Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-05-31
9'Aisfellanepng.
GAMBLING FOR THE GLORY OF
GOD.

The time was when gambling was es-
teemed a very vulgar and wicked thing.
None but the meanest and most abandoned
were willing to be known as gamblers. But
the world moves, and notions Of morality
move with it, 1t would seem that gambling
has not only become geateei, but even reli-
giio7isi Its aid Is now invoked on all sides,
TO build aSylums. hospitals, public halls,
and to relieve suffering humanity in many
forms! lit needs only one more forward
step, and VIC shall have lottery schemes to
aid missionary societies, to build churches
print Bibles and tracts, support Sunday
Schools, and all ather Christian efforts!
Why not2 Ifitis IS right to resort to such
means to aid human and public charities,
why not to support ministers and to send
the Gospel to the heather? The principle
involved Is the same in either case, aud the
moral effect upon the community Is much
the same, no matter what the object to be
promoted. The principal difference Is, that
IN a vulgar lottery, no person making any
pretension TO religion, and few even that
have any regard TO morality and to the vel
fare Of society, could be induced to counte-
nance it in any way. But where the thing
comes out IN the garb Of hUn,dHitH TO re-
heve suffering soldiers, or to build an asy-
lum for some needy and suffering class,
thousands aud tens Of thousands are induced
to patronize it, partly, it may be, to aid the
cause, but still not without hope that a
prize may be drawn, aud thus advantage
accrue to seJ as well as to the public or
the suffering poor Thus the conscience
is defled. taste for gambling is cultivated,
and thousands are started on the highway
10 ruin. ali in the name OF charity.
The more philanthr0pic and charitable
the object for which such means are en-
ployed, the more general and disastrous will
be the result. Many thoughtful persons
foresaw this when rdB'S (which i only a
political name for lottery were Tes0Tted to
In aid Of our Sanitary Fairs The religious
and the better portion Of the secular press
then lifted ZIP warning voice against the
| employment of q means so damaging to the
/ public morals; but this voice was unheeded.
4 Ii was argued that a cause so holy, one ap-
pealiug so loudly aud earnestly to all Chris
/ tian aud patriotic hearts, would sanctlfy al
most any means that would most etfectually
aid that cause. The rattle was found to be
most efficient IN many localities. And hence,
DESPITE the earnest remOnstrances of the
more thoughtful and intelligent, it was al
I loved and encouraged in nearly all parts Of
/ the land. The results just what many anticl'
1 pated. The barrier which the law and pub
| lie sentiment had erected against this spe-
/ cies Of gambling, in almost every State Of
/ the Union, is broken down. The flood
gate is hoisted, and the evil sweeps over Us
| like cre7asse in the Mississippi One car
| hardly take 10 n secular paper Eow, but
some grand lottery schemes meets the eye,
/ conspiciously paraded in glaring capitals.
tla-r 4 ,F s,rrhlrn cha
/ ties, but for individual and private specula
tions. We have gift stores, and gift
/ sales. " &c &c, not in the cities only. but
/ In many Of smaller towns all over the land
/ Aud what are these but lotteries In disguise
| or less offensive names3 And IS it any won.
/ der that many Of them are used as lures tc
attract the uniuitiatel, and swindle then
/ ont Of all the money they can be induced
4 to invest? If these were the only lotteries
/ allowed, the evil could be more patiently
/ endured. Few, besides simpletons, would
! ever be caught, and these JW 0nce. 1t i;
/ the genteel and quasi religious lottery that
/ Is most TO be dreaded. These attract the
young and uHsuspectluC of both sexes
/ They are drawn in BY the influence Of re-
spectacle names aud by the magic Of mum
/ bers. And when once initiated in this spe
cies OF genteel gambling, the progress tc
other and less respectable forms Is both na-
tural and easy 1t is like the letting out Of
water, easily stopped in the beginning, but
let it run awhile, and it viii soon defy ali re-
sistance.
We are not called upon to show that the
lottery, in all It's forms, is act,taI gambling.
The laws of nearly every State in the Union,
and Of almost every civilized country in Eu-
rope, have decided this in the affirmative.
7 They have been declared a public nuisance;
as most injurious to public morals, and
prohibited, under severe penalties, in almost
every country claiming to be Christian and
civilized Strange, indeed, that any man,
in his sense, should yet advocate such an
agency in the cause ofhumanity and benevo-
lenco. You might as well substitute rociag,
c0ct fighting or bUHbaitltgi provided only
they would pay as we'll The injury to
morals would at least be less general, and
scarcely more fatal to the few who we're
weak enough and base enough to be attract
ed BY them. -PfesbyteriaH.
You've LADIES should beware if they
would have a fresh, healthy aud youthful
appearance; Late hours, large crinohne.
tight corscts cDulectionary hot bread cold