The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-07-07
RELIGIOUS.

Pulpit Review Of Current Events by Rev. ThOs.
Dixon, Jr, for Sunday, June p, 1891.
The Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr., pastor
of the Twenty-third Street Baptist
Church, preceded his sermon this
morning at Association Hall by the
following review of current events:
GHAMBLING IN HIGH LIFE.
The moral 7indignation of England
has been recently reused to the intens-
est pitch by the remarkable revelations
of the baccarat scandal. 1t is discOv-
cred that the chief amusement of his
Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales,
is one Of the vilest species Of gambling.
He unfOlded to the world on the wit
ness stand the fact that he went from
house to house with his gambling ap-
paratus on his person, as any other
blackleg is accustomed to do.
SIR WILLIAM GORDON CUNNING.
With the question of the guilt of Sir
William Gordon Cumming we have
little interest; but the facts brought
out in that triol, as bearing on the con-
dition Of social life in England, are Of
tremendous import, not only to Eng
land but to the world. The prevalence
of gambling in modern times is some
thing appalling. The drink curse can
alone be compared with it. The two
things are often found together.
Gambling seems to be enormously on
the increase. It is a fact that there is
more gambling today than perhaps at
any other period in the history Of our
civilization. There is a reason for this.
AN AGE OF HIGH PRESSURE.
This century is living under high
pressure. Our civilization is develop
ing under high pressure. Steam is be-
ing superseded by electricity. 1t is a
fast age, it is a nervous age, it is an
age of intense excitement. The nerves
of men clamor for an amusement ade-
quate to the pressure of such a civiliza-
ton. Amusements that interested and
contented our fOrefathers are not suffi-
Cient for the men of this generation,
when once they have been thrown
from the centre of a thoughtful life Of
earnest purpose. The gambling curse
RACES from the king on the throne down
through every grade of human society,
to the boOtblack on the curbstone. The
policy-shop and the junk-shop of the
gambler has on the rolls Of it's victims
the prince Of royal blood and the gamin
Of the street corner Polite society is
h~oneycombed with this terrible evil.
In one form or another it seems to have
swept the field within recent years.
A FASCINATING PURSUIT.
Gambling is a fascinating pursuit.
1t IS the most fascinating pastime ever
invented by the devil. 1t engages the
whole nature of man, mental. moral.
spiritual and physical. 1t demands
the whole nature of man. We have
made a determined battle against some
forms Of this curse. We have determ-
ined to destoy the lotteries. It seems
that we r in a fair way to accomplish
this result. 1t is well we have passed
laws seeking to limit the curse of the
pOolrOom. We have our detectives after
the faro steerer. We arrest the card
sharper who juggles with the foolish
co~untryman on the street corner. We
raid the dens of vice in the lower dis
trIctS Of the city, confiscate the gam
bIer's instruments. This is as it should
be. But it, is time to draw the same
line at the door of the millionaire and
of the prince, Of the President of the
United States, and of Senators and
Congressman and all men in high
places.
GAMBLING IS GAMBLING.
Gambling is gambling. Truth is
always the truth. If gambling is a sin
in the slums of the city, it is a sin in