River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-09-22
Social Conditions
in Large Cities
ByREV. GEORGE W. Mcdaniel, DID,.
Pastor of First Baptist Church
Richmond, Va.

Text: Lovers Of pleasure more than
lovers Of God.
/ wish there were no occasion Tor
this sermon. There are many sensi-
tive souls whom It's plain language
may offend. They do not believe that
such subjects belong properly to pull
pit treatment. However, l speak be-
cause my conscience bids me. This
service is the discharge Of a painful
duty. "Do seek to please men? II
l yet please men, / should not be the
servant of Christ. The church mem
bers of our city in their attitude to-
ward moral conditions may be grouped
n four classes. First, those who DO
not know. They are good people, who
attend church. They know nothing OF
the sin and shame of the city streets.
Where ignorance is bliss it is folly to
be wise. Second, those who know,
but do not care. They have no sense
of personal responsibility, since they
are not participants in the wrong.
Their chief concern is in taking care
of self. Third, those who know, but
say they cannot change conditions.
Sin has always existed and always
will. The scarlet woman has been In
the world since the days of Solomon.
It is useless to attempt to purify city
life and improve social conditions.
Whoever makes the effort is striking
his head against stone wall. Fourth,
those who know conditions, feel their
responsibility as citizens and Chris
tians and endeavor to remedy the ex-
listing conditions. They may not like
the crack of my rifle, but nevertheless,
am determined to take the shot.
With this in view /, accompanied
by an officer in citizens clothes, took
two walks down Broad street and saw
sights which I blush to mention. The
first was on Thursday night, the first
clear night after about ten days OF
rain. They had come out like the in
,sects from under bark and sod, with
the first return of the spring sun.
They swarmed the streets until It was
difficult and, in some respects, dan
gerous to walk. Girls resorted to the
back parlors of Italian confectionaries,
where they sat in suggestive positions
to welcome and tempt whoever might
enter therein. An older girl, on evil
bent, led her little sister on her peril
Gus mission. Others whose lives dis
graced the name of woman stood on
corners or marched braZenly down the
street Boys In knee trousers and
girls In short dresses were out In the
darkness Of the night, when they
should have been at home. Washers
followed girls from block to block and
around corner after corner, and led
them down dark alleys. All OF this
and more I saw. Twas enough to
make the head heavy and the heart
sick.
On the second night we visited the
moving pictures. 1 saw nothing OBJ
iectionable per Sc in the pictures. A
minister was present, and they would
be guilty of no improperly. All class
es and conditions were in attendance.
A dude. dressed in Prince Albert,
bloated faced sport and wesley half
fed man were there, who bought tick
cts in rotation and entered one after
the other. Little children under ten
and haggled old women with bent
forms were there. What have you to
say about these shows? Two things:
First. they prove the text and demon
strate that the American people are
lovers of pleasure more than lovers
of God. On two blocks on Broad street
last Friday night more people saw the
moving pictures than assembled in
seventy of the eighty white churches
of this city. They lined the block and
backed up on the side street waiting
for admission and yet we say this is
Christian city. Would that it were,
but many Of the church members love
the places of pleasure more than the
house of God. They are too tired to
attend the church on Sunday evening,
but can parade the streets and stand
for long time and spend hours see'
ing moving pictures and vaudeville
after a hard days work. Oh, con-
sistency, thou art jewel!
Passing from the places of pleasure,
we saw young girls, whose mothers
thought they were in no harm, enter
ing. automobiles and going on joy
rides with young men who meant no
good. One of the most demoralizing
agencies in Richmond is the automo-
bile of the son of the rich. If you
want to ruin your son, get him an au-
tomobile. Not more than one out of
ten can own a machine without neg
lecting his business or injuring his
morals. If the numbers of the ma
chimes that ride slowly along Broad
street to entice young girls coming
from the plays, or stand on Mayo and
East Franklin streets after the mid
night hours, were published in the
daily papers, they would strike many
hearts with CONSERVATION, and arouse
the rich to the danger OF their sons.
If our papers want something sensa-
tional call their attention to this field
of investigation.
1t is not pleasant for one to speak
so plainly about the deplorable condi-
tons in the city that we love, but to
keep silent is a sin. To submit with
out a protest is to stif1e conscience
and betray trust. We boast of our
city as a churchgoing, well governed
town. The conditions which 1 saw
convince me that Richmond is an ap-
pie orchard without but rotting at the
core. The social impurity and moral
degradation are indescribable and I'M
speakable. AS the city grows in size.
It grows in wickedness. Can we check
this evil? If not. we are to go the
way OF other cities.