Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-01-19
"COmmonsense and Nonsense About
Amusements, "
From sermon by Rev Ralph HolbrookC
Cheeyer.

heightened evenings and the season S
cold will not permit so much time to
be spent in Gods great out-of-doors.
Lamp light, electric light will be
burned for longer hours. From out
of door life we must turn to more Of
the indoor life Some look forward
to these long winter evenings with
inward dread. The evenings will be
so prolonged, even interminable.
What shall we do with ourselves
during these approaching win
ter evenings is great question to be
answered by one and all.
There must be some kind of rec
reation. We cannot dig and delve
all the time, The old proverb is
always true, chat all work and no
play make Jack a dull boy" With
the return of these three popular
amusements, card playing, dancing
and theatre-going accompany the
same old questions, the same old an
tagonisms and the same old approx
ais. 1t is well for us to consider for
while, this morning. the subject Of
amusements.
Regarding any one the three
named, do not believe it is possible
or reasonable to say that it is abso-
lutely right or wrong in itself, OF
when considered free from any Of the
conditions surrounding it. Is it
wrong to indulge in the popular
amusements of the day? Is it wrong
to play cards? Is itwrong to dance?
Is it wrong to attend the theatre?
These are questions that both young
and old have earnestly asked, These
are questions they are putting to the
church, for which they have right
to expect a frank, fair-minded,,- we'll
poised and judicial answer
The answer to these interrogations
is neither yes nor no, because the
problem will not admit of so simple
so immediate, so cursory solution,
We recognize the truth, that some
amusements, rightly conducted, in
the proper place, among the right
kind of people, and under proper
conditions, may be harmless, even
beneficial, while the same amuse,
ments are entirely wrong to the ex,
tent of being vicious, in other cases
and under improper circumstances.
Now, without any further words
let us meet the first form Of amuse-
ment that is so heartily condemned
by some and so heartily approved by
Others playing cards. Should you
indulge in this sort of amusement
Should parents allow their children
to engage in card playing? You must
decide each case for yourself. Nc
one can do so, unless he knows all
the conditions. Whom we think Of
the abominable uses playing-cards
are put to; when we know Of young
and mature men wasting their time
and gambling away their hard
earned money at cards; when we look
at cards in this light, we feel like an
initiating the things forever, the &C.
casion of so much wickedness anC
sin and misery.
On the the other hand we step into
quiet and well regulated home,
and see father, mother, sons anc
daughters sitting around the table,
quietly enjoying game of cards
Go into another house, where cards
are looked upon as instruments Of
the devil, where children are sternly
forbidden to touch them, and tel
chances to one the boys will sneak
off to some sequestered place anc
there, associated with evil compan
ions, not only learn to play cards
but to gamble as well.
Which course was the wiser, thai
Of the parents who sat down anc
played with their children, and sur.
rounded the game with right condi.
tons, or that of the parents who
overreached their purpose, drove
their boys away from home, and in
directly caused them to gamble? L
children only be taught the proper
use of these things, if children only
be allowed to play cards at home, il
parents only see that the game be il
manner clean and above reproach
there won't be any of these huts
where boys of tender years assemble
and turn an innocent game into {
devils game. Cards as a household
amusement or as a means of amuse'
ment among friends, what can be
more harmless?
Now: If you quote your minister
as preaching approval of this amuse.
ment, and / know ! shall be quoted
for preaching this sermon, be sure
you quote him fairly as believing in
this sort of a thing in the home and
under clean conditions as in the
right place and with the right sort
81 Il