Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-08-25
lI57flNc POPULAR
Pulpit

ana, for the best of reasons, they have
v been sufficiently clear. There
are many men in high places to-day
VINO are afraid Of dealing with this
subject, and for the best of reasons
l Inc that In the middle of the eigh-
teenth century-more than $50 years
ago-a very remarkable Act of Par
lament was passed, which was sub
s~equently repealed. And it provided
that any N convicted of losing f1O
at n line as a result of betting or
gaming, or of losing $40 within the
space Of twenty-four hours, must, upon
conviction, of course, pay five times
that amount for the benefit Of the poor
OF the parish. The gambling habit,
which Is so ~far-reaching, and which
sends its feelers out with such rami-
fications, is working terrible havoc to
day. 1t is II Of our greatest and
most threatening national curses. And,
thank God, the Christian Church is at
length waking up to its responsibilities
in the matter.
Let me give you a few facts. There
are at least 10000 bookmakers in
England to-day; 10000! and not a man
OF them plying an honest trade. Their
turnover has been estimated to be
too'oOO,OOO sterling by the year, by IN
remunerative trade; all, in SO far as
the Commonwealth Is concerned,
wasteful and injurious. Only last No
vember a boOkmaker was fined f1OO
at Reigate. The police, when they
carried away his book from the place
where he carried on his business"
found by referring to his handbook.
that during the previous twelve months
he had paid $4,000 into his banking
account. His books showed a profit
of fl,I61 on the average during the
last seven years; and he had, at the
time he was brought before the mag
1strates one client who owned him
10000. That was in November. Last
August a young man, who was q mes
senger at a newspaper office, was fined
by the magistrates for Systematically
carrying on betting with boys. And
this is one of the worst phases of this
evil; it is attacking our children, and
to a far greater extent than you and l..
in u SNUG responsibility, could think
possible. And it was found that this
gentleman in one of his books had
l,4S4 entries covering a space Of only
ten days; and those betting transac-
tons extended In amount from Id. to
2s. Cd.
ask you what must be the attitude
OF all Christians, nay, all thoughtful
men n women towards this great
evil? 1t has degraded our sport, it
is spelling our national games, 1t is de-
teriorat1ng our national character, II
IL destroying u position as a nation
amongst the other nations Of the
world, 1t Is spelling our national exam.
pie. We as Christians and good citi-
zens, as patriots, must do what In us
lies to discourage this evil habit.
Christian men, and women, too, have
a special obligation. l have been fight
| ing for years past, whenever l have
had the opportunity, against all forms
OF lotteries and raffles in connection
with bazaars. There was one rafting
transaction recorded in the New Tes-
lament. You know what 1t was when
the soldiers at the foot Of the cross
cast lots for the dying Christ. That
is not a very laudable precedent for
us to follow In any institution, bazaar,
or whatever it may be, when we are
trying to get money for what we call
a Christian purpose. See to it that
you always refuse to play for money
at any simple game, however small
the odds.