Arizona republican., 1906-11-16
MODERN AMUSEMENT
 CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
What Means of Diversion are Recon. cilabIe With a Profession of Chris tianity.

morning. And they shall teach my peo- pie the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern | between the unclean and the clean" Ezk. 44:23.
 Our text contains a statement of thu priestly obligation. (which under the New Testament regime. has become solemn duty of gospel preachers. or perhaps the most responsible office of the christian preacher. The text de- clares. they shall teach my people the difference" The man who assumes the office of a preacher, and speaks just those things pleasing to himself and his auditors. is no friend of the Mas ter or His people. and has no right to stand in the sacred desk. or be sup ported by a deluded people.
 The truth alone can make men free. and the preacher ought to speak the truth in love, without fear or favor. Coming direct to the subject ask con- corning the card table, is 1t holy or profane? Is 1t clean or unclean? The answer is not to he made on partial grounds but upon honest study of Its | effects, immediate and remote. There are some people who would be disap- pointed if began this discourse on the card table by saying some things in its defence. There is TO condemnation in the card itself. It is quite impossible to make people believe that a piece of cardboard that has Kings. Queens, Jacks and Aces printed upon 1t, is more sinful, in itself than the spOtless board of similar shape. The devil is no more in the card than he is In the fiddle. and my love for violin music has made it quite impossible for me to believe that the devil has ever made anything so ! sweet But the old saying. "A short horse is soon curried." is aprOpos when a christian attempts to defend the card table. I have nothing further to say on that side.
 But the other side is not so quickly disposed of That which has no in herent evil may yet be made the me- dium of much meanness. And if I have made any observations or studied his- tory to any good, cards have played a cruel role in human affairs. The first objection is, most people who play cards beome so absorbed with interest that they sacrifice incredible sums of time-mens' stock in trade-On this SOtldl anu MClt DtlltE put lU some better end.
 Lost, a golden hour. each set with sixty diamond seconds. No reward offered They are gone forever. Men rushing on to eternity. many of them ready to sink at any moment into eter- nal night and death. to such a man time is too precious to put to such use
 It is said Nero fiddled while Rome was burning. But God forbid that any follower of Christ should idle away time while Satan sacks the soul of his unsaved neighbor, and set 1t on fire ol he'll
 Again the chance element. You tel me that all games of cards are mol chance games. I respond that few peo- pie play that take the chance" out The ugliest girl in town is scarcely les: popular with the men or less admired by the women. than those same eXcep- tional games. You say that can bt said of any game. as dominoes. check. CTS, cts. but whenever players take ad- vantage of that element. in evil ant
 unfair ways then they must be placed under the same ban of Christian iudg. ment, or else become device of Chris Aaoh ' .J AEdlH Us tutCl UT the spiritual nature. I am sure few exceptions there be, but few card play CTS attend chourch or are christian workers. Of course such a time con- sumer leaves little time for spiritua thoughts or work. l am fully persuad- ed that 1t deadens spiritual sensibilities and dries up the fountain of religious fervor. Some years ago one of the most beautiful women who belonged tC card club. sickened and died. while her carpse lay unburied, the club met and played as usual. You say. Were they heathen?" No. they were mostly professed christian, and people who had many excellent traits. It seemed to have much the same effect on the sou
 that cocain does on the body. Again 1t Is criminal. for nearly always the gambling element enters into 1t. and many, many of its champions graduate into gamblers. Some years ago in the city where I ministered. a sister church dismissed member because he was a gambler. That man said to me. 'T tooS my lessions as I sat at the table in my own home with my beautiful, accom- plished wife" l knew a man who when dying. a poor drunken outcast because of his gambling, pointed his finger in the face Of his wife saying You taught me to gamble" You say you are presenting the preachers view l answer. Have I spoken the truth?' That is the preachers part If haven't Gods curse will be upon me, but if have His blessing be upon you If you believe and obey.
 Well what about the dance. is it holy Or worldly? All have said as to waste of time applies to the dance, and more But you say."We need it to teach grace 1ul movement" I tell you you can get that better in the schools of physical culture. for they surpass the waltz And, if there is anything in 1t from that standpoint can ke not get the same results by separating the sexes2 don't object to that. don't believe the dance would survive one season with such separation.
 A converted dancing master says
 have known mothers to encourage their daughters to dance. because tbev wanted them tc become graceful. and Tn many cases have seen that daurb ter loose grace. health. virtue. and all that woman holds dear" I know that they say it is fascinating and let I mo tell fhat oil .t-o