Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-03
nigh SOCIETY SCORED
New York Pastor OF Wealthy
Congregation breaches
Sensational Sermon.
Declares That Society Organized
On Basis OF Wealth Is Al
ways Vulgar.
The Whist Club Woman's Waste
The Whist Club Woman's Waste
Of Time Given Special
Attention.

New York, Marcn 3.-The Rev
Minot j. Savage, pastor OF the Chufcn
of the Messiah, preached yesterday On
Home and Society,"" In the course OF
his sermon he said:
.There is in New York. and in all
our great cities, that which calls itself
par excellence society. 1t is made up
of our 400, or, think some recent au-
thority has been reducing it to $50;
whatever the number may be, | do not
mean to say anything against the per-
sons who constitute this interior or
ganization in society; many OF them
are noble, Intellectually cultivated,
charitable and generous; l have no
word to say against them as individ-
ais.
But society that is organized
around the idea of wealth alone must
of necessity be ignoble and vulgar.
There is nothing in the highest and
finest sense of the word human merely
in the possession of wealth, and IL
these people who meet together and
constitute certain section of society
merely because they are rich VIII eX-
cuse me for not wanting to be with
them, will freely pardon them for not
asking me- There is nothing there
that is in any way attractive TO per
son who cares for what is essentially
high and fine in humanity, and 1t de-
generates sometimes into that Which is
exceedingly vulgar.
Il was at the opera the other night
and saw one LADY, do not know VINO
she was, tho / might have found out
by seeking the number of the box on
the program and reading the name
who illustrates what this sort of thing
comes to when it degenerates and
gets itself perfect expression. l have
never seen anything outside show
case at Tiffan's that in any way sug-
gested this lady. 1t was barbaric in
the extreme. She had the air of tell
ing everybody that she had not come
there to hear the music, but merely
to be looked at, and she was Loaded
and hung all over. in every possiple
place, with diamonds and gems and
jewels of every kind.
Now, we can forgive an Indian or
Fiji Islander for his anklets and
bracelets, for his nose rings and ear
rings because he has not, presumably,
been developed to anything higher than
these. but the type of society whose
distinguishing feature is that kind OF
thing certainly is not human in the
true sense in which the word ought
to be used.
II know women-I have known OF
them; have nobody at present In New
York in mind in saying this, and
sneak of them because they are spe-
cially and peculiarly the home max
ers--who have given themselves up so
so indulgently. to the
pleasure side of society that they have
little time for the home. for their chill
dren. for their husband, for cultiyat-
ing the highest and finest things IN
themselves. They exceed the just linn
its and proportions, perhaps without
any intention, by giving themselves so
to the mere pleasure side of society
interests.
For example, / have known women
to belong to three or four whist clubs
and devote half of the week-perhaps
more-to playing whist. l have moth
ing to say against whist, but, no mat.
ter what the thing may be, it is quite
for people to spend more
time on it than they have right to
spend, in view of hundred other
things that demand their attention.