The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-09-05


Rev. 9abby. prayer by Rev. Brigham
Gabby gave a short talk on the moral
forces Of our community. He remark
ed the audience could tell his line Of
thought and talk before he spoke 1t.
He placed the church first in the work
Of promoting moral welfare. It's posi-
ton Is the reverse OF an unlicensed one.
II teaches and produces the moral pre-
cepts Of the good book. which In the
foundation stone Of civic and religious
thought. purpose and acts Then there
were the heads Of families who IL they
did not go to or belonged to church.
taught their children morals and to
teach them to love God. Most Of our
homes are restrained by moral forces.
and stand for morality. The newspa-
per on the side Of right IL a very po-
tent II not the most potent factor for
morality and righteous civic govern
ment. because most Of the people be-
lteve in the papers and what they see
in them and generally speaking they
are correct In their presentation of
fact and gave the following illustration
to show the correctness Of his theory:
The New York Tribune on a certain
occasion interviewed William Jennings
Bryan. who was In the city, and said
he was making an great success Of
farming as he had done In lecturing
and creating public opinions along
moral lines. That he had planted 100
acres Of oats. which averaged sixty
bushels to the acre and sold the same
for forty cents bushel Another pa
per interviewed him to ascertain a COR
roboration Of his agricultural success.
Mr.. Bryan said the statement was COR
rect In the main with few minor cor
rectiOns. namely: that he had sown Ave
acres Of oats instead Of 100 and as he
had not yet threshed the oats could not
give the yield. hence could not state
the price at which It had been sold a
bushel. At this everybody smiled a
knowing smile
But Rev. Gabby believed in publicity;
to place the spot light on all doings
and let the public Judge of their ben
efficient or baneful effects: to do good,
not to satisfy the curiosity Of people.
The bad fear publicity and the devil
was no friend 10 exploiting the acts
of his followers.
Rev. J. w. Bigham spoke Of the I'm
moral Forces Of Our Community" He
made an aggressive talk against the
saloon and its evil and pernicious in
nuences. He took up the links In the
chain of its procedure as he recount ed
the counts that constituted that chain
and finally laid II at the feet of the
stewards Of the Methodist church, the
deacons OF the Baptist church and the
elders of the Presbyterian church. be-
cause they and those who voted with
them sanctioned the legalizing OF the
~ T.
the school and the newspaper are re-
sponsible for the moral forces in a
community. He said there was gam
bling going on in this town. contrary
to the law against 1t and nothing was
being done to modest or. suppress It.
The picture ne drew Of the immoral
forces at work in Ocala was anything
but complimentary to our citizenship.
who when spoken to believe in good.
decent government. but never lifted a
hand to uphold 1t. He said the pub
lie conscience needed awakening before
these cesspools OF iniquity could be
cleansed. and II rested with those who
made the law to see It was properly
enforced. Rev. Bigham's remarks had
q telling effect and made many sit up
and take note.
Rev. w. II. Coleman Of the Christian
church spoke Of the Citizen and Law
Enforcement" and spoke we'll notwith-
standing his physical weakness. having
Just got up from bed Of sickness He
said he could answer Brother Bigham's
question. namely. that II the people
present tonight determined In their
minds and hearts that the evils spoken
Of by the preceding speaker should be
suppressed. 1t could and would be done.
We. the people. are the citizens who
can and should do these things and II
consecrated to the work Of good citi-
xenship. the task would be easy. He
said II people would so elect. 1t was
easier to do right than do wrong. He
said Washington in his farewell ad-
dress said that stable government rest
Cd on religion and morals. He quoted
the words Of an eminent French states
man who said no good government
could exist that was not founded on
theology and the word Of God He re-
ferred to the ballot and how 1t was
used: to the primary law OF the state
TO protect the sacredness Of the ballot
and how according to a publication in
Jacksonville Ii was disregarded and
trampled under foot by 1.-The power OF
evif' paying the poll tax Of 5000 ne
groes and undesirable citizens that
they might vote to continue the pres
ent system Of local option for the sell
nsh ends Of those in the business.
He said the enforcement OF laws en-
the statute books rested largely with
the officials and related the effect the
enforcement Of the law had in Tampa
where many women who conducted
dJsreputable houses took out a govern
ment license and then ignored the state
and municipal laws by selling intox-
icants without a state or municipal IL
cense, and that Mayor MacKay OF that
city was seeing that the laws OF the
city were enforced and those guilty OF
their violation were brought before
him and fined 500 and this procedure
was repeated until they were made I"
destst or move on.
He said to effect this II was only
necessary 10 agitate and agitate and In
turn II would arouse public sentiment
and compel unwilling officials to do
their duty. He said that the city re-
cords Of Ocala showed that within the
before the city and the fines exacted
had amounted to nearly $4,000. the re-
suit Of the Immoral conditions that
ran riot In our city as a wide open
town.
He took issue with those who de-
piored the conditions existing in this
city and facts recently brought to
light that there should be no agitation
TO correct them. The only way to cor
rect than yruS n fol ha trllfh n the