Connecticut western news., 1882-10-11
THE GAMBLERS CHALLENGE.
Dr. Talmage Describing the Vice which Defies Authority and the Men who Prey upon Society.

On Sunday morning, the Rev. Dr.
 Talmage chose his text from III. Kings, | Xix, 27,28-'But I know thy abode, and thy going out and thy coming in and thy rage against me. Because thy | rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put | my hook in thy nose and my bridle in | thy lips, and will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest."
 Sennacherib, the infamous, said Dr. Talmage, had taxed and outraged the people so that it was absolutely neces- sary to put stop to it. The Lord determined that he would put check upon Sennacherib, and not in any gen. tie way either, but would handle him
 as butcher might handle beast. The gambling evil in our community has
 assumed imperial airs. 1t is modern
 Sennacherib. It has taxed and op-
 pressed the people almost to their finan-
 cial and spiritual death. It was never
 more arrant than it is today. We all
 know that an effort has lately been
 made by the authorities of these two
 great cities to suppress gambling, and
 now the gamblers in their turn are mak-
 ing bold attempt to overthrow the law.
 General Wolseley prophesied that on the 18th day of Septempter he would have
 Arabi Pasha prisoner, and behold he
 did. The gamblers of New York and
 Brooklyn gave notice that on the 25th
 day of September they would open their
 pool rooms and their gambling saloons,
 and they kept their promise. In Long
 Island City the pool rooms were set in
 full blast once more, and the authorities
 say they can do nothing. Acoroner of the
 city allows his own premises to become
 an entrance to one of these pandemon-
 iums. He does it probably with an eye
 to business. The way to gambling
 house is very apt to be the way to death.
 The District Attorney is notified by
 means of an anonymous letter that he
 had better look out. Politicians are
 told that they can never be Mayor,
 never be District Attorney, never be
 anything in political life, if they oppose
 the gamblers. On visit to Cincinnati
 lately I heard the clinking of the
 gamblers dice on public street as l
 was going toward the railroad depot. In country town not far from there I saw group of men gambling in front oi
 one of the prominent hotels, while other men were visiting an agricultural fair then taking place in the town and were thanking God for the prosperity of the season just ended. The gambling evil has rolled over our whole land. II is Sennacherib which needs to have an iron hook put in it's mouth. Nc person can rightfully say, "This vice has no relation to me-" No doubt there are scores of families in this house this morning who have been touched by it , some without knowing it. No doub : there are young men here with gambling ! tickets in their pockets. There ar' ! three thousand five hundred professiona : gamblers in this group of cities, ant !. just as much as the lawyer, the mer chant or the mechanic must attend dail, to his business so must these gambler ,, attend to theirs of preying on society !. :. Only nine of all the gambling establish ments profess to be honestly conducted
 There are three classes of them.
 To find the first class you go littl,
 off Broadway, pass up marble stairway . and are ushered into the place and in
 troduced by liveried servants. Here i 7. piece of magnificent furniture; it COS
 l don't know how much; it is a roulett :. table. Over there is the faro table ,z Rich carpets are on the floor, expensiv ;. pictures are on the walls" -"Jepthah' . Daughter" and Dante's frozen pictur
 of hell, the latter most appropriat
 picture. Then there is the banquettin z room, where one may have free lunc " or supper, the best of liquors, the bes . :, cigars-all free. The gambling house a of the second class are very differen a from those just described. If you ge into one of these you must either gan 'a bIe or fight. Loaded dice, sanded cards
 bad liquors will help you to get throug
 with your money in short metre an
 with no staccato pauses. Wrangle nc
 in that place for your rights or you d wounded body may be thrown into th if street, or possibly your dead body ma ;s be fished out of the river. In gamblin places of the third class there are non .o of the allurements of the first. The, ,a are gigs and saddles and horses, an many man gets upon one of thos gigs or into one of those saddles an ,' dr1ves straight down the road to ruil # In most of these places you will find sign up, "Exchange." Most appropr ,, ate sign It means the exchange
 your soul, or your mortal and immort self for lost reputation and To future.
 " Some people are possessed of h natural aptitude for hazard. They fir s great deal of pleasure in going ne' oe the edge of 8 precipice. Don't blan v them for the aptitude, but blame the ;n for the way in which they develop it ar put it down. Here is man with $50 n and he says: II might plunge vii r that and make $5,OOO. To be sure may lose, but I shall have had some e ,. citement any way. Shuffie the card' ,. Deal Lost. Oh, we'll; ha! ha h, a I've had some pleasure out of it." Gar Q. blers always keep cool. They do n
 watch the dice so much as the doll