The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-13

preacher might have been rtartling to
a stranger. but to his congregation no
milk and mush discourse Is ever ex-
pected from DR.. Christian. who last
night declared he was mot preach
ing for the dedication Of society, but
declaring the counsel of God"
Temptation and Sin.
The text was the fourteenth and
fifteenth verses of the first chapter
of the Epistle Of Saint James: But
every man Is tempted when he Is
drawn away Of his own lusts and
enticed. Then when lust has con-
ceived, 1t bringeth forth sin; and sin.
when it is finished bringeth forth
death"
The discourse was prefeaed with
the statement that great truths wear
common garbs. For example. the old
poem we learned at school, The boy
stood on the. burning deck" depicts a
noble. heroic act and principle. Give
me those grains of corn mother" had
its Inspiration in a mighty famine.
National airs have truth and princi-
pie wrapped up In them. Aesop's
fables picture great truths. And so
the subject of the evenening VIII you
walk into my parlor, said the spider
to the fiy." suggests one of the greatest
truths of life. Then followed beau
toful word picture fthe spider web
and the adventures OF the insect in
enticing his victim and then tying
him for the injection Of the death
dealing poisonous venom. But
there are thousands of two-legged
spiders and victims said the preacher.
Webs are spread over fair Richmond
and men and women, boys and girls
beastly two-legged spiders and being
enmeshed in the webs and poisoned.
The speaker then declared that the
Devil cannot tempt one outside the
realm of personal desire. But the bait
Is chosen on the same plan that
fisherman uses different kinds of bait
according to the fish he is after. and
the bait must entirely conceal the
hook.
Among the spider webs Of today is
the ordinary common theater. Re
cenly city paper had an editorial
about a Richmond girls promotion to
the position of actress. and I bowed my
head In sorrow. Common theatrical
life teens with social corruption,
making for betrayal and broken mar
riage vows. 1t is not pretended that
all actors or actresses are supremely
immoral, but the temptation is Turing
and the environments terrible. I had
rather see 81 daughter of mine be taken
common, low theatrical companies. It's
a spider web.
Reading love stories of doubtful
propriety Is bad for girls, and the
filthy dime novel trash. so fascinating
to boys. is making criminals of many
bright youth and bringing the gray
hairs of parents in sorrow to the
grave.
The modern ball room and vulgar
dances are routes to ruin, There was
time when the old Virginia reel.
lancers and square dances were decent
diversions. but now it's the vulgar and
ahominable tango or turkey buzzard
trot and pole cat promenade. Mothers,
keep your daughters out of these
golden webs
Gambling Is another web. And it's
not all the professional gambling
either. If negro shoots crap
throws bones in an alley 1t Is gamb-
ling, but 1t is none the less gambling
to have your society bridge parties
and play for money or prizes.
-"f-tiid not att~-d-the- fair ana-se.ae-
thirty thousand people did not for the
same reason, but / am told there were
gambling devices there and permitted
to operate in violation OF law.
where are our officersr Are they
suborned or bought. or what Is the
matter? got on train UP the road
and one of these side show aggrega-
tions coming to the fair was monopo-
LIKING the smoker playing cards. They
were unmolested.
There are two-legged beastly
spiders in this city weaving nets Off