The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-27
EVILS OF CITY LIFE
HEALTHY ROBUST INTELLIGENCE
COMES FROM COUNTRY.
HUMAN RACE is CURSED
WITH A WILD INFATUATION FOR
GAMBLING, SAID REV. II. c.
CHRISTIAN

|
LeaGuc-AH Gambling HideOus in
the Light of Christ's Law-DeaIing
in Futures Means Wrecked Homes,
Despair and Suicide-StrOng Drink
and Narcotics Responsible for
Much Misery.
The human race is cursed with an
infatuation for gambling.
All gambling transactions however
cloaked or disguised, are hideous in
the light of Christ's law.
There is a certain quantity of cot
ton produced and those who deal in
that which viii come forth in June or
December make wrecked homes, des-
pair and suicide.
Healthy and robust intelligence
comes from the country.
In an interesting sermon on the evils
of city life, at Wesley Monumental
Church last night, Rev. H. c. Christian
the pastor, made use of these express
sions. large congregation heard
him attentively and his discourse on
the temptations of a city life was in
teresting. 1t was a special Epworth
League sermon and the church was
crowded with young men and young
women.
Mr.. Christian said:
Il do not propose to discuss this
subject from a political or socialistic
standpoint, and whatever makes men
better or worse is moral question, and,
therefore, religious, coming legitimate
ly within the sphere of a preachers
teaching. The tendency of the popu-
lation for many years has been to-
wards the cities in this country. What
ever may be the cause or the motive.
the fact is unquestioned. One-thi of
all the people in the United States are
now crowded into the cities, not to
speak of the small towns and villages.
The cities have become the great nerve
centers of population, and they have
become the storm centers for evil.
Grave Problems Have Arisen.
Coming naturally out of these new
conditions, grave problems have arisen
which are concerning deeply all think
ing men and women on this night, de-
voted to your Epworth League, and to
the young men and women of the
church. 1 have thought it fitting to
call your attention tc the 'perls of
city life. Of course, l shall have time
to mention only a few of these perils,
and these must be very briefly discuss
ed. The first peril which 1 wish to
bring to your attention is the peril of
ignorance In city even the size of
your fair Savannah, thousands are in
peril at this point, and that almost
from very necessity. The struggle for
existence, the pitched battle for bread,
leaves but little money or time FOR
books or study, or thought. But this
peril comes to those who are not I'M
der this necessity. You will pardon
me for some comparisons
will not make invidious ones about
your city, for / do not know it we'll
enough for that. For many years I
was the presiding elder of our church
in the great state of California; state
which has the finest public school sys-
tenn in the world; country of Million
aires; with the public school fund prac-
tically unlimited, and with a thirst for
knowledge, born of the invigoration of
her health giving climate and her am
bition to be the empire state of the en-
| tire union.
Country and City Life Compared.
I had ample opportunity to study
| the conditions in country and
| city life. One day in the great Sacra-
mento valley, with its waving harvest
| of wheat; the next Sunday in the capi-
beautiful Santa Clara valley; the next
in the great city of San Francisco;
| one Sunday in the great San JOAQUIN
valley with the eraison ranches; The
next in Fresno City; one Sunday in
the beauaiful San Gabriel, with it's or
ange orchards and fruits; the next in
| Los Angeles, destined to be, if I mis-
| take not, the most beautiful residence
city on the globe; one Sunday in VAL
| ley Center nestled in the Coast range
mountains; the next in San Diego, the
| open door to the Orient in the coming
years.
II found the cities equal in literary
tainments-superior in shrewdness,
knowledge of the world and certain sort
of polish, but for sound, healthy, ro-
| bust intelligence of the right sort, the
| country had the advantage. Certainly
| their country visitors would sometimes
| provoke a smile by their greenness-in
knowledge of city ways.
story of Country Girl.
I give you on illustrations: In
the Carpinteria Valley nestled
at the base of a double range
| of mountains, whose seven-mile
| beach is washed by the blue waters of
the Pacific, lived a beautiful girl climb
ing the cliffs of the mountains, and
bathing in the sea, leading her class in
the schools, president of the Epworth
League. She went to Los Angeles to
state conference. In a trolley ride
her hat blew off, not thinking of cleo
trio bells. She said to the conductor,
whoa to the amusement of the giggling
city girls, next day in the conference
she was the oracle on every question
which came up in the conference. She
had ample opportunity to smile back
when one of these city girls was WIS.,
iting in her valley and wanted to com
pletely unharness a horse so he might
drink at the brook. Our young peo-
pie in the cities are in peril of not read
ing solid books, of not studying the
word of God. In their pursuit of pleas
ure, time is frittered away, and the
sowing time for useful knowledge
passes. and they are doomed to a com
mon place life.
The Gambling EVIL.
THE second peril is the peril of games
of chance. To use the strongest Ian
guage, they are in danger of the en-
Elements and infatuation of gambling
The ruman race has been cursed with
this in all its history, but in cities
this peril stalks in all its hideousness-
one part of the population seeking to
live on the other.
There is no adage, or proverb more
false to its core than the one: That
the world owes me a living The
world owes no man more than he gives
to the world.