The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-28
DEATH OF GAMBLERS
A BENEFIT TO CITY RATHER THAN
A LOSS, SAYS REV. j. ID. JORDAN.
A BLESSING IN DISGUISE
1T WOULD BE If THEY SHOULD ALL
KILL EACH OTHER.

Both Himself and Community
1t Were Better He Should Die and
Rid the Community of HIMSELF
City Could Well Afford to Shut Up
shop and Attend Funeral of
whole Professional Set - Spirit
of Gambling Same no Matter
where FOund-YOung Men should
Leave the cities for the Farms.
To a congregation that completely
filled the First Baptist Church, Rev.
DR. ]. D. Jordan preached Fast night
on the The Spirit of Gambling and
the Spirit of Christ" His text was
from Micah vi; s, HE hath showed
thee, o man, what is good, and what
doth the Lord require of thee, but to
do justly and to love mercy and 10
walk humbly with thy God?"
"The word gamble" said DIR. Jordan,
sis not found in the Bible. It is against
my principle and practice to enter into
a TRADE of abuse against any one
from the pulpit, / shall not depart from
my custom tonight. Neither is it my
purpose to rehash and deal out in
piecemeal from the pulpit the bloody
and narrowing incidents of the past
week. If I could 1 would wipe them
from the memory of every body and
erase them from the history of our city.
Let me deal with facts as related
to some classes. We have come into
hard lines. Our condition reminds me
of Ancient Israel, when she was so
impotent that the only way God could
save her from the enemy was to let
the enemy fall out among themselves
and kill each other. Twice this year
have we been advertised before the
world by war among the gamblers of
our city. We have suffered a shock
and disgrace but no loss.
Death of Gamblers No Loss.
THE community would suffer no
loss if the whole fraternity should kill
each other. Rather than have them
continue their business in our city it
would seem a blessing in disguise for
them to kill each other. Not that
wish the death of any man, but the
salvation. and life of all. But rather
than have a man destroy both him
self and the community. it would be
better for him to die, and let the COM
munity be rid of him, and his bane-
ful influence. The city could well af
ford to shut UP shop and attend the
funeral OF the whole professional set.
Here are some facts to think about.
The spirit of gambling is the same
everywhere, whether found in home,
den, club or church fair. Its spirit is
the same in the mansion on the cor
ner or in the hut on the lane.
Some people want to shut up gamb
ling among the poor, and downtrod-
den, but leave the big gentlemen gamb-
lers alone. The difference between
the large gambler and the small one is
the same as the difference between the
big dog, and the little dog-degree and
not kind.
Gambling in Society.
Gambling has the same spirit in
high life that it has in low life, among
Christians and savages. Refined gam
bling is the most ineXcusable of all.
Cards, wine and a wager in social cir
cles, however refined, have the same
spirit as in the dens and are less ex
cusable Refined people should show
a refinement of higher and better
sort.
THE spirit of gambling in our city
is very prevalent, not always PERM
cious, but always disastrous. 1t may
be half in fun, and just for the
drinks "a cigar or ride on the
car, or a new hat, and such as that,
but it is gambling.
Gambling is an effort by art or
trick to obtain from another some
thing without rendering an equivalent,
hence it is cheat, a swindle, a rob-
berry.
Gambling in our city ought to be
suppressed All this talk about things
being closed and will stay closed does
fhArr - NNrfFl 10
open tonight they will be before a
week passes, unless something is done.
should he Protest of Citizens.
II would like to see mass meetings
of our citizens held to protest and de-
mand the stopping of all kinds of gam
bling. An outraged community has a
right to rise up and demand that she
be cleared of these disgraces.
THE spirit of Christ is the same ev-
erywhere, whether found in home, club,
business or church and 1t is the spirit
of peace and good will towards all. 1t
often has to smash a mans business
before it can save the man, just as the
shell must be broken before the egg
can hatch.
1.-THE spirit of Christ is the opposite
of gambling, for it is to render a
service without even asking an equiva-
lent in return. Help those who can
not help themselves, much less repay
you. Hence the spirit of Christ is to
visit the widows and orphans and other
distressed persons. The spirit of gam
bling is TO make more poverty and
distress. The spirit of Christ is to seek
you, not yours Gambling is just the
opposite.
The spirit of Christ is to put saliva
ton, peace and joy into homes and
families. Gambling does the opposite.
The spirit of Christ is to save even
the gambler. Let us not forget to try
to save them. Stop their business at
all hazards, but save the men If pos
sible.
Gamblers Have Souls.
Gamblers have souls. Some of
them are from good homes and have
estimable families. For such our Lord
died and such he would save. l here
and now declare eternal and I'M
flinching warfare against gambling.
likewise declare my willingness to go
anywhere and do anything for the
comfort and salvation of the gambler
and his family"
Dr. Jordan announced that next Sun
day night his subject will be The
Giant Evils of Our City"