every man according to his works."
tProv. XIV. 11-12.) His remarks
were were in brief as follows: When
we come to consider the question Of
municipal government and OF munic-
ipal reform we generally begin at
once to think of the officers of Justice,
and everybody from the President
down to the humblest ufflcehOlder
comes In for his share Of blame for
the laws which are not enforced.
But want us to look very carefully
this morning to See II we ourselves
have not some responsibilities In
these matters. Weare often inclined
to arraign officers of the law and
public officials for nOn-enfOrcement
of law, when the fact Is there would
he less to complain of II no blame at
tnched to those Of us who are al
ways supposed to be on the side OF
right Blame, say, not In the
sense that we inaugurate wrong, or
Intentionally aid 1t, or positively In
dorse It: but In the fact that we neg
lect what frequently demands our
attention. The result comes to he
IN uhenviable standard Of public
morals. No more truly Is the fire
company organized to put out fire
or the life-saving crew to rescue peO-
pie from the perils of the sea than
are conscientious lawablding people
called to stand by the interests
society.
The moral condition of our city is
In keeping with the moral condition
of the majority of her citizens. | do
not mean by that to say that the
majority of our citizens are evil and
lawless. Far from 1t. But many of
us are failing to do the work that
lies at our doors and the forces of
evil move on unchecked, and II my
proposition Is true and the better
disposed are In the majority 1t fol-
lows that they are measureably res
ponsible for the evils that exist I'm
open violation of law.
This city is our home. Here are
our families, here we must train our
children, and from here many of us
will go out into the great future to
meet our destiny. 1t il not for us to
draw within the inclosure Of our
homes and gather our children
about us and try to bring them up
right without regard to the vice and
iniquity that rage around us, merely
praying the prayer, Lord, bless me
and my wife, my son John and his
wife, us four and no more" we must
demand that whatever would injure
our homes, whatever we would not
tolerate within our walls shall not
be tolerated within this larger home
which we call the city. And 1t should
be the pride and ambition of every
true citizen to assist In making the
city what his home surroundings
ought to be.
In the midst of great numbers 1t ID
easy to lose our identity, and lose
sight OF our personal responsibility.
In our immediate home circles or In
smaller communities we protect our