The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-03-25
RELIGIOUS THOUGHTS.
By REV. J. o. COUGH, MANNING, 8. c.

By REV. J. o. COUGH, MANNING, 8. c.
GAMBLING 4 HoRRD sN Is TRE sIGEr oR
GOD, AND VIOLATION OF TIE LAW
| OF THE STATE.
| 4 few weeks ago had II short article up
on the tendency Of this growing sin, with
no intention OF younding any ones feel
ings, but with desire to do my duty to
God aud my fellow-mAn. :; VIVA: I said was
from the purest motives l desired 10
point out to those who were engaged there
IN the dangers that 10y along this road,
feeling that some did not know the crimes
attached 10 it. I also felt that when q citi.
zen and friend Sas LED into the light and
shown the disgrace TO which his conduct
vxs leading him. he would prefer his char
acter and good name to the mere "ehance"
in gambling. Solomon said, "A good
name is rather 70 be chosen than great
riches" But met with much discourage
meut and personal threats. did not
think that what said then, or now, would
stop the sin altogether. but thought that it
might serve az warning. But l see that
like the man in his boat passing swiftly
down the rushing current to the awful
abyss. fearing no danger and not needing
the warming voice Of his friends, he passes
over te All awful wreck, SO men continue
| TO gamble in our own midst. in moro ways
than one.
The heathenlsh practice of cock fighting
still continues. 10 day venture 10 say
some things on this sin that trust all who
,ead the Times may see.
nr. Geo. F. Hall says that gambling is
the art of getting something tor nothing.
it is sin that is corruptlhg thousands OF
mon from nearly every walk of life. The
publ: conscience IS not yet awakened to
the awful sin. No man can long retain
his personal purity OF life who gives him.
self over to gambling to this subtle agent
Of hell"
| Henry Ward Beecher says. Gambling
is the stalking or Winning of property upon
tmere hazard. The husbaudman renders
Iproduoe fox his gains; the mechanic rem
ders the product Of labor and skill for his
jgain; tho gambler readers for his gain tht
sleiGht of useless skill, or more often down
right cheating. Betting is gambling and
there is no honest equivalent to its gain"
DR.. z. s. Macarthur says, Il have no pa
tience with man who CANDLES. mar
who will gamble will steal. Gambling il
a.epecies of theft. A man who wants somt
thing for nothing is dishonest man. Tht
man who says the world owes me- living
and I propose to have it. is reckless anc
dishonest man. The world does not oWt
him o living. The world owes man JUS
what be gill earn, nothing more. Anothins
less"
Some one gives US the history OF. crime
during 1890: "One hundred axd twenty
eight persons were either shot or stabbed
over gambling. Four were stabbed and
shot at poker; twelve stabbed and twenty
four shot over game of dice; 28 stabbed and
IS shot over gambling tables; six attempted
suicide. twenty.four committed suicide
and sixty persons we're murdered in colo
blood; two driven insane; si1ty.eight boys
we're ruined by pool gambling.
This dsslfe has grown so strongly thai
70 get money to gamble. with. Among
these were two burglsries, eighteen forger
les. eighty-fve embeZzlements, thirty-twc
persons holding positions of trus. in banks
ETC., absconded the enormous :ssumtaso
81, ,sss. 37z.
10 which part Of this list can we add The
crimes Of our own State?
Dr.. Mott says. The finished gambler
has no heart. He could play and bet a
his brothers funeral; he would gamble or
his mothers cofdn."
Since We are attempting but little az. X
lorigiaallty wish to quote few sentences
from one Of the greatest preachers our agt
has ever produced. He says:
II. Gambling 1nkts the mind for th'
duties OF life. Gamblers are seldom indus
trious men in any vocation Of life. Gam
bling visistss the Imagination. corrupts ,ht
tastes and destroys industry, for no mar
viii drudge for cents who gam bles FOX dol
Lara.
| II. 1t destroys ell domestic affections
Home is s prison to sn ipvetsrate gambler
ior moment he may sport with his chill
dren and smile upoa his wife. but biz
heart. its strong passions are not there. 4
little ripping stream may flow through th'
family. but the deep river Of his affection!
Aows away from home.
| Ill Gambling polutes the life and IN
tjures society. Gamblers herd with gam
blers. They tempt and provoke each other
to all evil.
~. 1t produces desire fer strong
drink. The bottle is as needful ss the ma
tefial upon which to bet. and when they
stand IN the sight of financial l,s, they
Cannot bear ths death.like gloom, aud by
drugs or liquor they Wind up their system,
to the glowing point again. and when the
double tses OF gambling and strong drink
blaze under man he will soon be con.
numed.
Y. 1t is almost the inevitable Cause OF
dishonesty. Robbers have robbers honor,
thieves have thieves law. and pirates CON-
form 10 pirates regulations But where is
there gamblers code? One law there is
and it Is not universal, .Puy your gam
| bling debts, or il mllder sense. thns:
Pay what you lose. get what you can and
in any way you can.
But am told that there are honest gam.
| b!ers. gentlemauly gamblers. Certainly !
There are always npe apples before there
are rotten. hSn always begin before they
end. Players Will play truly until they
play untruly; they will be honest until they
| cneat. But men who gamble cheat. and he
who cheats is dishonest. therefore, gam
bier IL a dishonest man let him bet upon
Whist he will.
II walk the dark streets and perish
ing wretch meets and bears off my purse
| With but single dollar, tie whole town
awakes, the officers are alert. they hunt
and bring in the trembling culprit aud
place him in Jail. But worse thief may
meet me, decoy my footsteps, and by
greater dishonesty hloh teE Thousand dol
lars. and what then -? The story spreads,
tho sharpsrs move abroad unharmed not
one o hc.r stirs. 1t il the topic of all coa-
versation. and like sound it rolls to the
distance aud dies in an echo.
Shall men gamble and continue to vomit
out upon a religious community all their
hellisn deeds? Shall we pretend to virtue
aad purity and religion and yet mingle in
ul 20 boy hon