The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-14
THE PULPIT ON
A DECADE Mt PRESS
Rev. William A. Gardeners
Views on Lotteries
and Gaming
Glad to Know That One Paper
Here Exposes and Opposes
Lotteries.
"our Daily Papers Are Aiding and
Abetting These Nefarious
Institutions"

"The Lottery and Other Forms of Gam
bling" was the subject of vigorous dis
course delivered in the West-side Chris
tian Church, on Bush street, last night by
the Rev. William A. Gardner. the pastor.
Mr.. Gardner was greeted with large COLI
gregation, as usual, end it was evident
that his sermon caused deep impression
on his hearers.
He said that gambling is more preva-
lent to-day than ever before. Even boys
on the streets flip nickels. The preacher
saw it take place in a streetcar where two
men gambled for the two fares. And SO
on, he said, through al l grades of society,
gamb bling is eating into everything, in
stores, IN the home, on the streets. every
where.
"Men who have entered our colleges
with bright minds were blighted by this
curse of gambling" he added. There
are lawyers who have been cursed by their
clients because instead of studying and
properly preparing their cases, they spent
their time IN some gambling den. The
cause of the sudden fall of many promi-
nent men is gambling-in the Stock Ex-
change, in the Produce Exchange, in min
ing stocks. This sin or crime of gamb bling
has spread itself over society and is draw
ing down strong men. 1t is one of the
greatest crime breeders in the land. There
is nothing else that causes so much crime
and sin-except the one vice of liquor"
Quoting from Chauncey Depew, he said
that 90 per cent of the crime in his expert
ence was due to gambling and while that
is permitted to exist there cannot be NOR
1T
churches.
''Tne sad thing of our State is that one
form of gambling is licensed by the law"
he continued.
1.-The statutes of California forbid the
sale of an article by rattle. / see in the
store windows articles to be sold by rattle.
This is against the law. Shame! that this
sin should come into the church of Christ;
that the church should thus be degraded
1.-THE Louisiana lottery. when in full
blast in this country. received through the
mail about 10000 letters a day and through
postal orders about $50, 600 day, or little
more than 100000.
There was enough paid into that treas
ury daily to pay for 40 comfortable
homes; in one year for homes for A., 800
families. At an average of FIVE to the
family 221, 500 people could be furnished
with homes in one year from these re-
celpts. To-day there are similar ins.itu-
tions in Mexico, Central America and the
islands robbing the people of this land.
lis q shame that our daily papers are
aiding and abetting these nefarious insti-
tutions by publishing their advertise
ments and carrying them iuto the homes
OF our people and thus acquainting our
children with this crime that is wrecking
homes and running men and women.
Il am glad to know there is one paper"
(he was referring to THE CALI ''In this
City, one of the great dailies, that fights,
exposes and opposes these lotteries. And
also that this paper refuses fat sums
offered it for those lottery advertisements.
The daily papers that pass through the
mails dare not have lottery advertise
ments, it would be violation OF the law );
and yet we give these papers that publish
such advertisements to our children to
read, these papers which should be edu-
Gators instead of 6emoralizers.
Mr.. Gardner concluded with reference
to horse-racing and cards, and cautioned
his congregation against gaming.