The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1903-03-20
HATES WHAT HE ONCE LOVED.

HATES WHAT He ONCE LOVED.
Dick Gray, a Converted Gambler Of Norton,
Talks at the Methodist Church
Dick Gray, OF Norton, last week an
nounced to the people from the pulpit Of
the Methodist church here that he had
turned from his evil course and had set
his face hard in the direction of the New
Jerusalem. He spoke at the church /
Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, |
and was a drawing card" to many who |
were curious to hear what the veteran Of |
the green cloth had TO say.
Life is always interesting and the !
simple narration of the ways Of the
gambler was simply astonishing. He
said that gambling was the hardest work
in the world, and that he had sat at the
table as long as thirty-six hours at a
stretch, with no intermission save TO eat
a sandwich. The nervous strain from
such sittings Is almost prostrating and
the effects are felt long afterVsrd.
These are the inevitable visitatiOns,"
said he, upon the body, TO say nothing
Of the deep dependency which comes
when you quit loser. It racks the body
and kills cheerfulness and hope. It is
not hell: it Is worse than hell; and for
the sake Of my wife, my children and my
self, have entered the wicket gate"
Mr.. Gray returned to his home in Norton
Sunday night.
John Conway, Of the Norton Cham
piOn, says concerning Gray and gamb-
ling:
Something we must write of now that
is personal and unusual, really Of much
concern to many who were never con
cerned in the matter: A change Of air
in the bicycle shop.
"Siuce Monday, ten P. NJ, the at
mosphere of the Monte Carlo is wonder
fully changed.
Some will attribute it to the change
Of heart of A. H. Gray, its proprietor.
There is no change in the heart of
Dick Gray; it was always a good, char
table, liberal heart.
"We have no doubt that the shop was
used as a brokers resort where money
was loaned on kings, queens, knsves,
/ deuces and the dickens knows what, but
We would rather have a good man than
70 have a bad man boss bad job. The
gambling instinct can never besepsrated
from human conduct; men take chances
on life, death, heaven and hell by put
ting up at stake all they have here to
win the desired pot.
"Wein one sense justify gambling. We
know its folly better than any 80 men
out Of a group of 100; but our objection
to it is not upon moral grounds, rather
for sanitary and economic reasons. It
doesn't pay. Even the rake OF is coin
worthless as the silver in the pouch Of
Judas, kisser. betrayer and suicide.
Don't gamble.
"Don't bet all you are worth that,
although you hold in your hand those
sure things, four aces or a bible, that
you viii win the pot or salvation free.
Compensation is the law of the uni
verse; We must pay for what we rake
> IN. Labor is the price of any stake
played for, and the gambler will tell you
truly that his greatest winning was
earned by sweating blood, while the loser
felt like shedding blood or commit
ting suicide.
when a man sits down to the green
cloth temptation he should be resolved to
one Of these two proportions
! "First-NoW shall bur1 these cards,
or,
] Suppose he concludes to burn the
cards; bis loss is perhaps 80 cents.
Suppose he concludes to burn the
money. LOss-bread, home, temper,
burning Of his csllow tallow candle at
{ both ends.
2 "a great deal wiser and cheaper to join
! church, for in church you bless your
enemies while in poker dive you cur Sc
, your friends.
: "Of course excitement Is what most
D people desire at either resort; both Eot-
, aries shout either HaUelujahl or Damn
/ alton! But do not take your choice
young msn-take the haIlelujah route
J, "Dick Gray spoke wisdom to his rag
e ged, hOme-neglected, children-starVed
, imbeciles when he said that night
: Boys, the stufFs on; cash IN; never
3 come back. Quitl That's what 1
J mean
Evil the fools quitI Pray they do,
: Amen"
5 Let it be observed that Conway sPsakl
e well, but when he says his Obisction e
s gambling is not upon moral, but upon
: economic and sanitary grounds, he mixee
4 his logic. For the general welfare, and
for his health and strength man observes
the laws OF sanitation 1t is duty, az
obligation, and therefore a moral re
: quirement- So is economy, like temper
8 anee, virtue. Economy and sanitation
!, are subordinate 70 morals. They are e
j. morals IS responsibility Is &c free agency
9 Then Conveys reasoning would run
: Tina ~ --ser &c. $780, -. ---sE