The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-04-30
The PURITY CAMPAIGN.

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More power to the ministers of Co
lumbia in their determination to wage
a campaign for social purity. Too
long have we tolerated those things
which We all admit are wrong, i'm.
moral and menace to health and the
immortal soul, simply because we
have always had them with us. In
this time of better living, of higher
ideals and of more genuine Christian
ity the age of an evil should give it
no immunity. AS we progress more
and more toward that age old prob
lem, Am | my brothers keeper" We
must inevitably come to higher ap-
probation of our duties and obliga-
tions to all of society.
We cannot longer close our eyes to
those evils, the existence of which
! all admit, the terrors of which no one
will deny, just simply because we
| have always been Indifferent to
them. We have Numbered too much
in press and pulpit against the devil
| in general We have talked all too
much about sin in the abstract, and
have devoted all too little of our at
tention to the institutions that right
I at our doors are sending countless
thousands to hell; that are visiting
their evil consequences upon genera
tons as yet unborn.
In this time of an enlightened senti-
ment, in this day of a militant Chris
tianity, when if the kingdom of God
in this world means anything it
means a life of service, we cannot
blind our eyes to the poluting ana
damning influence of cess pools of in
iQuity which have too long been i'm
mune to the laws of the state and the
locality. There was time when the
youth of the land were tacitly invit-
ed by the so-called leaders of our
morals to SOW their wild oats" when
deviation from the straight and mar
row pathway found apologists in the
ranks of those who were supposed to
set the example for right living.
Praise God that day is gone. We
no longer give public expression to
the dangerous idea that the youth
must have his fling" On the con-
trary we all know and appreciate how |
important is correct living from the |
cradle to the grave, how he
who in early life sows to |
the winds must reap the !
whirl wind. We know the awful con-
sequences of the immoral habits and
excuses of the young man. We
know how his sins are visited upon
the innocent mother of his children
and even upon the babes who should
come to this world with heavens
blessing upon them.
There is no greater heritage that
a man can transmit to his children
than a clean and correct life. Every
right minded man must admire the
man who walks in the paths of recti-
tude, whose example in his daily life
is worthy of the emulation of both
sexes We must all know that the
so-called double standard of morals
has no place among a Christian peo
pile; it has no warrant in holy writ; it
is not only menace to mankind but
its evils extend to generations not
yet in being 1t is the deadly peril of
the woman, an awful abyss through
which all too many souls are con-
demned to everlasting death. q
The pulpit must thunder its con- 4
slant condemnation of the social sin,
the officials must lend every effort to
The enforcement of the laws and lay '
men of the churches must set their =
faces like flint against any sugges- {
ion of a compromise with a thing (
hat polutes and poisons and con-
lemns all that it touches. We are
hopeful that through the cooperation
If the ministers and the officials at =
east the laws of the land will be en-.
orced and vice will not be permitted {
o faunt its brazen image in this en- 4
ightened and Christian community 4
Having set this campaign in motion
he churches of Jesus Christ must
see it to a successful and blessed con- =
,lusion. To attain these results they :
ire assured of the earnest, the zeal &
JUS and the unceasing efforts of The (
Herald.