The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-11-15
BELFAST PASTORS ON GAMBLING.

BELFAST PASTORS ON GAMBLING.
Three Belfast pastors spoke in their pull
pits last Sunday on the general subject of
gambling, and on the slot machine in parti-
cular.
Rev. G. E. Edgett, Methodist, took for his
theme the casting of lots for the seamless
robe of Christ. He described the scene,
with the shaking of the dice to determine
which of the four guards should have the
robe. The upturned number on the dice
decided the question. He to whom the coat
belonged had no further use for it; no
wrong was done to him. The losers in the
throw of dice were not wronged, as they
risked nothing. But gambling is not always
so considerate. In this case there was no
wrong either to the living or the dead, but
in gambling generally one gains by the
losses of another. 1t is vice which seizes
alike men, women and children, and shows
the same irresistible control wherever it
gains footing. 1t is universal passion,
| and it is manifestly evil when measured by
its effects. 1t is essentially evil because it
| arrays the interests of one man against the
suit, personal indulgence, or desire of a
mans heart which arrays him against
the welfare of his companions and fellow
men, is immoral. Gambling was defined as
getting OF money or property with no pre-
tense OF giving a prOpOrtionate return, or
where, with some show of mutual agree
| ment, gain on one side is measured by loss
on the other. The vice can only be success
| fully dealt with in its beginnings While
| other passions wear out with advancing
| years this takes firm hold upon it's victims,
| because it is more fascinating. The critics
| of President Mckinley, who blame him for
his attitude on the canteen, close their eyes
to the fact that the boys at home are beset
| by greater dangers than those who are sub
ject to the dangers of the canteen. The
| speaker called attention to the tendency to
gamble among the boys of Belfast 81 care
not" he said, whether it be with the gilded
deck of cards. the billiard table, wheel of
fortune or the nickel in the slot machine
The latter is the destructive agent at work
in many places in Belfast, and, Judging from
| everyday observation, we are in a fair way
~ raise up d generation Of gamblers. The
situation is alarming. Fathers and mothers,
your boys are in danger Mr.. Edgett re-
lated that he recently heard youth say
that with 10 cents he won, S4.O0 in a slot
| machine. He complimented the mayor and
| aldermen on the prompt action on the reso-
luton presented by Alderman Shales and
| regretted that the resolution was tabled by
| the common council; but he expressed his
/ belief that there was some misunderstand-
ing. otherwise the resolution would have
passed. lie believes it will be passed at the
| next meeting. But whether it passes or not
it is the plain duty of the mayor to see that
this and all other State laws are enforced.
Rev. K. T. Capen said, in substance:
| When Paul said to the Christians at Philip
| pi by letter, "Brethren, / count not myself
yet to have apprehended: but one thing |
do, forgetting the things which are behind,
and stretching forward to the things which
| are before, | press on toward the goal unto
the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus, he gave voice to this great
fact of all Christian experience i'm words of
unmistakable meaning, namely that there
| is a prize for us through Jesus Christ our
Lord, but not for nothing ii Paul would
win the prize of God he must run a lifelong
race for him. Paul's crown of life cost him
his Pharisee friends, a wandering mission
AIRY life, tentmaking for his daily bread
whipiinss, stonings, imprisonment, death
| When we lay claim to the thristlan prize
for life and eternity We undertake Il eorre-
| spending obligation, and that obligation is
moral progress, cost what it may otherwise
the prize is not ours. This fact of our
spiritual life is found true throughout all
our activities, if we are living the life God
would have us. The curse of our age is
that men want big prizes, but for nothing
| Men expect to be marvellous lawyers by
one-year apprenticeships, skilled leaders of
| the medical profession after a term or two
in quack school; expect to be ministers
who are infallible guides of men Godward
by miraculous inspiration devoid of devo-
ton, of downright, intellectual discipline
and without years of delving work. The
| loafer on the street, the lazy clerk in the
! store, the shirking hand in the factory,
await a job, await an offer to become
partner in the firm, look for the solc-
itation to superntend a great CONSOLE
| dated company when their "luck'' changes.
| But God never DEGREES that day. Life's
prizes go to the other men on every side of
the fate-worshipper, but not for nothing
Now disastrous confusion worse confound-
ed would paralyze this world of ours if it
were any sort of wish-land, where beggars
all rode; if it were any such fairy land as
that which Alice wondered at. Life is real,
life is earnest. And the God-gven principle,
that in this real life prizes are ours, but not
for nothing, condemns gambling absolutely.
A gambler deties Gods order-because his
one hope is for prize, and that for moth
ing. Gambling is demoralizing our society
1t ruins the lives of every one who indulges.
I Men deceive themselves that they are no
| longer in this real world, but in one of