The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-12
DEVIL SUPREME
IN MODERN CITY
REVISED TEN COMMANDMENTS
AS BASED ON APPARENT FAITH OF
MODERN PEOPLE.

Almost Direct Opposite of Those
Given by Moses, Said Rev. DIR. A.
NJ. Williams in Sermon On ''The
Seat of Satan''-COntrOIIinE Ideas
and Ideals of Modern Life Are
MateriaIistic Philosophy and Sem
suaIism-The Golden Rule Observ-
cd as David Harum Laid 1t Down.
A revised version of the Te- Com
mandments, based on the ideaY which
seem to actuate modern society, fur
nished the basis for a scathing ar
raignment of modern city life by Rev.
Dr. A. M. Williams, pastor of Trinity
Methodist church yesterday morning.
At the same time he pointed out the
duties of the church in it's relation to
vice in all its forms. and expressed his
disbelief in the commonly held theory
that the times of old were better than
to-day.
The text of the sermon was taken
from Rev. ills: II know thy works
and where thou dwellest even where
Satan's seat is After briefly recit-
ing the conditions that existed in Per-
gamus that gave rise to this statement,
DR.. Williams said:
Personal power and prestige was the
feature of ancient civilization. That of
the present is the dominance of ideas
and ideals. Satan of the present day
is the dominant evil spirit. In cities
there is a concentration of evil infiu-
ence. This concentrated evil is the
If Co
The special ideas that enthrone
themselves in our city as a seat of
satan-for he surely is well established
here's materialism and sensualism.
Satan defies God and diverts man. He
fosters in the soul the bonds of mater
ialistic philosophy. He provides abund-
ant institutions for the sensual side of
mans nature. The saloon, the gam
blers den. the vaudeville, the brothel,
tolerated and we'll established tell of
the audacity and domination of the
devil.
Modern Ten Commandments.
Satan defies God. In our modern
life if the real faith of the people were
written honestly out, the Ten Com
mandments would be revised. They
would read something like this:
Thou shalt put fashion, society,
pelf, and politics before God. Thou
success no matter how gained. Thou
shalt praise Goddess ideals instead of
respecting the name of God.
:" Remember the Sabbath day to
keep it as a day of fun, frolic and ex-
cesses, in drunkenness as we'll as other
low indulgences. Thou shalt usurp the
power to take life out of the hands of
God and the powers he has ordained,
adding all forms of brutal torture that
iSflamed passion may suggest.
Thou shalt not only tolerate lust,
but surround it with such social GUS
toms a. infame, and such conveniences
as facilitate it. Thou shalt arrange all
kinds of methods for getting from your
| fellow man without giving value in
return from the dark alley, policy
| shops, the elaborate gambling para
phernalia, the bucket shop, and the
| prostitution of all modern utilities to
| selfish gain.
Shalt Seek to DefOrm.
Thou shalt seek out all elegant
| and cruel methods to deform your fell
low creatures.
Thou shalt earnestly desire what
| thy successful neighbor has gained
by his superior talent and faithful
labor, that you will despise him in
| heart and seek to destroy the value
of what he has
Not only would it revise the Ten
Commandments, 1t would also revise
| the golden rule. making it read in the
| language of David Harum, DO unto
your neighbor as he would do unto
/ you, and do it fust'
Modern materialism and current
| sensuality abound in our twentieth
century city. The first duty of the
church in such a locality is to be pure,
filled with Christians of fixed, set
| tied, inmovable purposes. The world
has no room for 'mush' religion. If
| you have a feather bed form of grave
you had better move out into the
country"
In closing, DR.. Williams called at
tention to the fact that though the
religion of the country is often held
up as the best and purest yet it is
| doubtful If it could withstand the on
slaughts of the concentrated vice of
the cities. He exhorted all Christians
to be aggressive, to push forward to-
ward the mark, to enter into the strug-
| gle with sin with more heart, and with
| great vim, as under those conditions
alone would victory be theirs.