The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-25
Or. PERUVIAN on
GAMBLING EVIL
BETTING Is STEALING IN THE
SIGHT OF GOD SAYS
MINISTER.
HE CRITlClSES COURT
BOOkMAkERs AND PRIZE-FIGHT-
ERs WELCOMED IN NORFOLK
SAYS PREACHER, TO
CITY's SHAME.

NORFOLK, VA, April 25.--Follow-
ing up sermon preached a short
time ago. Dr. George w. Perryman
preached second sermon at the First
Baptist church Sunday night on race
track betting. His text was the
Eighth Commandment; Thou Shalt
Not Steal" Betting. declared DIR.
Perryman, is stealing. under the law
OF God.
Dr. Perryman criticized the courts
in allowing wagers 10 be placed on
the jamestown TRACK. He said that
Norfolk was a target for the news
papers of other towns. The city he
said, IL being disgraced,
Dr. Perryman said In part.
This text fell warm and burning
from the lips OF Almighty God, Moses
was on the mount and old Sinai
duaked. Smoke and flames gathered
around about and the Hebrew natives
received a law that has come own to
all people and wherever Christianity
has gone this law has become the
foundation OF ali statutes, All States
and governments recognize this law
tn be wise, Just and good and add a
nnaiity to its violations. No legis
moment about doing away with the
Ten Commandments or the principles
they contain. Officers and judges may
ignore the penalties for their viola
lions.
Thou shalt not steal Is not the
Law OF man, but of God. No body OF
men has ever passed such law, but
all have accepted this law and have
woven IL into the web of State and
national statutes and placed a penalty
thereto. Tear from every law book
OF this nation the principles of the
Ten Commandments and we would
soon have a land of desolation and
death and il could only be purified
by a rain of fire and birthstone. The
commandment in the text, Thou
shalt not steal concerns our treat
Inent of each others goods In particu-
lar. or in other words. We are to re-
ceive Just reward for our labor and
give according to the worth of the
purchase. The moment We DO other
Wise We break this commandment.
bout every State In the Union has
come 10 the conclusion that gambling
at race tracks Is Il violation OF this
commandment and have legislated ac-
cordingly. The grand old State OF
Virginia Is either without law or
judges-as regards gam bling at the
race track. 1t is certainly humiliat-
ing to read the comment OF people
and daily papers about how low Nor
folk has gone down in the eyes of the
people in this country. One paper
said: Norfolk makes a strong bid for
first honors as the most corrupt city
of its size IN the United States.
Bookmakers and prize fighters are
welcomed IN Norfolk and Norfolk
county to the everlasting shame and
disgrace Of some of our officials. 1t
seems that all forms of gam bling are
permitted here save chicken fighting.
Some chicken fighters no doubt saw
the gam bling at the races and they
thought they would run few old
roossers, bat the court seemed to have
changed his glasses and saw that
chicken fighting was gambling. but
oookmaking WAS not. We read in the
Holy Book that by the disobedienee
or one man SIN came into the world,
herce by certain Interpretation OF our
gambling laws, prize fights and horse
races have come. which makes Nor
FOLK the dumping ground for gamb-
! lers. bot remember chicken fighters
cant abide on our soil. Amid all this
disgrace. humiliation and woe that
have come, an: what JOY thrilled the
hearts OF the good people when they
/ learned that Judge Backns told the
little rooster that he must take his
master and ny upon the roost pole for
a season.
with all seriousness We are in an
awful condition our officers make ar
rests and the courts turn loose. A
fearful state. OF affairs indeed, ter
rible reckoning is coming one OF these
ssstsfs sass 1T has nj ether Cities, and woe
be TO him who has winked at violated
IA ~ Ssff hs,r
Is coming wave that VIII rise higher
than did that one that smashed the
! primary election few months ago
and put some people out OF commits
sief., The storm for civic righteous
ness les gathering. 1t Is moving this
way and when 1t breaks In upon this
| fair city you Will see new day for
Norfolk. The good people OF this city
congratulate themselves in having q
chief of police who Ii not afraid Il
run the gamblers in by the wagon
LOAD. We honor him and the mayor
| Tor the stand they have taken. /,
seems Chief Kixers motto il, 'Ths
gam blcrs have to go: or q free ride IN
! black Maria
| This commandment means that We
should not take anything unless value
is received. God gave us the Sabbat.
day and we should not use ii other.
wise than for which II was made
Christ gave himself for as and in re.
| turn ne has asked us to seek him ant
give him our hearts, love. devotion
and service We are going to b.
| weighed in the balance and II we fni
To give Him our lives we win be found
wanting. The blood OF Christ on on.
| side and our sins forgiven on tn.
other. What right have you to re.
/ fuse to seek and serve the Lord ant
| be- lost.
Sin will pounce down upon yot
like a roaring lion when YOU least ex
pect. You are stealing time not your
! own. Don't steal character or goot
rane:~ You can't retarn then n.
honest with God and fair to yourseI
and surrender yourself to the master
this hour.