The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-09
MORAL VIEW OF
CITY SHOCKS
MINISTER
DR.. Lusk Says Politicians,
Brewers, "Rummies" and
WOrldIings Bar Decency.

While alluding to himself as an op-
timist, believing in the text from Ro-
mans. 90: LET Us Rejoice" the Rev.
DR.. Davis w. Lusk, of the Sixth
Presbyterian Church, yesterday ex-
pressed most pessimistic views of the
moral condition of the city. 1t was
his first sermon after vacation, and
the church was crowded. During the
sermon DR.. Lusk said that between
politicians, brewers, rummies and
w~orldlings," decent living has not a
very bright outlook.
DIR. Lusk said in speaking of his
text:
This is the text of>an optimist, and
no one who is not an optimist can
accomplish great things. Men Of faith
have set themselves to the task of
making the impossible possible. There
is always more to rejoice over than to
cry over"
The clergyman gave his views of
local conditions in part as followsi
1.-The churches of Newark today are in
the minority, but the churches are the
hope of this city. The little bands Of
people gathered in the various churches
this morning are of more value to this city
in advancing its welfare than all the
~thoughtless and SHINING multitudes, who
today are seeking their own selfish pleas
ure:
pretty dark from a moral standpoint. Be-
tween the politicians and the brewers, and
the rummies, and the worldlings, there is
not a very bright outlook for holy living
or ever decency. When the politicians
vie with each other in the endeavor to
put a commandment of God to a vote Of
the people things have come to a, pretty
bad pass. Men have no more right TO vote
~. alo fo.,rt n ~ ont than fh0U
have to vote on the six or seventh or
eighth.
"They have just as much right to vote
to make stealing lawful as to make sab,
right to put to a vote of the people the
moral law of God. What does it matter
II in Atlantic City or some place else the
law Is disregarded? Are we to submit our
morals to the low ideals of the rummies
of n seaside resort? The politician who
will advocate such a course of action is
either ignorant of the principles of mo-
rality or else he is a political selfseeker.
Do we abolish the law forbidding adultery
because in some places impurity is prac-
tised. Does any man OF common sense
suppose that any law will be equally en-
forced every place? The proposition is
absurd.
Notwithstanding this. we are not dis
couraged. The truth of God cannot be
stamped out by politicians or anybody
else. Right is Just as certain to triumph
in the end as 1t is certain thai God ex-
fStS.'
DIR. Lusk continued:
There are evils today just as securely
entrenchedi in the social and political fabric
Of human society as was the old Coliseum
at Rome. Men look at these things ana
say they can never be broken. Why say
rever? If they are wrong they are bound
to go. Men look at the liquor traffic and
say, What can be done? The. liquor men
with all their influence are In the majority.
So let it be. The liquor pushes is bound
to go, 1t Is lust as cruel and rs deadly
and as terrible a foe as were the sports
of the Coliseum. But Just as certainly as
the Coliseum went down, just SO certainly
will the liquor traffic perish. 1t must
perish because 1t is wrong, and it Is per-
ishing. There Is n greater sentiment
against 1t today in this country than ever
before. It is sweeping over the South
with great rapidly. This sentiment Is
day redeem and save from the rummies'
GRIP the old State Of New Jersey. Don't
support any man politically who advo-
people.