Judge — October 19, 1889 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes religious hypocrisy. The image shows a group of clergy and religious figures in dark robes gathered around a pole or post bearing religious symbols. The caption text reads: "When the Devil was sick, the Devil a Saint would be, etc."—referencing an old proverb about insincere conversion during hardship. Several figures hold papers labeled "Reform" and "Gush," suggesting they're promoting moral reform rhetoric while remaining morally questionable. The cartoon critiques religious leaders who adopt sanctimonious positions opportunistically rather than from genuine conviction. The medieval-style dress and the caricatured faces emphasize the satirist's contempt for their pretended piety. This attacks institutional religious corruption—a common Gilded Age theme in Judge magazine.