DURING a recent sojourn in Princeton, N. J., a visit was paid to the now famous Princeton Inn. Going to the clerk's desk, an inquiry was made if ladies were accommodated, as well as gentlemen.
"O, yes!" was the reply; "will you register?"
On entering the handsome parlor, a young blonde porter came in, and the following conversation occurred:—
"Is there a bar at the inn?"
"No, madam, only the grill-room, which was established and maintained for the benefit of the university students. There are tables, around which they sit and drink; they use loving cups and sing their college songs."
"What liquors are kept at the inn?"
"All sorts; but only beer is sold to the students. They come every evening, and stay until 11 o'clock, the limit of time specified by the inn proprietors."
"Do many students frequent the grill-room?"
"O, yes, a great number!"
While in Princeton, I met a gentleman who occupies an honored position in church and business circles, a resident of the town, who told me that the students often became so drunk at the inn that they had to be carried to their dormitories in wheelbarrows. He said: "You should see the drunkenness, however, after the special games—football and others. The students lie around on the campus in a state of complete intoxication."
There are over 1,000 students at Princeton University. About 300 are in the theological seminary. In the town there are three hotels with bars, and four licensed saloons, besides the illicit drinking establishments. No one is allowed to serve liquor in the dormitories at the university, but it is declared in the testimony of one who has had an opportunity of knowing, that it is done, and that some of the authorities are aware of it. The students have a custom of filling their dress-suit cases with bottles containing liquor, and taking them to their rooms. On returning one evening from a meeting at church in Princeton, a student was seen crossing a street carrying a satchel. A clash of glass was heard. The friend who was with me smiled and said, "There goes one of the boys now laden with bottles to be opened in his room."
The infection of drinking at the university has crept insidiously into the lives of some of the divinity students. A gentleman who was at the seminary thirty years ago returned last year to take a special course. He said the decline in spirituality was very marked—that there seemed no time for individual Bible study. He made the startling assertion that liquor is found in the rooms of the theological students. One of them, on being spoken to, became deeply offended and resented the interference.
The students of the university are continually seen drunk on the streets of Princeton. The professors can not say anything to the boys, because they drink themselves. The majority do; only a few abstain. Rowdyism among the students affects not only themselves but every boy and girl in the town, as the latter pattern after the students. This fact is seen in the homes and everywhere.
Several of the citizens of Princeton told me that the exposé made by the New Voice was true, but that "the half had never been told." Many Princeton people admit this, but they are afraid to say it except in private. They are quiet because their business depends on the university.
May God hasten the day when courage shall reign in the hearts of men, when those high in authority in Church and State shall count loyalty to Jesus Christ as the one thing needful in life. May the Father in tender mercy save the young men of our nation, for whom the older men have made it so "easy to do wrong."—Servilla Owens, in Union Signal.
THE laying of the corner-stone of a $500,000 Christian Science church in New York City recently is a significant reminder of the great spread of this new doctrine. Christian Science is one of the most ingeniously-devised deceptions that the world has ever known, and thousands are being swept into it. There is a clear, strong, beautiful, and helpful science of Christianity; but it is not in what goes by the name nowadays of "Christian Science." If you have only a surface or superficial knowledge of the Word of God, it will seem to you that Christian Science is founded on the Bible, and is in harmony therewith. But if you have a personal acquaintance with Christ through a deep and personal study of His Word, it is easy to see that Christian Science, so called, and the real Christianity are no more alike than day and night.
THE DARK SIDE OF A DARK CITY.
THERE is very little permanent good in presenting the dark side of this world, but the fact that there are many people who still believe that the world is rapidly getting better, and that an earthly millennium is about to dawn, makes it advisable to have some facts and figures which will have the same influence over such theories as a paper-weight has upon paper—they will hold them down, for in many cases it is apparently impossible to change the minds of such people.
There are so many regularly-licensed saloons in this city that, if placed side by side, they would make a solid wall of sin 51 miles long.
