The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-04
GAMBLING.
soEmon Delivered by the Rev. II. De Witt
TnImage, Last Evening.

soepse audience had assembled in the Rev. Dr.
Palmape,s church, drawn thither by the an
nOuncement that the pastor would lecture on
the eubiect of Gambling in general, touching
anon the multifarious plans employed in swind-
hing. After the general Introductory worship,
IN which the twenty-eighth chapter Of Proverbs
was read, the pastor delivered the following
sermon, drawn from the nineteenth chapter Of
d. Johns gospel:-"For my gesture heydjd cas-,
lOts.n
The garments which the departed have worn
are sacred in our households. We hang them
up, we put them away In secluded places, and
perhaps on the anniversary of death, on some
hne autumual day, when the mind is Wrapt IN
Teminiscence and reNery, take them up, then lay
them away, dashed with shower OF tears, To
all the Chrlsti9n world, bow valuable now
would be one of Christs garments! If some
where in castle, or cave, or repository Of an.
tiqOity, it could be thoroughly authenticated
that one of the sandals when Jesus wore had
been brought to light, there is no gem of earth
that could buy it; and travellers 10 the Holy
Land, forgettul OF the mountains on which He
preached and athc sea on which he walked,
would stoOp down to the Cast-off shoe and kiss
1t. But thus regardful were not the infuriated
mob that surrounded the cross. They saw
nothing sacred in the coat that had been soaked
by midnight dew, or the spray of bestormed
GeneBarrett. But stripping the corpse OF its
Hestiture, began 10 gamble as 20 who should
have it. 1t was meet that in the awful hour of
the CruclhXlon the spirit of gambling should
jhustI ate It's meanness before all ages
propose to show what gambling is, the ruin
II works, and then the modern modes Oy which
respectable and even Christian people are de-
luded into this great inlqulty. | snail give the
hour not TO abstract discussion, but to the state
ment of some tremendous facts There are
great many persons who suppose that practi-
sal subject OF this kind may interest young men,
or those who have gone astray from the path OF
duty. But it IS of interest to the great mass OF
the people to-day, 10 know about this question.
When an organization for the suppression OF
gambling Was inaugurated in the city OF New
York some years ago, one OF the agents
Oi the ASSOCIATION came TO a prominent
merchant and stated the facts in relation to the
great evil. The merchant cried out don't
want anything to do with that, we are all honest
and honorable persons" when one OF the hrm,
an only son, was continually visiting 8ern's
famous establishment, showing his skill with
one of the partners. The agent went to another
mani don't want anything TO do with that
we are ali honest" when at Inat very time one
OF the clerks, who received a salary of $1,000
year, was losing al the rate OF $50 night. A
President OF a railroad company was acCosted
by the agent, but he repled-''This is not the
place, find the merchants" when at this time
there were two conductors every three nights
out OF the week, at the farO-tables. ! say it be-
comes practical question, and every man and
every woman in this house, in this country,
have practical interest in this subject. You
may not now, perhaps, but the. stme will
speedily come when you will be deeply in
terested.
Gambling is risk of something more or less
valuable, in the hope of winning more at a
hazard. The interests of gambling may differ
but the principles are the same. lhe shutting
OF cards and dealing them out is not gambling,
unless there ale stakes put up; while, on the
other hand, gambling NAV be carried on with
dice, cards, billiards, or the faro bank or the
ten-pm alley. The man who bets on a horse,
elections, or battle, who deals in fancy stocks,
conducts business upon a false capital GOES
into an operation without funds, or depends
upon moment of good luck, is a gambler.
And whatever is taken from your nelghbor
without corresponding equivalent in tima,
money, OF skill, or product, is theft, or gam-
bling
Do not, therefore, associate gambling neces-
sarlly with any instrument, the game, or time
OF place, or think that the principle demands
anything OF that character. But what is In
new, or the object at stake upon the chances
OF the game, whether 1t be a single glass of
wine, or Two shares IN the Camden and Amboy:
whether It is played by billiards, faro, roulette
or dependent upon the result OF battle or cleo
ton, 1t Is gambling. 1t is a receiving of some
1hlng which, when not offered gratuitously as
gllt, does not return corresponding euuiya-
lent; This sin is no newborn spirit but a lag
gard distortion through many centuries, All
nations have become addicted TO it. In 1888,
the French Government received revenue from
At. In 1867, England for the Improvement of
her harbors, established a lottery in the west
door OF st. PauPs Cathedral. 400 600 tickets were
sold, at ten shillngs each. The BRUSH Museum,
ana westminster, were built on the same prin-
ciple.
The laws OF the civilized world denounce the
system. Enactments have been passed, and
out partially enforced, Those personally inte-
rested III the evil institution hold such power
iHl influence, that even judges and Jurors and
ponce officers must be bold indeed to hurl
themselves against this institution. Now IL has
come 10 pass that the House OF Commons, in
England, stands adjourned on Derby-day TO go
out to see the races. In the business circles OF
society 1t is not our honest men who stand
pre-eminent, but 1t is the acknowledged gam
0lers, Hundreds of thousands dollars are
DAILY lost and won, and Sthen won and lost,
through sheer gambling.
Much OF this has been done in the pleasures
Ot the turf. The strong defense to this is that
the morse Is a noble animal, and needs develop
ment Capitalists are interested in his training,
and stake any ything which can make him yalu'
aOle We admit that the horse is noble. and holds
a greater right TO be called the king OF beasts
tnan the lion. There is uemeanOr ABOUT the
horse, with his arched neck and the long now,
ing name, the flashing eye and graceful
pTancing, and his majestic appearance Wnen
held IN by a strong hand; and when the relns
are slackened, and the horse moves careering
along through the highway, and his clatterlns
hOOis riug out as he speeds around, tits no Won
der that Job pictured him from nOstTil to iet-
lock aud said his neck was clothed with thun'
der. The general attendance on the race-course
is fTaught with a compani0nship far from being
reputable. Is it q good speculation to ruin
men fer the sake of making good horses? |
was once informed by traveller who had
passed over a thousand miles OF our Western
country who said that he witnessed constant
gambling scenes at every waiting moment at
the stations where the boat stopped.
The Southwest reeks with the abOmination