The Indianapolis journal., 1902-12-08
gambling" HIS SUBJECT
THE REV. III. w. KELLOGG SAYS THE
EVIL Is wINKED AT.
Betting Allowed by Those in Author
ity mt Football Games, He Claims
The Sermon.


his sermon last night at the Central-ave-
nue. NJ. F. Church was Gambling" He
took as his text the chapter from st. Mat
thew which describes the gambling of the
Roman soldiers for the clothing and robes
of Christ while they were stationed at His
crucifixion on guard. He said in part
This sermon comes in the course of SER
mons l have been preaching on practical
life and has no reference to the present
condition of this city. / am not so strongly
inclined to crusadeS for moral bettering
of cities as to the educational methods. If
We can produce good men we can govern
cities; If these are lacking all attempts at
reform Will react as soon as extra effort
ceases. L am against sin and crime in
every form and believe every man should
follow the course best suited to his abilities
and traits for putting such things away:
The sin am 20 treat tonight is an old
one, and prevails among all classes of peo-
pie The uncivilzed tribes excel, yet some
times they are matched by those OF higher
grade. L have been interested in q study
OF this fascinating custom among the In
dians and also among the news carriers
and in certain forms of so-called business.
habit so universal. We find 1t in the
disposition of man. 1t is the excessive use
OF powers and faculties which if held in
control minister to his highest success. 1t
is in its last analysis draft on the future.
What is man without future? He is
no better than the beast. With future
everything becomes contingent
or potential. Here is the opportunity for
venture and for chance. This is legitimate,
but affords the first ground for gambling.
GAMBLING DANGEROUS.
1T may become a substitute for honest
production, and honest exchange is ex
cluded and gain is secured at the expense
OF others. Some one suffers. Business
rests on exchange with compensation for
labor. The line between gambling may be
clearly found If men are anxious to find it.
Gambling is an injury. 1t is dangerous to
legitimate business, is considered a viola
ton to the best economics and is out
lawed by all civilized nations with few
exceptions. When men argue In its favor
as a business proposition they either are
not sincere or do not know the laws of
trade. But business is not to be considered
when We look upon the ruin the habit
brings to individuals and communities.
ut is associated with all manner of
crime 1t is twin brother of drinking.
1t is not found long separated from stealing.
There may be individual exceptions, but
they are few. 1t naturally leads to deceit
and crime. 1t destroys the habits of toll
and economy. Let a man win for time
his money by betting it is difficult for
him ever to return to legitimate business.
II is ruinous to home life. With its COM
ing in happiness fees. 1t makes men un-
reliable in business and not TO be trusted.
In these days when large trusts COM
mitted to single men IL is important that
men should he free from all suspicion of
gambling The stories told continually of
banks breaking and poor widows and work.
ing men suffering as the result can nearly
always be traced to this habit.
"One thing is sure, happiness goes with
the habit. "A man who becomes a slave to
this vice will never. in this excited and
feTerish life; find contentment He is to
be pitied. The common end of the profess
sional gambler is suicide.
FORMING THE HABIT
But it will be said that all men who
| gamble do not form the habit and become
confirmed. But this is like all habits
| they are formed by use. This is more like
| ly to follow then in almost any other
wrongdoing. 1 have studied this subject
| for many years and cannot account for
| this fact, yet 1t is true.
Il believe that no habit, not even the
| drinking of liquors, so completely masters
| a man and carries him to such extent Of
| daring and is so difficult to break as is
| this. A man becomes wild under its in
| fuence. He will venture all he has. when
| ne knows that his wife and children are
| TO suffer as the result. He will sell him.
self and his children, yet stop not.
Charles Dickins, one of the greatest re-
formers of the last century, or any other,
devotes his masterpiece of literature to the
| picturing of the terrible ,fascinations of
/
Nell would even steal from the innocent
| child that he might again indulge the
passion that had already ruined him and
| brought his home into ruin. Dying, he
dreamed of gaining wealth by betting.
Only one other picture in history can ex-
ceed In impressiveness this story of the
| sufferings of little Nell. 1t is the one I
read from the Gospel of Matthew, when
Jesus, the Savior of the world, is dying
and men on either side are writhng In
| awful agony, the Roman soldiers, who were
| confirmed gamblers, were sitting near by
| gambling over his garments. What a sight
| for mortals to behold Is it possible that
| any sin can so completely rule a being
| that he could not be diverted from his
practice while the Son of God is dying in
] sight? And yet this is the case with this
| most fascinating and most runous of all
| sins of men.
| Beware. lest 1t get it's hand on you,
| young NINA, and your life is left wither-
| Ing disgrace and the lives of those whom
| you love are also brought into sadness
| and ruin L speak a word of warning to-
| night. The prevalence of this habit is
| terrible 1T seems as If it were on the in
| crease. 1t is in our business places and
winked at. 1t is in our public school and
| at our football games boys are said to
| win large sums of money. and vet this
/ passes unrebuked by those in authority.
| There is no greater danger now before our
boys than this one evil. Public sentiment
| should be aroused, and the temptation re-
moved as far as possible from our youth"