NEW YORK'S DIFFICULTY WITH CRIMINALS.
In the early seventies New York City was having the beginnings of her experience with the Tweed “ring.” Several million dollars were stolen from the public treasury by Tweed and his associates in crime. Citizens revolted against this bold robbery by an official of the city, and Tweed was sentenced to prison, where he finally died. But the seeds of corruption sown by Tweed among the municipal officers of New York City did not die with him. The evil went on and increased until the New York Senate thought it expedient in 1894 to appoint a committee, with Mr. Lexow at its head, to investigate this corruption, and if possible to suggest means to suppress it. This Lexow Committee did its work, and the world stood aghast for awhile at the revelations of the evils and corruptions that were proven to exist among high officials there. But this exposure thru the Lexow Committee did not stop the evil, and so about two years ago another committee was appointed by the New York Legislature, with Mr. Mazet at its head, to try if possible to uproot this corrupting criminality that was being practised by the New York City officials. When Mr. Lexow was in the midst of his work, a new election came on, and he was defeated in his candidacy for re-election by the men that he was seeking to expose. A few months ago Bishop Potter addressed a ringing communication to the mayor of New York in regard to the evils that were covered up and fostered by the officials. This letter was taken up by the papers, and a big stir is being made over the facts that the bishop brought out. A citizens' committee of fifteen has been appointed, and they say that they are going into things in good lively fashion to try to cleanse the city of its moral pollution. Whenever New York gets stirred up in anything of this kind, it sets some of the other big cities to work, and they try to cleanse themselves from the evils that are in them. This is notably the case at the present time in Chicago. They find there that there is quite as much corruption to contend against as in New York. The facts warrant us in saying that each one of these investigations that are made of the municipal corruptions of the great cities shows that things are worse than they were when the former investigation was made. These evils are not only deep-rooted, but they are growing worse and worse. What will the end of it all be? The Lord destroyed the old world because of its gross wickedness. For the same reason, He overthrew the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Nineveh would have been destroyed for the same reason had not the people of that city repented at the preaching of Jonah. Now will the Lord do any differently in this time from what He did then? Will it not be necessary for Him to destroy all the cities of the world because of the gross corruptions that are in them? We do not ask you to jump at conclusions in as serious a matter as this, but just think about it. You have more or less knowledge of city life, and are compelled to a greater or less extent to come in contact with it. What do you think of it? Do you think that a just and merciful God can allow such things to continue, especially as they are growing worse and worse? When thinking upon this subject, consider the following words of the prophet:— “Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled; suddenly are My tents spoiled; and My curtains in a moment. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? For My people is foolish, they have not known Me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger. For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it. The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks; every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.” Jer. 4: 20-29. Every word in the foregoing scripture needs to be studied carefully. The prophet is describing a time when the people are “wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.” As you read of what is being done in the cities of the land, or when you think of what comes under your own observation, does it not impress you that the wisdom that is manifested is that of doing evil, and that good is banished from the thoughts of men? Serious reflection should convince any one that this wild career of evil will soon have to be stricken with the hand of divine justice and power. And in view of this fact, how earnest should every true Christian be in trying to turn men from this evil way before it is too late!