The Delta independent., 1901-07-05
Can you hear the story Of the unprin-

the devices Of the gambling saloon to
entrap the verdant and unsuspicious
without having your pulses tingle, and
your heart thump, and your entire ma
ture shocked with the villainy? II so,
you are not much of a man or much OF
a woman. You ought to be angry, for
there is no sin in such vehement dis
like. You ought to be so angry that you
could not repress your feelings in the
presence of young men who are just
forming their life theories. In every
possible way you ought to denounce
such stupendous robbery. Let it be
known that the only successful game
in which a man plays for money is
the one which a man loses all and
stops.
indignation Over Fraud.
There Is another sin that We are Of
tentimes called to be angry with, and
hat is fraud. We all like honesty, and
when it is sacrificed we are vehement
n denunciation. We hope that the de-
.ectives will soon come upon the track
If the absconding bank official, of the
burglar who blew up the safe, OF the
clerk who skillfully changed the figures
n the account book. Of the falsifier who
secured the loan on valueless property,
Of the agent who because of his per-
centage wrongfully admits a man to
the benefit Of a life insurance policy
when his heart is ready to stop and
who comes from an ancestry char
acteristically short lived
Ono NJ fraud %o1.3 80
lines in the morning papers rightfully
arouses the nations wrath. 1t is the
interest of every good man and good
woman who reads of the crime to have
1t exposed and punished Let it go
nnscathed, and you put a premium on
fraud, you depress public morals. you
induce those who are on the fence be-
tween right and wrong to get down on
the wrong side, and you put the busi-
ness Of the world on a down grade. The
.onstabulary and penitentiary must do
their work. But while the merciless
and the goddess cry: Good for him! l
am glad he is within prison doors.'
De 1t your work to find out If the man
Is worth saving and what were the
causes of his moral overthrow. Per-
aaps he started in business life under
tricky firm, who gave him wrong no.
ions OF business integrity: perhaps
here was combination OF circum-
! stances almost unparalleled for temp
iation: perhaps there were allevia-
tions; perhaps he was born wrong and
aever got over it: perhaps he did not
realize what he was doing. and IL you
are merciful man you will think of
other perhaps which, though they
may not excuse. will extenuate Per-
haps he has already repented and is
washed in the blood of the Lamb and
Is as sure of heaven as you are. What
an opportunity you have now for obey
ing my text You were angry at the
misdemeanor, but you are hopeful for
the recovery of the recalcitrant
Blessed all prison reformers! Blessed
are those governors and presidents who
are glad when they have a chance to
pardon! b. Vi the forgiving father
who welcomes home the prodigal.
Blessed the dying thief whom the Lord
took with him to glory. saying. This
day shalt thou be with me in para
iise!"
Help FOR The Unb-liever.
Have a lightning in your eye and a
flush in your cheek and a frown on
your brow for a dastardy that would
blot out the sun and moon and stars of
Christianity and leave all things in an
arctic night, the cold equal to the
darkness. You do well to be angry. but
how about those who have been flung
Of scepticism. and that is more mil
lions than you will ever know OF until
the Judgment day reveals everything.
All. here comes your opportunity for
sentleness. kindness. and sympathy.
The probability is that IL you
had been piled with the same in
iuence as this unbeliever there
would not be Bible in all your
house from cellar to attic. Per-
all your house from cellar to attic. Per-
haps he was in some important trans
action swindled by a member OF the
church whose taking Of the sacrament
vas a sacrilege. Perhaps he read agnos-
:ic books and heard agnostic lectures
and mingled in agnostic circles until
he has been befogged and needs your
Christian help more than any one that
you know Of. Do not get into any labor
I'd argument about the truth of Chris
ianity He may beat you at that He
has whole artillery of weapons ready
% open fire.
Remember that no one was ever re-
formed for this life or saved for the life
o come by an argument, but in hum
,lest and g.ntlest way, your voice sub
iued. ask him few questions. Ask
him II he had a Christian parentage,
and IL he says yes ask him whether
the old folks died happy. Ask him II he
has ever heard Of any one going out
of this life in raptures Of infidelity
and agnosticism. Ask him II 1t Is not
a somewhat remarkable fact that the
Bible. after so many years, sticks to-
gether and that there are more