Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-09
nowy WITH CARD PARTIES.
Dr.. Landrum and McDonHio
.fob AGAINST the Practice.

The ministers Of Atlanta are about 70
iuaugurate a crusade against card-piay-
ing. and the prime mover in the CRUSADE
IS DIR. w. w. Landrum, formerly pastor
Of the Second Baptist church OF TINS CITY
who is president Of the Evangelical MIN
isters' Association, of Atlanta. He Is De-
ing ably seconded by DR.. Henry McDoh-
aid. who also filed the Second church
pastorate here at one time.
The Atlanta Constitution prints inter-
views with both ministers, and illustrates
the article with a double-column cut OF
Dr. Landrum.
That gentleman expresses himself In
vigorous manner He is quoted as saying
in mart: card parties are gatherings
which l have never attended IN person
I never played a game of cards IN my
life do not maintain that the playing
of A. game OF cards is, per Sc, any more
wicked than a game Of checkers nor
would I for a moment charge all who
play cards in private homes with the SIN
Of gambling. Card-paylng, however, Is
so fascinating as 10 intensely excite the
participants and bring on modes or bad
humor, to be followed in many instances
by nervous exhaustion and incapaclty 10
discharge the ordinary duties OF the
home.
"'Tea topers' are often generated at
card-parties, and when tea, taken IN TOO
large quantities, loses its power as
stimulant. how natural 1t is to desire
something stronger,
ONE EVIL RESULT.
alcoholic stimulants follow and pro
duce their deadly ravages in the physician
and moral systems.
NV experience as a pastor forces me
10 know that women who bend 10 the
accursed vassalage of drink belong TO no
one sect of society. Those clad IN SILK
and those in calico, those proudly num-
bered among the -Four Hundred and those
i'm the humber walks OF life are allKe
victims to the immoralization and death
of drinking. Women of position and IN
fuence when they do wrong deserve the
more censure. because in addition 10 self
destruction they set a bad example TO
hundreds of other women who are accus-
toned TO look 10 them as examples
"Card-playing is often the mother or
gambling. Paul found three graces in the
early church, says n bright preacher
faith. hope. and love. We find three
disgraces in the present church-sensous-
ness drinking. and gambIng-and the
greatest Of these is gambling.
Gambling IS becoming fashionable; the
public conscience is not aroused on TINS
subject Science and Scripture both IN
weigh against 1t. Herbert Spencer called
gambling the meanest OF all vices ana
I'VE the crime. and what do you find?
Gvarice. the love of money the accused
greed for gold. Where there is no stake
there is no pleasure. Increase the stake
and YOU heighten the pleasure; lessen the
stake. and you lessen the pleasure Pay
ing for prizes prepares the way for play
ing for money.
"It matters not whether 1t be money or
the agent OF money, IL is the same.
Where no prize is at hand how easy ana
natural It is TO put up its cash equiya-
lent
NO HONEST GAMBLERS.
add TO avarice, dishonesty. An honest
gambler is the same thing az white
crow-there are none. Add TO greed,
lying and dishonesty the crimes OF sui
eide and murder cover It all with human
blood. and you have the product or card
playing.
Christian mothers and sisters upon sons
and brothers. who. naturally regard
them the best women on earth. 'Motner
rIavs NJ home says the young man,
then why not I play at the CLUB
"Suffer progressive euchre or whist TO
no nIaved I'm your drawing-rooms, and
there will by-and- by, in every prooa-
huitv. wicked extravaganza in your
daughter and gross immortality in your
sons The great metropolitan newspapers
are daily loaded with reports Of gambling
institutions and vices that terminate at
the card-table in the drawing-room, so
mat Il Is impossible for an honest young
man 10 read the happenings Of the world
and not be brought into immediate con-
tact with the possibility Of entering
Gamblers life. especially H. in his youth,
he was made familiar with the great in
struments of gamblers by his own mother
at card-parties.
"Society women constitute two thirds
NJ the members Of our churches. They
are the heart of the Church. They are
IFS brightest ornaments and its most
Jealous helpers. AS women go in the
the Church, so the Church goes; as the
church goes 20 the community goes, and
If the women are headed towards gam
hing how can the Church escape momen-
tum in the same direction
DIR. MDONALD'S VIEWS.
Dr Mcdonald is very much opposed to
card-playing. and expresses himself very
strongly on the subject: 1T Is the IN
duence II throws out that constitutes
Ire principal wrong. 1t may not have
any Immediate evil effect on the card
nlayer. but when the ladies OF Atlanta,
who are supposed TO be high minded.
and of superb character. commence deal
ing In cardsathey take away from them
the idea that they are dangerous, and
practically morally legalize their use.
ITO play whist Is n needless waste OF
time that could be much better expended
In do,nc other things, from which the
Fruits of nobler deeds may be reaped.
when a child sees his mother or sister
nlav at cards, he becomes so accustomed
70 them that when he grows up he can
not be made to believe that they are