The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-24
WARNED AGAINST CARDS
Rev. o. @. Clarkis Sermon on
Social Problems.
AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS
Cards and Wine Arc the Two Breakers
on Which 70 Many Souls Have
Bsen Lost "A Mighty
Temptation.

uonal church to-day Rev. o.. c. CLARK
preached the first of his series of ser.
mons upon social themes. The topic
was The Card Table" and the sermon
was as follows:
All things are lawful for me. hut al
things are not expedient." first Cor.
K. 20.
In discussing some Of the social cues
tons of the day 1 fully realize the fact
that i am v~enturing upon ground where
good people diner In opinions. I there
fore shall endeavor to speak modestly,
having due regard for hose whose con-
illusions are different from my own. IL.
however. will be difficult to escape criti-
cism, from the fact that the customs
that 1 shall assail are to a remarkable
degree sanctioned I'm modern social life.
not only by those outside of the church,
but also by many who are within H..
MY aim, therefore. will not be TO say
things with which my auditors will
necessarily agree. but. on the contrary,
10 discuss the question of popular
amusements in the light OF unquestion-
ed facts. Ii should be remembered also
that these questions are considered in
their relation to Christian life. and.
therefore. my appeal will be to those
who are aiming after the highest type
of manhood and the fairest type of wo-
manhood. For such the question often
arises. what attitude Is II right for me
to take relative to these amusements?
1t is to help such as conscientiously
ask these questions that these sermons
are written.
IL Is most cheerfuliy conceded from
the outset that there Is a demand for
healthful recreation. God never made
man to be a monk. nor this bright
world to be a monastery" There is a
sphere and a place for amusements in
u lives. and to ignore IL IL TO ignore
a demand that is imperative. both in
out physical, mental and moral
But. where can we draw the line be-
tween amusements that are healthful
and ADJUSTMENTS that are to be avoided?
In the absence Of any specific COM
mand, Is there any test to which we
can subject them?
May we not say. or general principles,
that whatever tends To make the body
w~ealthier. the mind clearer and the
moral instincts more vigorous is legltl-
mate recreation?" Recreation may be-
dissipation when carried to excess.
but under reasonable limitations there
was an innocent and healthful
game, on lawn, on ice. I'm parlor or
field. which God did not sanction. Now
this general view of the subject, let
as apply IL this morning TO hat form
.
.eoiea.ion Una may De uesisnated as
Inc oaIo iaoie
.isn' 20 play caros ~ a ques-
.ioh .hat rs oi'eh asked ana Whatever
oeeh our previous NOTION regard
ing u, iet US not De TOO nasty IN an
s"erihs u TINS morning. III IL interest
ing 10 hotice' as we pass the origin OF
lheee oewitching little cards hat are so
popular these days. Those grotesaue
DTS OF paper were hrst invented for the
amusement of a French kin who was
an idiot. And IL Is a suggestive fact
nat the authorities In some OF our
titles are considering the question OF
providing playing cards for the enter
.ainment of lunatics.
In the first place. we cheerfully add
the fact that there is no more
1arm in handling n pack OF cards
,alled the "euchre deck" than there is
N handling a pack called Authors"
rhe cards themselves are simply pieces
II paper. cut and figured after certain
and the one Is as harmless as