St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-28
GAMBLING AT The FAIR
Rev. Walter S. Vail Preached
a Hot Sermon Yes
terday.
He Thinks Justice Standeth
AfaP Off in Matters Like
This.
What Men Will Do Simply for
the Sake Of the Money
in 1t.
Is the Time Gone When the
Preachers and PulpitS
Lose influence :?


gpegation at the Grand yesterday morn
ing, He announced his theme as "The
Gamblers Festival at the State Fair"
and took his text from Isaiah liX, IA;
And justice standeth afar off," The
preacher began by saying that one of
the wonders of the recent fair was the
uncontrolled existence of gambling, car
ried on apparently by the same methods
as those employed by professionals, and
accompanied with an amount of noise
and excitement calculated to arouse the
interest OF all eXcitable people, and al
together thing that had produced the
deepest regret, because it implied will
lngness on the part of the management to
permit practices concerned by the best
sentiment, simply for the sake of money.
LII discussing the matter he would con-
fine himself to the answer of one QueS-
ton: others might be proper to ask. but
this one was his discussion of the topic.
He would ask: "If the management of
the state fair was willing to allow the
most pronounced form of gambling on
the ground for the sake of revenue, and
If public opinion seemed to support it,
is there any hope that the undercurrent
of denunciation, felt by a majority of
those who remained silent, will over
come the present condition? On first
thought one would answer no. And
possibly one might remain of that opin-
ion. In all new countries we find the
track of reckless men; of adventures,
hardy and strong, capable of meeting
brigands from the hills, savages from
the plains; OF defying starvation, cold
OF heat. In all new countries the spirit
of adventure and that of speculation go
hand in hand. A John Hawkins and
the slaves he kidnapped are found land
ing new colony. A Capt. John Smith
is fitted for exploit in new land. The
rough and in many cases kindly, miner
is of the same hardy and adventurous
class. When you touch life that is new.
and an atmosphere naturally speculat-
i've you will find many of this class of
people. This is a barrier to our first
move.
Since our civil war we have passed
into a new idea era of feeling about
money. Great combinations and cor
porations have built the hugest fortunes.
Poor men are being weeded out of the
senate of the United States in way
that is surprising. People are sup
posed to be ariStocratic because they
are rich. Social lines are very firmly
drawn on the amount of money you can
draw check. for That is sure to be
cashed. And few men stop to ask how
you get the money, if you only get it
and get plenty. The time was when
the
Pulpit Had Power
for the effective checking of such con-
ditions. That time may not be gone.
The preacher considers himself indie
pendent. His supporters say he is per-
fectly so. but there is tacit feeling in
the public mind that the preacher be-
longs to his congregation, and when
ever he is not in sympathy with that
they think he ought to be, he gets his
discharge; and if he goes counter to
their wishes he is made to tremble-it
is Felix now that makes Paul tremble,
for Paul sees nook in starvation-land
waiting if he does not put on the collar.
Preach about the love of God and the
sacrifice of Christ, but look out if you
turn away a penny from somebody's
pocketbook. And if you happen to
touch on some glazing outrage you are
reminded that this is probably the best
governed city in the world. and are in
vited to consider yourself behind the
times.
Then, undoubtedly, man feels within
himself the "reminiscences of his past
animal life. His appetites call to him
TO 90 back and wallow in the mire, to
safe himself, as the lowest beast might;
and when we read some story of base
ness found in men in our own boosted
century we are sure that man has a chief
foe in the animal that is liz him, aud
may lead him TO any depth of degreda-
ton. The best OF men are often weak
under this influence: what power it
must have in the life of the lowest!
Nor can we look for much from vigil
ance committees, legislative acts or any
of the methods so long tried to little
| purpose. 1t is easy to get laws. Men
| Will give us all we ask. But how much
| will they help? Did not our forefathers
| try to make the old village of Salem the
home Of the saints by the Institution of
The Ducking Stool
| the scarlet letter, the pillory on public
| days, the branding iron and other modes
| of cruel punishments for offenses that
| were of omission as we'll as commission?
And, instead of making the place a per-
| feet paradise, ask if it did not end in
becoming the hot-bed of superstition,
eliminating in the days of supposed
witchcraft that developed reign of ter
nor and nearly depopulated the place?
| The founders of New England had
| every advantage that law and officers,
| to enforce that law, could give; they
| failed to make water run up hill. Aided
| by vigilance committees, bolstered by
| laws that are good in themselves, fat
| tered by prominent men who go down
| to New York and tell how we captured
| Cole Younger and what lovers of law
| and order we are am afraid we shall be
disappointed in these outward helps;
| l am afraid that, like Mark Twain's
dog, our committee will ''Stand from
under" just at the critical moment.
| The outward signs are against u.s.
That is clear enough. And yet | feel
that every man who takes up this fight
| for righteousness is sure to engage in a
| winning battle. believe this because
l believe in the evolution of man, and
that when he reached the point where
he conceived the idea of something
| higher than his lower self he reached a
| point from which providence never yet
| allowed him to stray. A single indi-
| yidual may go down in the mire, and
| like 1t. lie may enjoy the sight of
blood; may prefer TO see suffering
| rather than enjoyment; may
Prefer a Dog Fight
| to prayer meeting, but he is not in a
| normalcondition, and a thousand of his
associates would not be so bad as the
one. Here is the starting point. Now
| go one step further with me. ana ask
| with me: What are we to do? And |
| answer that we are to constantly appeal
| to that sentiment in man which he NAV
not be conscious of having, but which in
reality is the one point that makes him
| improbable at all. Instead of asking
him what he thinks right for himself,
let us shift the point of responsibility.
| And then taking the average man in
stead of the exceptional case, what shall
| we find? Can you imagine any father
going out to the Fair with high-bred, in
telllgent friends and pointing with
pride TO the big fat loafer standing by
the wheel of fortune (or misfortune).
and bawling at the top of his voice to
| excite the waiting crowd? Can you
| think of any mother who wouldn't say,
LET me have honor and purity in my