South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-26
Declare Local Moral Condi-
tions Are Worst IN State
of Indiana.
DEPEND ON BOB JONES
Mayor and Chief of Police
Leaving Cleanup Work
to Evangelist.

South Bends reputation as a wide
open town furnished the theme for
sermons in many Of the local pulpits
Sunday morning. They were part
Of the concerted effort Of the min
listers 70 drive the house OF iu-fame,
the bootlegging soft drink" saloon.
the gambling house, and other re-
sorts from South Bend.
stress was laid by some ministers
on the importance Of making a
permanent clean up OF the city, in
stead of just a temporary white
washing during the Bob Jones even
Eelistic services, such as the ranking
heads OF the police department are
attempting 10 effect
Rotten City.
That South Bend is rotten moral
ly was agreed upon by the majority
of the city's pastors. one Of whom,
the Rev. Howard j. Cain, Of the
Indiana Avenue Christian church.
declared that a study Of conditions
i'm all the principal cities Of Indiana
had resulted in his decision that
South Bend was more open" in re-
gard TO resorts than any other city
of the state.
other pastors Joined with Mr..
cain in blaming the individual
churhes and the Ministerial associa-
ton for not demanding that the CITY
authorities enforce the laws and
close up the joints which are bring
ing wide discredit to the city.
Up to- City.
Another point stressed was that
Bob Jones and his party were not
supposed to effect this clean up
themselves but that the responsible
ity rested on the churches. utilizing
the awakened sense Of public duty
created by the Jones campaign.
The laXity of the present admins
tratiOn was referred by several pas
tors. one asking the question
whether 'the harlot is In good
standing with the administration. ."
The Rev. Cain took for his text
the passage, Strengthen Ye the
Weak Hand and Confirm the Feeble
Knees"
tie asserted that he was ashamed
OF the fact that organizations out
side Of the church and the Minis
terial organization were more for
ward in bettering conditions in south
Bend than were the church forces,
and stressed the fact that only by
general waking up OF the churches
could the city officials be forced 20
effect the desirede reforms.
Quotes Ncws-TimCs.
He quoted the editorial from the
SuEdav morning NeWs-Timcs to en-
phasize the point that the response
bility OF keeping the city clean after
Bob Jones leaves the city rests up
on the churches.
At the present time" Mr.. Cain
Of
worrying about what the churches
viii dc after Bob Jones leaves /
have preached in country churches
and I'm little towns and big cities Of
the state and I challenge anybody
20 show me any city in Indiana that
iS 81 a worse condition morally than
is South Bend at the present time"
lie also read the expose OF vice
conditions here made by Dan Pyle,
attorney. as reported In The News
Times. and said that IL a prominent
attorney can give actual locations
OF houses OF ill-fame and other il
Iicit resorts. there must be a great
deal OF laNIty in law enforcement TO
cause such resorts.
lsnDS Kline
The mayor and chief of police
only do what they are made 10 do.
and IL Is the fault OF the churches
IL such conditions are allowed TO
continue. The churches can get any
thing they want by going 10 the city
officials and showing them that 10
the laws are not enforced. there will
he a new set OF officials in office
I'VE should take God into the
polling places when we select our
officials No christian can vote a
straight ticket, although many
church members would vote for the
worst scoundrel in the world If he
was running on the ticket of their
party.
Before We can begin cleaning up
the CITY. we must clean up our
churches We have over 400 names
on the church roll, and only about
so active christian workers We
must have q revival in this church
When we have eliminated the card
ulayiug swearing dancing church
members from the real christians
,Fe can begin the job OF driving or
ganized vice from our city
Rev. Davis Speaks.
IF Christ came 20 South Bend. ID
was the theme OF the sermon OF the
Rev. L. = Davis. OF the First Bap-
list church, whose sermon, in part
follows.
..Tf Jesus came 20 south Bend. ]
don't knew where He would 60
am sure He would go 20 church
He might go 20 the city hall. H.
might visit the factories But ] am
sure He would stand boz our cits
streets and as o. old. He would have
compassion.
-It was the compass. sion or Jesus
that colored His preaching n
Jesus came 90 our city today III,
would be- surprised 40 the smaI
congregation ia our churches. IL,