Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-11-14
GAMES or CHANCE.
To Whom 1t May Concern:

TO Whom 1t May Concern:
Among the vices OF the present age
gambling is very generally condemned
~ Gambling under its true name is for
hidden by law. and is discountenance'
by the respecting elements of so
ciety. Nevertheless, in numerous guses
the demon of chance is welcomed IL
the home, in fashionable clubs. and q
entertainments for worthy charities
even within the precincts of sacred edi.
fees. Devices for raising money By
appealing to the gambling instinct arc
common accessories at church soci-
abies, ward fairs, and the like.
Whatever may be the condition else
where, this custom is not to be sane
toned within this Church; and any or
ganization allowing such is in opposi
ton to the counsel and instruction Of
the general Authorities of the Church.
Without attempting to specify or par
n
ticularize the many objectionable forms
givon to this evil practice amongst US,
we say again to the people that no
kind Of chance game, guessing contest,
or raffling device can be approved in
any entertainment under the auspices
of our Church organizations
s 10 rs
The desire to get something OF value
for little or nothing is pernicious; and
any proceeding that strengthens that
desire is an effective aid to the gam
bling spirit, which has proved a veri-
table demon of destruction to thous-
ands. Risking dime in the hope of
winning dollar in any game of chance
is a species of gambling.
Let it not be thought that rafting ar
tlcles of value, offering prizes to tho
4 winners WINE In guessing contests. the use
BBof machines Of chance, or any other
device Of the kind is to be allowed
or excused because the money SO oh
tanned Is to be used for good pur-
pose. The Church Is not TO be SUP
ported in any degree by means OBJ
tanned through gambling.
Let the attention or Stake and Ward
goIflcers, ana those in charge OF the
auxiliary organizations of the Church
DE directed to what has been written
on this subject and to this present re-
smlnder. An article over the signature
5of the President of the Church was
published in the Juvenile Instructor
Oct. l. 1902 (volume 81, page 5s2), in
which were given citations from earlier
instructions and advice to the people on
this subject. For convenience part of
that article is repeated here. In reply
to question as to whether rafflinp
and games of chance are justifiable
when the purposes to be Accomplished
are good. this was said: I'VE say en-
phatically, No. Rattle is only a n,odi-
fed name of gamble" President Young
once said to Sister Eliza R. Snow: Tell
the sisters not to rattle II the mothers
rattle the children will gamble. Raj
fling is gambling Then it is added:
Some say. What shall we do? We
have quilts on hand--we cannot sell
them and we need means to supply our
treasury. which we can obtain by raj
fling. for the benefit Of the poor Rath-
3er. let the quilts rot on the shelves
than adopt the old adage, The end will
}sanctify the means As Latter-day
Saints We cannot afford to sacrifice
moral principle to financial gain"
AS was further stated in the article
Cited, the general board of the Deseret
Sunday School Union has passed reso-
buttons expressing Its unqualified dLsap-
sproral of rafting. and all games of
chance, for the purpose Of raising funds
for the aid of the Sunday school, And
the general Authorities OF the Church
have said as they now say to the peo-
8pe: Let no rafting, gucssing-contests,
or other means Of raising money by APP
spoallns to the spirit of winning by
chance be tolerated in any organization
of the Church.
JOSEPH +. SMITH.
: JOHN r. WINDER.
ANTON H. LUND,
First Presidency of the Church of Jesus 1
u Christ of Latter-day Saints
Z Salt Lake City. Utah, Nov. II, 1905.
5 a RATIONAL CITY. COUNCIL.