The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-02-22
NEXT STEP N
MORAL REFORM
DIR. STEVENSON PROPOSES HOME
FOR WAYFARING MEN SAYS
DEVIL CANNOT HAVE ALL THE
GOOD GAMES.

Followers OF the old line of OrthO-
doxy and churchism got a hard jolt
last night when DR.. Stevenson, at the
First Presbyterian church, in dis
cussing "The Next Step in Moral Re-
form in Wenatchee,'' said he "did
not believe in allowing the devil to
have all of the good games there is
going In his address he also set
forth plan for the social enlighten-
ment in Wenatchee of the man with
out home. He dwelt at length upon
the necessity of the people of this
city providing place for the way
faring man.
| Using for his text the two antipo-
des of scriptural teaching, "Thou
shalt not" and This do" the speak
er made local application of both
passages. He took up a discussion
of the wave of moral reform that is
sweeping the country. Said he. you
can just as well dam up the sweeping
| flood of the Columbia as you can to
stop this demand of the people for
saloon legislation"
con June first next the saloons of
| Wenatchee are to close their doors.
In doing so there is going to be ia
ken away for 800 or 400 men a So
cial gathering place. They are gong
to be turned adrift. What are you
going to do for these men without
home? I understand that a fine
| library is in contemplation, to be To-
Gated in one corner of the park. This
| is good but it will not suffice. The
Wenatchee Commercial club is also
to erect a fine club house, but this
is membership affair and neither
will this be sufficient.
This pulpit Is going to submit a
plan for your consideration. This
city is in need of a fine big club
room on the main street-a place
where men may meet and discuss
with their friends the things which
most interests them. Let there be
in one side a restaurant, and place
where ice creams and liquid refresh
ments may be served. Then there
should be a general reception room,
and another room for all kinds of
games-checkers, and-you may may
fill out the list for yourself.
81 have friend-a big man who
is filing a big place and filling it
well-who said to me one day, IF
thought the people were ready for it,
l would advocate the placing of pool
and billiard tables in the basement
of my church for my boys and young
men. I don't believe in letting the
devil have all of the good games
there is going"
The doctor was careful, however,
to state to the congregation that they
could fill in for themselves the list
of games and amusements" for this
proposed new club room.
How to Maintain 1t.
1.-THE time will come when the
city will maintain such a building,
but that time is not yet. The time
was when the public school system
was a purely private institution. 1t
has been only a comparatively few
years ago since all mails were car
ried by private contract. The same
changes of all things in the nature
of public service institutions is ap-
parent Cities are looking after their
own lighting and water systems. And
the time will come when a place Of
this kind will be maintained by the
city.
But until then a delegate should
be appointed from every church,
lodge and similar organization, which
wishes to assist in this movement.
The whole thing If properly handled,
however, can be made nearly self
supporting"