National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-11-08

room, pencil In hand, to "sollclt shares" or
perhaps each draws for his own advantage,
and scores of people go. home with their
trophies thinking that Is all right, for Christian
ladies did the embroidery aud Christian men
did the railing, and the proceeds went towards
new communion set. But you may depend
on IT, that as far as morality Is concerned, you
might Ms well have won by tho crack of tho
billiard ball or the turn Of the dice box.
Do you wonder that churches built, lighted,
or upholstered by such processes as that come
to great financial and spiritual decrepitude?
The devil says: II helped TO build that house
Of worship, and have as much right there as
you hayc;' and for once the devil is right.
We do not read that they had lottery for
building the church at Corinth or at Antioch or
for getting up an embroidered surplicc for st.
All this I style ecclesiastical gambling.
More than one man who Is destroyed can say
that his first step on the wrong road was when
he won something at church fair.
The gambling spirit has not stopped for any
indecency. There transpred In Maryland
lottery In which people drew for lots in n
burying ground The modern habit of writ
ing about everything is productive of immense
mischief. The most healthful and innocent
amusements of yachting and base ball playing
have b( en- the occasion Of putting up excited
has been advantageous to body and mind has
been to Others the means of financial and
moral loss. The custom is pcrnicious IN
the extreme, where scores of men in respect
able life give Themselves up to betting now on
this boat, now on that; now on this ball club,
now on that.
Betting, that once was chiefly the accompanl.
ment of the race course, IL fast becoming ma
topal habit, and in some circles any opinion
advanced on finance or politics is accosted with
the interrogation, "lIow much will you bet on
that, sir?'
it1his custom may make no appeal to SLOW
lcthargiC temnerameilts, but there ara In the
country tens or thousands of quick nervous
sangnine, eXcitable temperaments ready to be
RCtt upon, and their feet Will soon take hold
on death. For some months, and perhaps for
years, they VIII linger IN the more polite and
their pathway viii como to the fatal plunge
Finding themselves in the rapids they will try
to back out and hurled over the brink they
will clutch the SIDE of the boat until their fin
ger nails, blood tipped, will pierce the wood
and then, with white check and agoniZed stare
andthe horrors of the lost soul hitting the
very hair from the scalp, they will plunge
down where no graphing hooks can drag them
out
Young man stand back from all styles OF
gambling, The end thereof Is death. The
ten-pin alley affords the best of physical exer-
else and many on hour have passed in some
such place, getting physical IMMIGRATION; but
many Of the ten'pin alleys are now given up tn
fathers, enter. Put down your thousand dol
lars all IN gold eagles Let the boy set up the
pins at the other end of the alley Now stand
back ana give the gNmester full sweep Ron
the irst--there II strikes and down goes his
responsibility Try II again. Roll the second
there y strikes and down goes the last
letlluE OF humanity lFy IL NBdlu, hOl llb
soul forever II was not so much the pins that
fell, as the SOU the soul Fatal ten'slrikc for
eternity "Aceldamn the field of blood,
LuIcd by bad company, he finds his way into
aplace where honest men ought never to 20.
lie sits down to his first game, but only for
| pastime and the desire of being thought
sOciable. The players deal out the cards, They
uncOnsclousy play into Satans hands, VINO
takes ali the tricks and both the players souls
| for trUmps he being a sharper ut any game.
A slight stake is Put up Just to add interest to
| the play. Game after game Is played larger
stakes and still larger they begin to move
| neTyously on their chairs; their brOws lower
| ana eyes fash, until now they who win and
they who lose, fired alike with passion, sit
| with set Jaws and compressed lips, and
seem starting from their sockets to see the
| final turn before II comes; II losing pale with
| envy and tremulous with unutlered Oaths, cast
back red hot upon the heart, or, winning, with
| hysteric laugh, "IIa, la have II r.
few years have passed, and he Is only the
| wreck Of a man. Seating himself nj the game,
ere he throws the first card, he stakes the last
| relic of his wiie-the marriage ring which
| sealed the solemn VOWS between them, The
| game is lost, and, staggering back In eNhauS.
| ton, he dreams. The bright hours Ofthe past
| mock his agony, and In his dreams iends with
| eyes OF fire aud tongues Of flame circle about
! him with Joined hands, 10 dance AMI sing
| their orgies with hellish chorus, chanting
| "llRil, brOther!" kissing his Cammy fOrehgl 1
| pCnts, crawl into his bosom aud sink their
| Sharp fangs and suck up his llies blond, and,
| COihng around his heart pinch II with chills
| and shuddeTs unutterable.
Take warning You are no stronger than
| tens of thousands who have oy this practice
| been oycrthrowu, No young man in Ourcitie3
| can escape being tempted. Beware OF the first
| beginnings This road Is a down grade, and
| every instant Increases the momentum, Launch
| OF upon this treacherOns sea, Sp,int hulkS
| stlew the beach, Everlasting storms howl ~
| N
| gate, lspeak OF what have SEGA with my