The Detroit times., 1916-10-14
Friday Afternoon and Evening
CaFpanng


The Rev " 4 sunday preached
Friday afternoon on. "Amusements.'
The sermon follows
Galatians CT. he not deceived
chat is. don't let the devil deceive
YOU God s not Knocked, for whatso-
ever man sowcth, that shall hc
also reap
That would be- true II II were not
in the Bible. II has always been
true IN nature. n would be unnat
ursl 10 expect 20 plant a turnip seed
and get apples II would he unnat.
ural 90 plant an apple seed and eX-
pcct 90 get oranges. You reap what
YOU SOW in nature, and IN works.
either material or spiritual What.
suever man soweth that shall he
also reap
II YOU SOW saloons YOU will reap
drunkards II you SOW cards YOU
viii reap gamblers II You SOW
dance halls YOU viii reap shame
You ought to. II you vote for the
dirty. rotten saloon your boy ought
10 be a drunkard You ought 20 be
paid N your own coin.
81 know OF no more suitable text
in the Bible for the topic that !
have in hand, and by the presence
~ such vast audience and by the
expectant look upon your faces. !
am sure that'you won't expect M"
20 utter one word in defense OF the
amusement proposition And yet "
there IA no harm In II should BE-
the champion of IL and not the bit
ter enemy against H. Not all are
bad. Volldn'' say that. bnt most
OF them are You know how few
are good and so DO l.
"But the. energetic skill OF the
devil has dcAed the truth by such
mastery power that II H. rs 10 be
defeated there Is but one or two
alternatives open 10 the man who
assaults tho hell.soaked institutions
with grit and courage one OF two
Alternatives He can consume his
energy and time talking about the
minor usages o. the possible limits
one might 20. or he ran peel the
bark away and show the thing full
of worm holes and run tho risk OF
losing his fair reputation
~ want 10 say that ! have viii
ingly and dcli5erately and with
malice aforethought, chosen the lat
ter course. 7 have never preached
this sermon or lecture as you call
n. but that ! always feel myself
Ike a demon placed there by so
ciety 20 take revenge for the things
that society itself had made possible
and necessary I'm not responsible
for them It's YOU and You know II
r. were doing these things ]
wouldn't have the audaci'y 10 preach
against them don't play cards
and attend theaters II ] did Won
would condemn me and Justly 20.
too But I dom and YOU cant com.
10 me and say, Physician, heal
yourself
Il have message which burns
its way into your soul and 10 my
heart My words may be strong
but II they are you must remembo~
they are blood red with conviction.
With the cry Of lost souls ringing
In my ears { cannot remain still.
n can save one from going 10 hell,
7 consider myself we'll paid for all
the vituperation and mAlediction
that you can hurl against me be-
cause rub n into your pet skin
Judged in the court OF human
desire. might be condemned by
everybody that wants 20 do a. but
Judged I'm the court ~ human con.
science and need. will receive a
universal verdict OF approval.
II am actuated by no other mo-
tive than moral decency and II you
are ready 10 aid in moral uplift you
will listen and give me your thanks
we always associate in our
minds certain amusements-theater.
cards and dance While some will
champion and indorse some other
will condemn Some who will play
cards will seek 10 Justify that and
condemn the theater and those who
fall by their own sinking rotten.
ness. do not condemn the theater
az an institution, but do condemn
the way II Ia run. n is hellish And
you church members are responsible
for H. n church members would
stop patronizing the theaters they
would either clean up or rot II
every man with his name on
church roll would vote against the
saloons We wouldn't have them. II
is up 10 the church In my opinion
the theater Is of such doubtful
character that II has been relesat
ed 10 the class OF forbidden amuse-
ments You know that tho theater
had It's beginning with the hand
maid Of religion. n produced SO
much fuss and trouble that they
were compelled 10 drop II. Unless
tho theHter IL redeemed II will fall
bv rs own yileness.
we are flooded with vile drama
that meeks and seeHa =. the sacred
ness oi marriage
"But the theaters are being dis
NCnOIP;h1o