The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-01

Statement Made in q Church By . Re-
formed Gambler Which Caused q
Sensation

At a mass meeting in the Second
Presbyterian Church OF this city
(Porthmouth. Oniol, on a recent Sab
bath afternoon, in the presence OF
over vi hundred men. a CONVEX ted
gambler and ~ex-saioon keeper made
ihe following statement, which has
created a profound impression and
| herewith transmit il TO your paper
that it may do good in a wider
sphere:
- have been in the saloon business
with a gambling room attached, for
the last four years. and claim 10
know something about what / am
now goingto tell You. l do not be-
lieve thai the gambling den is near
so dangerous, nor does ii do any
thing like the same amount OF harm
as the social card party in the nome.
| give this as my eaSon In he
gambling room the windows are CLOSED
tight, h curtains are pulled do WI;
everything is conducted secretly Tor
fear of detection, and none u gam
blers, as a rule. enter there. While
i'll the parlors all have Access 20 he
game, children are permitted 10 watch
it, young people are invited 10 partake
IN IL. Ii is made attractive and aliur-
ing by giving prizes, serving refresh
ments Ii adding high social ENJOY
ments. For my part, | never could
see the difference between playing for
a piece of money and silver nodded in
the shape OF a cup or thimble. The
principle is the same. and whenever
property changes hands over the luck
Of cards. 40 matter how small is the
value of the prize. | believe it is gam
bling.
Perhaps you have never thought
of it. but where do all the gamblers
come from? They are not taught in
the gambling dens. A ~'greener' IN
ling he'll. because he knows he will be
fieeced out of everything he possesses
in less than fifteen minutes. He mas
learned somewhere else before he sets
foot inside of such a place. When he
has played in the parlor, in the social
game of the home. and has become
proficient enough to win prizes among
his friends, then the next step with
him is to seek out the gambling room,
for he has learned and counts UPON
his efficiency to hold his own. The
saloon men and gamblers chuckle and
smile when they read in the papers
Of the parlor games given by the ladies
for they know that after a while those
same men will become patrons of their
business. l say, then, the par
Tor game is the college where gamblers
are made and educated. In the name
Of God, men, stop this business in your
homes. Burn up you deck and wash
your hands.
The other day l overheard two
ladies talking on the street One said.
1 am going to have a card party, and
am going TO the store to buy a pack
of cards Which are the best kind to
get?' The other replied: Get the
Angel Card 1t has an angel on the
back
Think" said he, "of dragging the
pure angels of Heaven in this infer
nal business"
After he had taken his yea another
converted ex-gambler, who led the
mems meeting in the Second Preshy-
terrain Church the following Sabbath,
arose and said: Il endorse every word
which the brother before me has just
uttered. was a gambler. l learned
to play cards, not in the saloon, lot
in my own home, but in the homes OF
my young frieds, who invited me 20
play with them and taught me how
Gospel Messenger.