The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-02-03
SATURDAY sERMoNETTE.
"Am | my Brothers. Keeper"

Am / my Brothers. keeper?"
The bill TO prohibit pool selling on
races or betting at race TRACES in Ten
nessee, is about the ivest issue right
now, before the Tennessee Legislature.
1t does not effect Columbia directly he
cause we have no running races here:
and the Fair management does not al
low pool selling. And it seems that the
good people of Columbia are looking at
it 'rCm that point OF view, and allowing
the good people of Memphis and Nash
vile, who are more directly concerned
about this evil, to fight their own bat
ties
Is that right?
Gambling is an evil. Gambling is
moral wrong Gambling is contagious
and pestilential. Gambling robs men.
and women too, of their money and their
honor. and kills their souls. Shall We
send the gospel to the heathens and
take no part in helping those who are
seeking to pronibit race course gambling
10 Tennessee?
A speaker from this town, before tb.-
Senate Committe having this bill un-
der consideration, with far more auda-
clousness than good logic, has stated
that race course gambling sis a necessa-
ry evil = DYES that reflect the honest
sentiment of the conservative masses of
this community ? Is that the moral
sentiment that pervades Columbia
Shall we allow that statement to go I'M
challenged
It does seem rather that there should
be enough zeal and energy and moral
sense OF responsibility in this good town
OF churches and Christian people, to
band the people together and make
them give their united protest ,ainst
that sentiment, and to declare to the
world that the stock interests Of this
County do not depend upon the gam
bling evil for protection, and prosperity.
and beside that. that the morals of this
people are not for sale to any mercenary
interest, real or imaginary.
The question of profit does not belong
10 the discussion OF a moral question.
Houses of i'll fame are said to be profit
able to dry goods men who cater to
their trade, and are likewise thought by
some to be necessary evil. Saloons are
said to be trace promoters, and by some
people are thought to be necessary evils
10 the commercial life OF every business
community But there is no such thing
as necessary evil" God never in
tended that an evil thing should be nee
essary 20 the health or happiness or
prosperity of one of his children. Moth
ing that is evil is necessary. Either it
lie not evil or it is not necessary. And |
while we yield all latitude to an honest
difference OF opinion as to whether
thing is or is not evil, we desplse that
argument that admits the evil and YET
condones it for the profit there is in it,
Neither is it true, on the contrary it is
a SANDER upon this community, that
law to prohibit race course gambling
would seriously damage the pacing and
trotting horse industry of this county.
The truth is, the pool seller and the
race course tout and those delectable
few who "play the races" had absolutely
ruined the County Fair in Maury Coun-
ty, and the only two successful fairs 10
ten years or mDre were the last two,
when pool selling and hoochee coochee
dances and all such demoralizing side
lines we're conspicuous by their absence,
the management having advertised ex
tensively in advance that their gates
would be closed to all such.
The men who oppose gambling in al
its forms, we think should be up and
doing something now. The people
should be called together to give expres-
zion to their views upon the gambling
evil, and upon race course gambling in
particular. And il the moral sentiment
OF this com nunity Is opposed to this
evil, resolutions should be passed mem
orializing the Legislature to pass the
bill now under consideration and COM
in personnel and
large in numbers-should he appointed
to present these resolutions to our Rep
resentatlves and through them to the .
Legislature.
eternal Vigilance ie the price Of Lib
erty." and in christian land every man
Is This brothers keeper"
The U. s. Supreme Court has handed
down a decision against the Beef