There are in Chicago, in one street, twenty-five saloons side by side, in a continuous row. There are in another street thirty-six saloons in a row, with only two breaks. In another street are thirty-four brothels in a continuous row, and still another has forty-nine brothels side by side, with only one break. There are so many regularly-licensed saloons in this city that, if placed side by side, they would make a solid wall of sin fifty-one miles long, and yet they all seem to do a rushing business. The light of the Gospel is indeed sadly needed in these dark places. Salt is most needed where there is the most corruption. May God help us to turn the search-light of truth on this dark and sin-cursed city, and scatter the immortal seeds of truth into every crack and crevice where they can find lodgment. DAVID PAULSON, M.D.
AT a speech to the army on the first of the new year, Emperor William reasserted his determination, in spite of all hindrances, to make the German navy as powerful as the German army. The emperor has met with much home opposition in his efforts to make Germany a great naval power. The burden of the army is sapping the industrial prosperity of the nation, and the people, already restive under the heavy taxation necessary to support the army, are looking with dark forebodings to the time when that burden shall be doubled to maintain a navy as effective as the army; for probably the most effective army in the world is that of the German nation; and from this the people can readily judge what kind of navy their ruler has in mind,—one that will rival that of England. Industrial discontent has been increasing rapidly throughout Germany during the last few months, as the plans for making Germany a "world power" at the expense of the laboring population have approached maturity, and Socialism has made rapid strides, in spite of all that is done against it. "Ripening, ripening, for the consummation," is being swiftly written over every nation of the world. C. M. S.
IS THE WORLD AT PEACE?
IN less than two years America has quadrupled her permanent army, added ship after ship to her navy, destroyed two fleets, has conquered one nation, and is at work on another on the opposite side of the globe, planting there for herself a thorn that will plague her to the end of her days. In this undertaking, several thousand men have been killed, or maimed and invalided for life, and the end is not yet, either locally or internationally; for the Philippines are but stepping-stones to Asiatic and European complications.
England, having recently reduced to a measure of quiet the troublesome tribes of Northern India, is now up in arms, with the mightiest force she has ever sent out, to whip the Dutchmen of South Africa. Thousands of her men have already gone down under the fire of the Boers, and the latter also are paying the price of war in the lives of those who have gone forth to fight. The Dutch in Cape Colony are threatening to rise against the English, and the South African natives are camping on the very frontier of rebellion. A few more British reverses and it is quite generally believed that the black men would be in open war. A great battle was recently fought in the Soudan, in which the Khalifa, the real leader of the Dervishes, was slain, one thousand of his followers killed, and several thousand taken prisoners.
One of Emperor Men-elek's generals is now marching with 10,000 troops for some objective point not made known; and French generals are enlisting and training African natives, with the evident intention of using them at some future time to checkmate England's plans in Africa. France and Brazil are now engaged in a dispute over the boundary between Brazil and French Guiana, and Brazil has sent war vessels to the vicinity of the disputed territory. France has also been threatening Siam, and joining the other powers in attempts to coerce China.
The century bids fair to go out with the countries of South and Central America in chronic rebellion. During the past year revolutions and insurrections have occurred in Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Salvador, some of which are still in progress; and Chile and Argentina have been talking war during a good deal of this time.
Turkey has been massacring the Armenians again. Russia is continuing in Persia the intriguing for influence and concessions so irritating to England; and Germany, taking advantage of England's preoccupation in Africa, virtually forced a settlement of the Samoan question.
Japan and Russia have been and still are so rapidly and thoroughly preparing for eventualities in the Orient that much credence has been given to the repeated rumors of war being imminent between them. These two nations really expect a struggle, and are preparing for it. Even Norway and Sweden have been talking war and making preparations therefor; and money raised for the extension of railroads has been turned over to the military for forts and weapons.9There is much irritation between the French and English just now over their respective rights in Newfoundland waters. All the nations are arming and drilling as never before. The real watchword of the time is, "Prepare war," and they are doing it. And of that time the prophets have written, and that time—this present time—is the time of the end. But right in this time we hear the cry, "Peace and safety," which is in itself a sign of the end. Until Emmanuel shall come and reign in righteousness, peace and safety on this earth will not be. Study the question carefully; for eternal interests are involved in it. C. M. S.
