The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-05-13

A dense throng packed the First
Baptist church last night, when, as
advertised, the Rev. JesSup spoke on
"Wenatchees Red Light District
Mayor Scheble, Prosecuting Attor-
ney Grass, and numerous other city
officials occupied seats in the audi
ence, to hear what the man of the
cloth might have to say about SO tick
lish a topic.
Rev Tanner read the lesson, Mrs.
Hamilton sang, and the ball opened.
DR.. Jessup took his text from Gen
esis, 1:3; And God said, Let there
be light and there was light"
Stepping to the front of the ros-
turn, with an amused smile on his
face, the attenuated clergyman said:
Where did you all come from?
had expected a few more than usual,
but net such an outpouring as this.
But you're all welcome-I'm glad
you're here. | shall do my best to
tell you the truth. I'm unwell, and
was tempted to ask some one to take
my place tonight; but decided to
come myself and stick it out, lest you
think l had been frightened away
from the topic for tonight.
"GOD SAID LET THERE BE
LIGHT.
I'm this day we need light on
many questions. We especially need
light on the family life and the rela-
tions between husband and wife. We
need light on these tendencies which
are born to the child, and which may
grow as he developes.
my topic tonight is, 'Wenatchee's
Red Light District
81 take it that by Red Light Dis
trict we mean that locality wherein
persons hire themselves out for i'm
moral purposes; who are confined
either by common consent or by po-
lice authority in certain district.
find on Investigation that this is
common practice in most we'll gov
erned town-that these persons are
best restricted in such condition.
No doubt there are in our town 9TH
ers, of good society, who are selling
themselves for this immo-tl purpose,
and / think, after conversation with
some of our city officials, that If the
citizens would stand by them, they
would make these bad characters
also a part of the red light commun-
| ity.
World Old Vice a Plague.
II was reading lately of the great
plague that swept Europe in the 18th
century, devastating the land and de-
populating the cities. Physicians
and scientists of that age were baf-
fled; they knew not its source or
cause. But in the light of later
years of study, the germ of that aw-
full plague was found to have sprung
from the immortality and excessive
indulgence of the people of that date.
The result is that all through
Europe today may be found hordes
of moral degenerates, on ac-
count of the social crimes of their an
castors. This country is full of them
too, and their sins can be attributed
to the same ancestral source.
The cause of this sin and suffering
was the immoral relations of a peo-
pie at a time when they did not un-
derstand the awful effect on future
generations which their immortality
was destined to have.
The greatest source of trouble here
is not those who are separated from
your district, and inhabit the Red
Light, the danger to your faEily lies
in association with those who live
next to you, and whose bad influence
over your son or your daughter will
in time bear fruit
Decries SensafiOnalism.
Il talk thus on this topic not to
be sensational-but because as pas
tor who is daily surrounded by young
people growing up l want to help
them to grow up right. | know how
difficult it is to get results in purify
ing place when the people will not
help, too. | want to awaken the
parents of this community to their
responsibilities. l am not reform
er of the kind that is prevalent in
these days. / simply strive to put
something better in place of that
which exists now. Education will
Triumph. ! believe. And finally good