Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-03-15
The Religious Card Player.


Richard Lee, was taken before the mag
istrate of Glasgow, Scotland, for playing
cards during divine services. The ac-
count of it is thus given in an English
journal:
A sergeant commanded the soldiers at
the church, and when the parson had
read the prayers he took the text. Those
who had Bibles took them out; but this
soldier had neither Bible nor common
prayer-book, and pulling out pack Of
cards, he spread them before him. He
first looked at one card and then at
another. The sergeant of tho company
saw him and said
Richard, put up the cards; this is
no place for them"
Never mind that" said Richard.
When the services were over, the
constable took Richard prisoner, and
brought him before the Mayor.
WELL" said the Mayor, "what have
you brought the soldier here for?"
"For playing cards in church"
well, soldier, what have you to say
for yourself?"
much, sir, hope"
Every good if not, will punish
you severely"
II have been, "said the soldier, "about
six weeks on the march. Ihave neither
Bible nor common prayer-book. have
nothing but pack of cards, and hope
to satisfy your worship of the purity of
my intention" Then spreading the
cards before the Mayor, he began with
the ace: "When see the ace, it re-
minds me that there is but one God
When / see the deuce, it reminds me Of
the Father and Son. When | see the
trey, it reminds me of the Father, Son
and Holy Ghost. When | see the four,
it reminds me of the four Evangelists
that preached-Matbew, Mark, Luke
and John. When | see the FIVE, it re-
minds me of the wise virgins that trimmed
their lamps; there were ten, but five
were wise and five foolish, and were shut
out. When | see the six, it reminds me
that in six days the Lord made Heaven
and earth. When | see the seven. it
reminds me that on the seventh day God
rested from the great work he made, and
hallowed it. When | see the eight, it re-
minds me of the eight righteous persons
who were saved when God destroyed the
world, viz: Noah and his wife, his
three sons and their wives. When | see
the nine, it reminds me of the nine lepers
that we're cleansed by our Saviour. There
were nine out of the ten that never re-
turned thanks. When see the ten, il
reminds me Of the ten commandments
which God handed down to Moses on the
tables of stone. When ! see the king,
it reminds me of the King of Heaven,
which is God Almighty. When l see
the queen, it reminds me of the Queen
of Sheba, who visited Solomon, for she
was as wise woman as he was man.
She brought with her fifty boys and fifty
girls, all dressed in boys apparel, for
King Solomon to tell which were boys
and which we're girls. The King sent
for water for them to wash. The girls
washed to the elbows, the boys to the
wrist so King Solomon told by that. "
"Well," said the Mayor. "you have
described every card in the pack except
one"
"What is that ?"
"The knave," said the Mayor.
81 will give your honor description
of that too, if you will not get angry"
81 will not" said the Mayor. "if you
you do not term me to be the knave."
''Tbe greatest knave that | know of
is the constable who brought me here"
II do not know" said the Mayor, "if
be is the greatest knave, but know he
is the greatest fool"
"When | count how many spots there
are in pack Of cards, | find 1865, as
many spots as there are days in the
year. When count the number Of
cards in pack, find 52-the number
of weeks in a year. | find there are 2
picture cards in pack, representing the
number of months in a year, and on
counting the tricks, l find 13-the mum.
Der Of weeks in a quarter. There arc
also 4 suits in pack, which represent
the number Of seasons in a year. SO
you see, a pack of cards serves fol
Bible, an almanac, and common
prayer-book."