The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-27
TELLS PLAINLY WHY
CITY IS NOT MORAL
DR.. Mcdaniel Discusses Rea-
sons for Bad Conditions
Which Now Exist
PARENTS AND HOME
WANING IN AUTHORITY
Boys and Girls Not Under Re-
straining Influences of Olden
Times-Marriage Vows
Disregarded.


McDaniefs second sermon upon the
causes of existing moral conditions
in Richmond. He said in part: 'Last
Sunday evening We examined the c.ty
as a physician examines patient
and pronounced 1t sick. This evening
our purpose Is to ascertain the causes
of this malady, and next Sunday
evening our aim shall be to suggest
the remedy. that ". We shall prescribe
the medicine for the patient Some
were shocked by the plain tstements
which were made in the first sermon.
Many approved of the position taken
and expressed that approval In scores
Of letters. Some are ever ready TO
divert attention from bad conditions
by taking the opposite side and prais-
ing the morals OF the people. 1t IS a
cheap way OF securing temporary
popularity and applause. 1t is easy
to say that our churches are filled
with devout worshippers and that our
city lis the best of it's size in the world.
/ could wish 1t were true. but those
who attend church are painfully aware
that there are hundreds OF empty
pews. However. not one has denied
the facts as presented in the first dis
cussion. The truth Is that / did not
tell all the truth.
Cause OF Existing Conditions.
Having diagnosed the case let us
now trace the cause.
First: The, decay of parental author
fty. In the olden time the father was
the priest OF his household. From the
halls of literature comes no fairer pic
ture than Robbie Burns "Cotters Sat
urday Night" when the humble pious
father gathers his family about the al
tar TO read the word of God and TO
send TO Heaven warm request for
blessings c-'on his own. Contrast this
with the average home of this city on
Saturday night. The children are out.
some of them God only knows where.
The mothers paramount duty is to
train her children. II she negiects
them for bridge whist and the theatre,
or for any other cause. and they fail
for the want OF mothers tender care.
IL were better for her had she never
been born. When the Older people OF
this audience were children their par
ents knew where they were at night
and what they were doing. As the
shades OF the evening gathered the
children wendell their way to quiet
homes. Now they are allowed 10 GO
out at Will and remain out into the
small hours Of the morning. Sons of
1.htxtiah parents leave home Satur-
day attentions on pleasure jaunts in
the woods and on the river where they
remain, over the Sabbath drinking and
are not sufficiently careful about the
companions of their children Evil as
socfations corrupt good morals. An I'M
happy girl telling me of the begin
nings of her Wild career traced the
first step to evil conpanionship. The
home antedates the church and the
state.s Ii Is the only Institution that
survives the fall and to lose the home
IL worse than Adams sin. 1t lis evil
and sin for the parent 10 delegate to
the minister or civil officer the author
ffy divineiy conferred upon him. The
responsibility OF being parent Is
tremendous We need to reset the old
family land marks and lift again the
ideal of parental authority.
Marriage Vows Disrsgarded.
Second: Lack of regard for the mar
rage bond The most solemn and
binding obligations ever assumed by
human souls are those taken at the
marriage altar. Marriage is an institu-
ton divfnely appointed and necessary
for the preservation OF social order.
He is worse than a knave who enters
recklessly and disregards It's soiemns
vows.
I saw married men trotting the
streets like dogs In my walk down
Broad street week ago. or course
they were few, but the pity is that
there are any. There are married
women wearing fine dresses coquetting
with men who call while the husband
Is away from the home and by their
Establishments bring discord and dis.
grace to the family. unfaithfulness to
the marriage VOW is the only ground
for divorce countenanced by Jesus
The one thing worse than divorce Ia
the cause therefor.
Chivslry and Comnnercialisn.
Third: The passing of chivairy.
DO not refer to that system OF judaism
which fiourished In Europe between
the tenth and fourteenth centuries but
rather to that marked Difference paid
to womanhood aud that championship
OF her cause. 1t Is not an institution
but the spirit of knightly honor such
as prevailed In the old South. These
ideals were the highest. Hen were of
kntghtly honor and whoever touched
woman OF his race did so at the peril
OF his life. All. that in this city we
4 might ever maintain the standard by
which men regard every other woman
as he would have every other man re-
ideals were the highest. Men were OF
saw In Richmond a week ago had taken
place In this city fifty years ago. all
the salt In Lake Asphalted would nor
have saved the man. Have you losr
respect for the women Of your race e
God forbid.
Fourth: The commercialixation or
woman. The economic conditions of
America are unsatisfactory The rich
are growing richer and the poor are
becoming poorer. A new institution
exists In the South. The women are
thrust into competition with the men
in factories, offices and stores The
result Is they breathe an atmosphere
which Is not conducive to womanly
regard and are placed in temptations
which their mothers never felt. Some
= Of these girls work upon small salaries
and find II impossible to live respect
e able lives. win you tell me how
girl working for s4 week can get
decent board and clothes and live as
a lady should? God will cali them
to judgment. the men who by small
wages force women to shame.
:. Hundreds OF these working girls
are from the country. Here they are
without the wholesome restraint and
Christian influence OF the country
home. They have no way OF knowing
the character OF the friendships which
they form. and before she knows 1t
some poor girl II In the snare OF thu
fowler. 1t Is worse than tragedy.
All Judases Not Dead.
Fifth: Moral dcprnvity. A large
part OF our wickedness is to be ac-
counted for by the innate depravity OF
the sinner. Judas was devil from
the beginning. and all Judases are not