The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-17
.TEUTON|C MENACE
NOT ONLY DANGER
Tendency to Moral Looseness Greater
Menace Than German Miiitar-
ism, Says Minister.
PARENTS MUST DO DUTY
Modern City Life Demands Better
Home Protection for Girls and
Boys.

Asserting that the tendency to moral
leeseness liz more of a menace than
German militarism, Rev. Samuel L.
Dumville, pastor of Decatur Street
Methodist church, last night preached
a strong sermon aimed at parents who
dc not keep a firm hand on their girls
and boys. The sermon was a timely
one, because of the campaign about
to be launched by the committee on
training camp activities to keep Rich
mond and vicinity morally clean dur
ing the war. Mr.. Dumylle said in
part:
The duty Of every minister is TO
warn his people whenever he sees a
danger threatening, There are dan
gers which are more Of a menace to
this country than German n1iliat-
rlsm We claim. IN this great war, that
We are fighting the battles OF democ-
racy. and so we are; but the tendency
TO mob rule and anarchy In many parts
of our land almost make us cry: ply
stefan, heal myself" Take that car
rival Of savaserv which ragged in East
st Louis a short while a. 60 as an ex-
ample Then the utter disregard for
Gods holy day, the doing of unnec-
essary work. buying and selling, ex-
cursions. and unnecessary travelling or
one kind or another. all tending to
make Sunday holiday rather than
holy day, the lightness with which
the marriage vows are taken, hence
the rapid growth Of the divorce evil,
the absolute looseness of morals, the
lowering of standards, and disregard
for things sacred. say, such things
are more Of a menace to real civil
zatian than Germany.
Standards Being Lowered
trembie when hear OF the loose
ness Of the moral life Of our city,
and see things that are tending 20 a
lowering OF the standards, YES, even
OF the laws of good breeding,
The safeguards which were thrown
around the young. especially the
Young women In the days gone by.
have been TO a large extent done
away with in the present, Chaperons
are personages Of the past, almost.
and even il this social custom il OBJ
served some gay and glddy grass
or sod widow holds sway. and Ii
cense rather than restraint liz the or
der Of the day. until common
phrase heard from the lips of our
watch the chaperon ?" Girls from -
to s years are allowed on the streets
Al late hours with young men or un-
accom- MED Children allowed 20
attend the movies and low class the
aters. without any personal supervis-
ion on the part Of their parents
Modern dancing is nothing but a
gross appeal to the passions and
lower sensual nature. Modern dress
and the f1ppant WAYS Of many OF
Our young women are nothing more
nor less than a temptation 70 our
young men to forget TO be gentlemen.
The low cut waist. and high GU. skirt
the wearing of wells or mosquito net
ting and calling them shirt waists or
dresses, all are conducive to this
moral looseness and are signs OF the
menace that threatens our land
My congregation. the fastness OF
the age is APPALLING. Impurity is ram
pant. salacious reading matter is
found on nearly every ljhrarN table
why in a home only iha other day
II picked up a popular magazine. and
glanced through It. E,verY article
dealt with infdelity on the part OF
wife or husband or both J-nholy
love and false views OF married life
stared AZ one from nearly every pa e
You who attend the movies with any
degree of regularity, know that the
/ pictures flashed upon the screens are
made up largely of the same kind OF
trash and Nth I honestly thought
that when the movies came out tina,
here was one amusement that our
people could indulge in. and stfl
think that they can be made of great
moral and educational value but
God knows they will have to be
purged of great deal of the rot and
rubbish through which one has &c
plough now before anything helpful
IS found AS result We find vouns
women allowing young men certain
liberties spooning has become the
order of the day. 'Everybcdys do
Ing it," Is the excuse of the hour
| God help lis TO be true tn principles
regardless Of what others are doing
heard young man say II wouldn'i
go with a girl who did not let me kiss
her. Well, young ladies, it's no dis.
| grace not 70 have a beau. I'd rather
| be in danger OF becoming an old
! maid than 70 he tied to some of the
creatures going around wearins
/ trousers calling themselves men
| until you know your own heart, I'M
! til you are engaged. and better lei
| the embraces be rare. even then.
Proud of Soldiers
God knows ] am proud OF our
| soldier boys, know there are man,
true and noble Young men smons
1 them bur isn't II strange how an uni.
! form will transform some men, Mer
! that young women wouldn't look al
second time. when In civilian garh
| let them put on the grab of a. soldie,
and they'll almost break their neck.
/ over them, I believe in honorifg o.,
! soldiers. inviting them 10 nartake 81
our hospitality. making their life
pleasant, but there are right and
wrong ways Of doing these things
| Being pleasant and agreeable at a
/ church social is altogether different
! from meeting strange young men or
the sereet whether in uniform o,
/ civilian garb. Nearly 10000 men will
| be concentrated near our city, beside.
those already doing guard duty After
! the first few weeks of intensive train,
/ ing third, Mt least. will he off duty
all the time, Our city will be theii
I playground We welcome them, VIZ
| sym pathize with them in their Iona.