THE BLACKENED CITY by Bryn Mawr

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 29, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 17.

THE BLACKENED CITY.

By Bryn Mawr

A Sign of the Times.

Lessons Suggested by the Shame of Minneapolis.

(Concluded from last week.)

[The first part of the article dealt with the root of all the crimes and sins which blackened the fame of Minneapolis, the love of money, together with the lusts of the flesh.—EDITOR SIGNS OF THE TIMES.]

By all these agencies, social safe-guards are well-nigh destroyed, and the home, which in truth is the real human bulwark of the nation, is at the mercy of the exclusively criminal class, and of these the chronic political class is the most dangerous. This class includes, sooner or later, all who make politics their profession and its emoluments their aim in life. This is as true of the “big ones,” as of “small fry.” The average voter does not appreciate his opportunities or power, and so becomes as “potters’ clay” in the hands of the expert politician, whose lead they follow foolishly, and whose favors they court ardently. Then the “big ones” get the “plums,” the “little ones” get the “crumbs,” the residue or greater mass of voters get “left,” which is one of the chief probabilities of political life.

The liquor business enters largely into these political issues, exerting a great and baleful influence on all parties. And we are sorry to aver that many alleged ministers (?) of the Gospel defend the hideous, soul-destroying business.

That which has happened to Minneapolis has befallen her sisters, and in older cities has been often repeated, and these conditions and experiences will continue to develop in their more aggravated forms unto the end.

This cleansing of municipal atmospheres is neither permanent in result nor lasting in effect, “for evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” Why stand afar off and gaze at your church steeples, and cry aloud, “The world is growing better!” Your cry is false. And if you do not know it to be false, it is because you are willingly ignorant of the Word of God, or do not believe its teaching. Go down into the midday shadows of your magnificent edifices and learn for yourselves that these things are true, and behold for yourselves the daily fulfilment of the prophetic Word of God. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Are not these days and these times here now? “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, BLASPHEMERS, disobedient to parents, unthankful, UNHOLY, WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, TRAITORS, heady, high minded, [HAUGHTY], lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; . . . for of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.”

Politicians may plead guilty to every count in this indictment without violating their conscience, outraging their honor, or waiving any constitutional right. When politicians want to elect a desirable bad man, they secure the nomination of an undesirable worse one on the opposition, and the former’s election is assured.

Minneapolis does not stand alone

In any of her undesirable experiences. The same elements of degradation permeate every municipal organization. She has many model homes (so have the sister cities) where integrity is conserved, and righteousness rules in the ordinary courses of life. She has citizens of high character, who are deeply shamed, and who feel intensely her disgrace. These walk after the Spirit in “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.”

But these are never the ruling class. If they go into politics at all they seldom get “behind the scenes,” but when they do, one of two things happens; they either give up their politics or their Christianity. One who resigned some time ago said: “I resign, because I can not consistently be a politician, and a Christian at the same time.” And, indeed, one who follows the master can not accept a place at Cæsar’s Court.

A passing glance at the life of Jesus and His apostles shows this, for when Matthew was called, he gave up his political preference to become a follower of Christ. The same record shows that it was an envious, turbulent gang of politicians who compassed the humiliating trial and disgraceful death of Jesus. And the man who takes His name, and enters the political arena “crucifies Him afresh, and puts Him to an open shame.” A strong man of ordinarily decent character at the municipal helm, and our city would have been spared this humiliating experience! The dupes and “cat’s paws” would not now be serving behind the bars, or walking her streets with a felon’s sentence hanging upon their names, and the archest Jekyll of them all, a fugitive from justice, wearing a crown jeweled with felonious indictments, an abhorred object of both pity and execration, and yet making a fight to escape the consequences of his iniquity. And he has a certain following of “fellows well met,” who willingly assist him in evading his just deserts, not for his innocence’ sake, but for fear of a smirching. Surely the old prophet saw our city when he said: “Justice standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street.” Isa. 59:14. “The way of transgressors is hard,” and “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

The classes have joined hands in excessive lawlessness, and all the physical and social energies of mankind are devoted to depraved indulgences, and the maelstrom of sin engulfs the whole world.

But amid this seething, restless, ever-moving sea of human vileness that is hastening to the final cleansing, there are a few, “a little flock,” the “salt of the earth,” for whose sakes it is spared for yet a little while, patiently waiting the coming of the Lord, enabled by His Word to discern in this superabundant wickedness of mankind, “heralds of the coming King.” BRYN MAWR.

Minneapolis, Minn.