Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-10-14
GAMBLERS ~ THEIR WEBS.
DIR. Talmage Talks to Young Men
in his Congregation with Gam
bling Tickets in Their Pockets
What an Exchange is.


multitudes OF people almost 10 the verge
Of spiritual death, said DR. Talmage
Sunday morning "His work must he
stopped. TIE evil was never so dc fiant
or fragrant as il is to-day. All who have
read the newspapers for the past few
weeks know that a great attempt has
been made by the city authorities to
put down this evil, and that a great
attempt has been made TO overthrow
the law. The question now is whether
the gamblers snail he triumphant. or
whether the iii :ials Of the city shall he
backed by q healthy and vehement
! public opinion.
"Gen. Wolseley prophesied that on
Sept. Is the Egyptians would be over
| thrown, and with marvellous accuracy
his prOphesy cane true. The gamtla
OF this country d, cared that on Sept
20 they would open their pool rooms
aud gambling saloons, and they kept
Their promise. The city { fl .ials saw
they can do nothing. The Coroner of
city most suggestiveiy allows his
premises to be used as an entrance to
one Of the pandemoniums. No doabt
this Is with an eve to business, as
gambling often leads to sudden death.
Sixty t lur gamblers were arraigned in
New York. OF course. they pleaded
not guilty. Powerful counsel was en-
listed in their behalf The District
Attorney was warned by an anonymous
letter that he had better look ont. The
politicians in all our cities are told that
If they aid in the suppression of gam
bling they will not get nominated for
office.
What all churches, all reformatory
institutions, all good people need to day
Is to rally a vigorous public sentiment.
and let the authorities know that they
will be backed up by all decent people.
This last week IN Cincinnati, on my way
10 the depot, heard the rattle of the
dice. l went to an agricultural fair,
aud in front of the hotel there was
large group of men gambling all day.
This Sennacherib OF evil needs to have
an iron hook in his nos9 until he shall
he brought down aud destroyed.
Fathers, sons ard brothers are all inter
ested in such discussion just as much
as are mothers, sisters, and daughters
The discussion has n practical bearing
on three words, earth, heaven, and hell
nave no uJuDb iHtIe are SCOTtS bI
families in this house this morning
touched bv this evil. There are yonng
men in this house with gambling
tickets in their pockets. Why should
ministers ri religion be silent abOut this
evil, and occupy their time talking about
the hittites, The Amaiekites, and the
Jebusites, when we have this monster
cf lnfquty among us destroying men
"There are 3 500 professei gamblers
III this and neighboring cities. There
are only nine gambling establishments
that profess to he honest Go little
out of Broadway You ascend the
marble stairs A livelied servant un-
locks the door and u.hers you between
lavender-tinted walls. Tnere is the
most expensive furniture you ever saw;
| 1t Is the roulette table. There il the
sideboard with its liquors end ciga,s.
There are pictures on the walls. One
very appropriate picture there Is DJnte's
frozen picture OF hell. Pass ON until
you come to the second-class gambling
establishments, Once fairly inside, you
must gamble or fight. There are poor
drinks, mixed with more poor drinks.
and soon you will be helped 10 get rid
y
staccato passages You went il to see
and you saw. Wrangle not in that
place for your rights, or your wounded
body will be thrown into tie streets, or
perhaps pulled out of the East River.
"You pass on until you come to the
rooms where there is betting on num-
bers. Three numbers are called gig,
two saddle, and four horse Thou
sands of men spring into that saddle and
mount that gig, and b hind that horse
ride to periition. The sign says 'Ex-
change. That is n wonderfully signIf-
cant sign. Tnat is where q man gives
up respectabihty, gives up money, gives
up morals, gives up soul, and in ex-
change he gets loss OF hore, loss Of re-
spectabiIity. Exchange A great m my
Christian people wonder why it is that
men of wealth. refinement. and educa.
ton go down under this evil. Many
| people are born with passion for haz-
ard. There are persons whose blood Is
exhilarated by taking risks. There are
people who find pleasure i'll driving
within two inches of the edge of
bridge
"Oh, says one, 4 will take this $500
and make it So. 600. l NAV lose it, but
/ it is excitement anyway. The professed
/ gamblers wait for such people as the
| 81 ider waits in its web, and tiey look
dead until the v;c.Im is entangled.
When young man or an old man re-
solves 10 live beyond his means Satan
has bought him ont and cut. IL i only
question Cf time when the goods shall
/ be delivered. The temptation of gam
| bling is insidious, aud when the victims
! drop into their graves there is not so
much as the sound of the click OF d,ca
| to mark their departure. How many
noble natures have perished in the fires.
When men lose they keep qnlet about
| it; they don't want their families to
know it. Once when the police of 8os-
ton raided gambling saloon they found
merchants of State street there BHl-
lock, Cashier of the Georgia Central
Railroad Company, purloined SlO3 coo
for gambling purposes. Not so many
years ago III one OF the saving hanks OF
Brooklyn, a young man sto-e 81, 900 to
carry on gaming practices.
Wall street prac tees and modes Of
business lead 70 gamh ing. The
pandemoniums Of the Gold Room and
the stock Exchange are carried into
gambling rooms. The excitement Of
corners, pools, carrying stocks, the cry
OF Buyer g. Buyer TO- Taken.
How MANY - thcusands mazda ar last