The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-08
THE PETERSBURG INDEX-APPEAL
AND THE METHODIST MINISTRY

ways been an unpopular ministry be-
cause it has always seen the effects OF
the so-called diversions OF aTnusements
on the character and habits OF the
people and studied the effects of GER
tain habits and customs on tho ply
steal and moral qualities Of our pop
GlaUon. Th. Methodist ministry was
Instituted In time and under con-
ditions of vast moral degradation and
religious dearth- The Methodist
n eacher has always beer close
student OF social conditions among
the masses of people And nobody
knows better than he does, the effects
OF the social glass. the social dance,
the social games Of cards, the theater
and the moving picture. upon the
moral and spiritual life OF the people,
young and old.
He has not been alone, but he has
always been in the front OF the bat
tie. He has consequently been count
ed narrow. csnsorious a kii1-Joy
among preachers. But his protest
and his sacrifice Of the good will Of
the fashionable and the essv going,
have won vast Improvement in moral
conditions. Both England and Amer
lea owe him n debt OF gratitude be-
yond calculation
In the wake of the narrow and
censorious ttinerant. modern philan-
thropy springs up. the Sunday school
and popular education is born. prison
reform comes In, with John Howard
the slave trade goes out with Clark
son and Wilherforce (Read Green }
In America, human slavery Is gone.
these fifty years and more. the LIQUOR
trsffic IN going fast. public lotteries
are memory of other days. the
theater is improved, On all these
subjects the Methodist minister hAs
spoken In no uncertain way--and
spoken first
Now. then. out OF these home con
dit!ons half million or so Of our
strong Young men are suddenly pick
ed up and set down in the midst OF
conditions, morally speaking a good
half century behind their own homo
land. They are set down II condi-
lions OF unlimited strong drink. They
are set down in the midst or almost
unrestrained license.
France is heroic on the field Of bat
tie when her homes and liberties are
at stake. But France. in her ease
and leisure. Is ii land of almost I'M
bridled license. Landing one dav with
a friend in Algiers, a French cltv on
the Northern coast OF Africa, we were
Immediately accosted by little boy
wanting To cell us some french
pictures He displayed his wares q
sertes of photographs OF a group Of
n7en and women, entirely nude and
taken in every conceivable posture.
They were 'very French indeed
GaorEe Petullo in the SATURDAY. Even
Ing Post. February 0. last tells an
smustng story. Riding along in a
Ger. he picked NJ a coupr5 Of soldiers.
soon they passed a couple more boys
with bunch of girls The boys
Of them they had annexed a. ccuple
Of tho girls and were stroiling accord .
ing 10 the Marquis Of Qusenshurv's
rutes--cne arm free" Our friends
TIE enemy, the Germans. are not only
strong on beer but thew are strons
on other moral. or immoral. matters
also. The Blond Beast" sGys a rA
cent writsr, "rapes nearly 5000 " his
own won en- every yeat''-and that
| II population not greatly lsrgsr
| than our own southern states narross
ana Gil. some 10000 children are
oofr IN Germany every year out OF
wsC ock
hese are the forms of civilization
fhst surround our men.
we are not surprised, or need nat
be to remember that aim Sst the r1rs+
II not he very first American solder
70 die N France. died a felon on s.
puHlio e ilows, Incited by French
wire eight wines, the hrewars tall
ls and the loose habits prevailing
he attacked & littls GIRL
Irrepressihle rumors a. tkese things
have been coming back to us. Stirred
~ hem some public spirited men 6f
the country have sent over two sane.
careful Ame citizens to soc about
II and report, One OF these men Is
James Cannon, OF Virginia. And no
man is better qualified than he. A
Methodist without apology. life long
student of social conditions In Viz
ainia ard America, he win find out.
II anybody can. and tell, without. fear
or favor, what he discovers. 4 father
Of aons and daughters. with a va II
soiicituds for the moral welfare OF
lyo1ng Americans at home and abroad
with an Astounding sympathy for the
wsskaa and . holy tadisnatian lar