The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-12-03

quiry, As a people are We exposed to no
perils? As nation are we threatened
with no dangers that might eventuate
in national calamity? Can we boast of
immunity from evil forces which make
for national dissolution and downfall
and that tend to the grave peril of the
home of the individual? The history
of the Jews brings us an answer. We
are justly proud of our good land, but
let us not forget that some things are a
menace to our liberty and happiness.
We have been tolerating some things
which are a sharp reflection upon our
wisdom and understanding
/. One of these is the trade in demor-
alizng literature. This trade has
grown to alarming proportions. We
respect the doctrine of personal liberty,
but even this cherished doctrine has It's
limitations. "Yellow journalism and
the dime novel type of reading matter
should find no place in our homes and
in the hands of our children. While
the public prints which fall into the
hands of our people are filled with tales
of Illicit love, accounts of murder, Sc
duction and suicide, the seeds of social
ing sown. And we'll may we stop to
inquire, What will the harvest be?
The publication of the accounts of
crime, excepting so far as such publica-
tion will act as a deterrent, should be
actively discouraged and prohibited by
those who love our homes and institu-
tions. Criminologists tell us that the
increase of crime is due to the wide and
prominent setting forth of criminal
deeds, thus planting the seeds of vice
and sin. The Christian people of our
"good landn have it in their hands to
throttle yellow journalism and dime
novel publications, and the public con-
science should be awake to this foe of
the home and Hthe nation. We should
recognize with alarm this impending
danger and effectually control it, thor
oughly stamp it out.
2. Another element of danger to our
''good land" is the very prevalent habit
of gambling. Persons who fall into
this habit rarely ever reform. The inn
morality of gambling is seen in its ere
ating in man the expectation OF get
ting something for nothing, or at least
for which he has given no equivalent.
No nation can establish its integrity
nor make secure its place in the world s
life that permits the evil genius of gam
bling to gain national foothold The
tendency of our times is to secure prop
critics by gambling processes, and
whether these be carried on in Wall
street or in the wheat pit, or in care
fully-guarded saloon rooms, the immor-
ality is the same, and the bad effect
upon public morals is the same. The
devil was never more devil than when
telling young men and women that
the way to get on in the world is by
the gain that will come by gambling
operations. The deep hold this habit
has on public lite is seen in the diff
Guilty Of controlling it in the large cen
tiers. Tammany won in the interest cf
bad and vicious public morals. In our
own metropolis of Portland compro-
mise has been effected with gamblers.
We cannot control New York nor Port
land, but we can, by decisive ard
uncompromising attitude against it.
throttle it within our sphere of inhu-
ence and put a ban on the vicious prin- |
ciple that we may get something for
nothing. Gambling is q colossal evil |
and should be put entirely away from
us.
3. And what shall we say of that twin |
gigantic evil, the liquor traffic. This
is the greatest evil that curses our ma
tion and the human race. Broken
hearts and ruined homes, blasted rep
utations, fortunes scattered and children
disgraced, pauperism and crime are the
awful fruits of this iniquitous traffic
For the nation to tolerate this traffic is
to nurse a viper in its bosom. This |
traffic, with its train of evils, is a men,
ace to the innocence of maidenhood, to
the purity of womanhood and the sane.
tity of the home, and such gigantic
social evil is deserving of the stamp of
seVerest social Ostracism Let us put |
this evil away from us.
4. The dissertation of the Lords day
has attained the proportions of a ma
tiOnal evil. Owing to selfish greed,
million OF our laborers have no more
facilities for attending public worship
or enjoying the repose of the day of res
than if they lived in central Africa.
On the high ground of religious princi-
pie, as well as on the low ground of eX-
pediency, the heart of our Christian
civilization contend for the proper OBJ
servance of the Lords Day. There is
grave danger that the European con-
tinental Sunday may be imported to
become a component part of our public
life. France has her horse racing, Spain
her bull batting, Italy her operas, Ire
land her political meetings. America
has a portion of all these and good |
many things besides. These sins are a
parasite on our free institutions, our
boasted civilization and our religious |
principles. Mingled therefore with our
thanksgiving for generous harvests, for
health, for peace within our borders,
and for large manner of prosperity let |
our confessions be heard and our sins be |
sought out and put away from before
the Lord. We shall be q wiser, bet
ter, happier and more prosperous peo.
pie when such evils as vile literature.
the saloon and brothel, the gambling |
den, with their black train of attending |
evils, shall find no longer a place in our
good land"
To no other people in all the world is
the exhortation to be godly and true so
significant as in our own land. And do |
you ask why? Because ours is nation
of freemen. Our national life is in our
own hands. Our destiny is in our own
keeping.