The Monitor., 1891-09-25

excluded, but fortunately lie was a little
too fast for them, having paid rny fee and
passed through The. gate.
Six Of US entered that place. two
Methodist preachers, two members of tn g
Society of Friends and two were member
of other churches. We were not disguised
as was stated in the papers, but we quick
ly noticed that we were the observed Of all
observers. We had business in hand and
we're not there for pleasure. We went
prepared to take notice of all that was to
be seen there. | am sorry to say | saw on
the grounds two or three persons who are
mem bers of churches, and will further say
that | saw and conversed with gentleman
who belongs to the christian church. He
did not hesitate to tell me that be had
bought pool ticket and won. He was so
low down in moral degradation as to
think it is not wrong for a
preacher to do that sort of thing and
it was much easier, he said. to make money
by betting at Gloucester than preaching.
81 have won," said be, "and expect to win
again. Now you bet on a certain horse and
you will win your money.
| mention this circumstance, my friends,
to show the stains of christianity in our
neighborhood. This mans eyes, let me tell
leave the ground. Another gentleman
came to me and said he owned some fine
horses and professed to be an upright man.
He felt glad to see sach reputable citizens
as yoIr speaker coming there and thought
would be able to go out and tell the peo-
pie there was no drunkenness at the track
and good order was kept, adding, "We
have twenty policemen besides detectives
and spotters,' of which fact your speaker
was well aware. daughter
What saw there have this to say: The
men were not Of the toughest class, but as
rule of the average class, and young men
from Philadelphia, and if a certain one of
the women, such as | saw, were to enter
this church you would consider her to be a
very modest and respectable lady. | OBJ
served her carefully and to my great as
tonishment this woman was better and
deeply interested in every race. On the
grounds were men in middle life, men of
business, clerks and trusted bookkeepers.
Young men were there who we're startled
when they saw me and tried to keep out of
my sight Some with whom [ conversed
requested me to not expose them, which I
promised not to do.
We asked for liquor and gave a man a
dollar to get some for US, but that man
had been warned so the money was re-
turned. | went to another man and re-
quested him to buy me glass of liquor.
That man could not get it. There was
rum for others, but none for u.s. Laugh
ter. What it all meant you can draw
your own conclusions.
We stayed long enough to see three
races. drinking and pool betting. We
were glared upon as spies. We bought
no pool tickets, but were wise enough to
see men buy tickets whom we knew; saw
them use those tickets and saw that some
of these men won and some lost. This
business was going on with an interest
which indicates the fact that the interest
was not so much in the racing as to know
which horse won the race. | am here to
say that this whole business is robbery.
A business established by which few men
can gather in the money which the ignor-
ant, unsophisticated and innocent are ever
so ready to part with. There was no dis
orderly conduct within the enclosure. We
saw more of that in the streets of the city
outside. There is fascination which
takes hold of men, and women, too, old
and Young, to get money which they have
not earned, but whatever amount they
secure by any ether way but honestly, it is
curse to Them and TO the community.
The races | saw were very poor. The
horses and jockeys were altogether too
green, which was sufficient evidence which
horse would win.
Let me read my text again, which will
describe morality at Gloucester: Wick
edncss is in the midst thereof, and deceit
and guile depart not from her streets. !"
When l speak of horse racing | speak of
an evil that fascinates, demoralizes and
leads on to all manner of wickedness. No
man or woman can attend horse racing
any length of time without suffering moral
injury. You may tell me that officers of
the law attend these races, and | will tell
you that not the best men go to Office.
Very frequently the vilest are exalted and
the wicked walk upright on every side.
Next to racing is the sin of gambling.
never played a game of cards in nv life,
but inveterate gamblers have said that
there is such fascination even in the
mere shnffing of the cards that no man
can enter upon this dangerous pastime
without speedily becoming slave to the
play. The people down at Gloucester are
very shrewd and possess brains which
might be used to better advantage. Every
man who loses money at the race track
loses MS character anu repuIdtiuu oisu,
which money cannot replace.
Now where shall We lay the blame? On
the man who is carrying on this pernicious
business, or the prosecutor who is under
oath to use every possible means to close
such places? II he is not here fol that
purpose what does he receive salary OF
Sc, 900 fol? Are not our public officers to
maintain good government and execute
law? We have been asked why us preach
e-s don't mind our business. We have a
very good precedent in doing what we did,
What is the church foi9 1t is not only fol
the conversion of souls, bnt for the sup
preston of evil wherever it may be found
This is Gods plan and purpose, and as
Christian ministers we are here to sound
the alarm and arouse public sentiment
against the evils at Gloucester, where i
seems as though all hell had combined
There will be some good men on the mex
grand jury, but you will find that ther'
will be thirteen men on the wrong side
every time. 1t is tire duty of the church
the people and the press to speak openly
on this subject. PANTsINBooTs.
rloaufuo.s Fran rlfes~ Pathway.