The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-20
Richmond Va. November IS, 1919.
What is Needed to Eliminate Commercial
Vice I'm Richmond
Of The Nirglnian:

Editor Of The virgnian
slr--Win you kindly give space in your col
umns for the following remarks on the above
subject.
1t was very gratifying to me when I the
announcement in your paper OF the meeting to
be held here to discuss the evil of protected
vice" IN city. 1t my privilege TO attend
the first meeting which held IN the State
assembly hall, and presided over by our gov
ernor. There a number Of well-known
gentlemen who made addresses DR.. Freeman
I the first speaker. He spoke on the needs
Of Richmond. and he made "A very earnest ap-
peal for things that would be helpful in
our social life. And. some Of the things he
emphasized that, In his opinion would remedy
4 This evil. would take fifty years to accomplish
any result, if ever. He urged the people 70 30
slow and be humane in dealing with the matter,
and not follow Danville's plan by serving notice
on them to close up thereby scattering them all
voer the city and, perhaps make our splendid
police force grafters, Ga thing they were free
from now) by protecting them.
4 DIR. Buchanan. DIR. Mastin, DR., Kurk. Father
Flananhan. and others, made addresses. Or
Mastin made earnest appeal for some Of the
city preachers to come to the Jail and preach to
the inmates every Sunday. DIR. Buchanan says
If You break them up without some place for
them to GO you are likely to have them for your
next door neehbors, and SO the discussion went
I surprised when DIR. kurlz turned to Coy
ernor Mann and said These places not only
allowed to run in defiance of laws but they
sell liquor in them Sunday and there arc never
any arrests made" All of the speeches were in
teresting to the listeners, but It easily seen
that all of them were merely surface agitation
with no definite suggestion to how to get
rid of this great evil After all, who is to blame
for the existence Of these dens of commercial
vice, and what is needed to eliminate them ?
The pastors and the churches of the city of Rich
, mond who sit supnely down and raise not their
voices against this protected vice are to blame
with very few exceptions the preachers Of Rich
mond appear to be either indifferent to this
{ awful vice or else they influenced by others
who think this cursed vice Is a necessary evil
J The great need in the city Of Richmond. is a
man, a sure enough man in each pulpit, who will
declare the whole counsel of God concerning
what ne knows is right. man who viii either
preach the members who think this cursed evi
lis necessity into a faithful duty to God, OF
preach them out Of the church A man who vii
either preach this awful vice out Of Richmond
d Tor preach himself out of the pulpit az a church
;, which has name only, and Is not worthy Of 8
real man. 1t is the sheerest nonsense to heal
folks talk about the pulpit being SeCui1rtzed by
u ministers who speak out plainly and openly or
J., social moral and political questions. A min
lister who does not do so. is in my opinion falUne
far short OF his duty both to God and his fellows
e Plainness of speech moral issues never
o. needed worse than now Gods ministers mus
speak out and speak plainly. If the trumpe
e does not sound clearly someone will die. WIFI
is going to create sentiment against this evi
liz the preachers mouths are cosedo If tbs
preachers will raise their voices persistent,
k against this vice, X will GO The churches o
Il Jesus Christ have the power 10 remove this sill
, of protected vice in any city, whenever tbs
= churches will unite In their attack against it
t. Until they do this, upon their heads must con
e tinue TO rest the blood of every young cir
bought and sold in these houses OF bondage, and
& this blood, precious in Gods sight, will be re
uuired at the hands OF the churches Of Jesu
IChrist their ministers and members, who hav
the power to end protected vice and exercise i
o not.
r. What Richmond needs. again say with al
the emphasis Of my soul. is entire ministr
= that is fearless, and churches that Will bacl
n their pastors In a faithful effort against thi
q commercial vice, which is sending man,
. Young girls to an eternal hell. The need of tn
d hour is real men and real churches
@ S. L. LEDMAN.
! Richmond Va November II, 1918