The Wasp — 1878 — page 44: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The cartoon depicts cherubs or angels on clouds labeled "Perpetual e-motion." The accompanying text satirizes religious hypocrisy, specifically targeting those who claim piety while behaving unethically. The satire references a "praying band" attending church regularly while engaging in questionable business practices—the text mentions someone pressuring others to attend church monthly while lacking genuine morality. The joke criticizes performative religiosity: attending services doesn't make one virtuous if one's conduct outside church is corrupt. This reflects 19th-century American skepticism toward religious institutions and their members' moral consistency, a common theme in *The Wasp*'s satirical commentary on San Francisco society.