The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-14
DR.. w. w. Case of the Howard
Church Talks of It's
Influence.
HE FAvoRs A CoUNTERpLEDGE
And Advises More Rigid Discipline
Over Young People in the
Home Circle.

sermon last Sunday night upon the gam
bling mania. A large congregation was
present. DR.. Case spoke as follows:
Gambling is most destructive practice. 1t
is one OF the vices that darkens the prospects
OF our Nations future. 1t has blighted the
funereal pail over millions of young men and
swept them into the whirlpool of final ruin. 1t
is Impossible to sum up all of the mental
agonfes and the heart sorrows that have re-
suited from gambling
IL IS an acknowledged fact that gambling is
rapidly increasing. 1t seems to be part of
Gam milling has become an infatuation, passion,
an insanity. Gambling is destroying the ner-
Vous system, the brain, the mentality and the
morality OF multitudes Gambling is vice
mat fuliy believe is handed down as matter
OF inheritance from one generation to another
so mat men are born with brains already
tainted and predisposing them to this vice.
IN artist has painted set OF pictures en-
Titled "Road to Ruin" They are an eXhorta-
ton to the individual and TO the Nation on
gambling The set of pictures are danger
on the very threshold OF the gamblers career.
Inc hrst picture of his set of five represents a
NUMBER OF young men in what is evidently
room IN college. The gray light OF morning is
dlmmlng the blaze OF the candles as it streams
through the window, within a few yards Of
whlch can be seen the college chapel. The
young men In the room are playing cards.
Ihose who have won look happy, while those
who nave Iostlook disappointed and miserable.
Ihey al! bear the appearance of intelligence,
for good.
Another picture of the set shows us the
grandstand at a racecourse, in which is promi-
nently TO be seen one of the most promising
looking Of the young men in the first picture
IN the usual way booking bets. Another pic
ture DEPICTS the suffering OF the gamblers wife
and children, half fed half clad, suffering from
sickness and destitute. The last picture of all
shows us the garrett with its miserable sticks of
furniture JUS empty cupboard, its white
washed walls, Its curtainless windows, with the
church once more to be seen in the,viclnity.
A broken-down man, who was the promising
youth In the first plcturetwho was the fine, hand
some-looking man at she grandstand, is now
TO be seen an elderly man with a broken spirit
and with despair written on every Ineament
OF his face, as he is in the act of locking his
garnet door before taking up the pistol which
lies on the rlckety dealtable in order to COM
NIT suicide.
Thus we have the gamblers life from the
promising youth in the college to the despair
ing suicide in the garrett. Is this mere fanci-
ful plctureT Is 1t sentimental dream from
the artists brain? Is it an exceptional life
that Is here portrayed? Is it q sample of the
effect OF vice that is not prevalent but excep-
uonal! is there something good in gambling
in the bulk? Is there, after all, something
noble and virtuous and beneficial to humanity
In the gambler lie, so that this object is not
fair sample?
We put these questions in all sincerity and
honesty. II there is something to be said in de-
tense OF gambling we want to hear IT, for in
our condemnation OF gambling we condemn a
multitude OF people, many OF whom stand well
and high in the eyes OF men and in he ranks
OF society. | send out the challenge Who
Will pick up the gauntlet? Who viii defend
gambling? As for myself, have considered
the matter, and while can perceive two sides
to most cases l can see only one side to this
The thief may have two sides to his case. He
may steal when pressed by hunger in defense
OF his life. do not know but what 1 might
find out some excuse for some classes of muir
derers,. But what excuse can be given for
gambling?
What excuse can be given for the gamblers
al the grandstand, for those who lead fashion,
for those who know they are leading men and
women and children astray? What excuse can
any man bring forward in defense of these
people who by their example are placing the
stamp OF appreciation upon gambling? What
excuse can we find to defend the course of the
sons and daughters of the money kings of our
land, who are the patrons and supporters of
the gambling institutions? How dare these
men who have inherited millions, how dare
their wives, their daughters and their sons,
who patroniZe these places-hoW dare they set
such vicious examples before the youth OF our
City and State and country?
| appeal to the accidentally rich in San
Francisco TO consider their influence in patron
1zing the racecouTse and in popularizing and
perpetuating this destructive business. The
gam bling habit seems to live and thrive in San
Francisco Laws have been enacted prohibit
ing gambling OF various sorts, but still the
evil appears to thrive among us. The feeling
prevails more and more widely that gambling
Is tritiing offense. In nearly all classes it is
Christians who object to card-playing everv-
where find themselves laughed at by the nomi-
nal rellglonlsts, who are so numerous as being
Puritanical Simpletons But thew are the renl
simpletons who fail to see how certain recrea-
lions furnish exactly the kind of education
needed in an elementary stage for graduating
IN the most hardening vices. For, .unques-
t1onably the habit of gambling is the most
fatally hardening of all, and everything that
leads to 1t ought to be abandoned by prudent
people. 1t he's been said that betting is
n nc jfsnl on,
every sport, and one of the most deplorable
facts In connection with this matter is that
great numbers of respectable people seem
spiritually obtuse and stupehed as TO the way in
Wnleh they help TO fatten the octopus. Even
an octopus may be starved, but this monster is
led by many who should be intelligently con-
sclenuous enough TO know better.
There are recreations, which we do not need
TO De continually specifying, which are actu-
ally encouraged and even taught in many
families where strict propriety is professed, but
which are the exact preparations hich the
devil demands for use as the most insidious
methods OF decentralization. Christian young
men and women who do not know how 10
dance, who do not play at whist, who do not
know anything of the inside of Il theater are
now exposed, if they belong to good social
circles, to mild persecution of continuous con-
Tempt. Every few weeks some fresh protest is
heard against the all-pervading practice of
gambling. and yet nothing seems to result but
the recurrence OF the protest. The American
people have really commenced their moral
education, but we have as yet only begun.
That we have not very far developed is evident
from the attitude of all classes in relation to
gambling. Lotteries are illegal, and this is
good beginning, but the patronage of the turf
by wealthy and otherwise respectable people is
doing Immense harm to society.
Only the other day we were told of child
found crying in the street who said: 81
had nickel 10 buy fathers beer and / bet on
horse and lest it," 1t is TO be feared that this
child is but type of the average boy in San
francisco. 1t is not to be wondered at that the
mania for gambling is increasing in every
quarter. The bookmaker has become regu-
larly recognized member of society and yet
his work is perhaps more damaging to every
social interest than that of any other individ-
ual In the community. 1t is said in England
that the bookmaker and the plckpocket are
often combined in one individual.
What can be done to abate the progress of
one of the most dangerous and degrading hab-
It's which can be produced in any community?
This question was put to Dean Farrar by the
editor of the magazine called The Young Man.
IN reply he says: "There is no royal road to
put an end to betting and gambling. The law
must interfere as far as 1t can, 1mparually and
sincerely. The newspapers must cease to pub
llsn gambling intelligence. The leaders OF
morality must teach those whom they infiu-
ence and public influence must make itself
1elt. Above all, young men must learn TO say
no VIXEN they are asked TO join in sweepstakes
or any other form of betting and gam bling. 1t
is nc use to ask what is the harm? The harm
Is that thousands are ruined by these begin