The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-04-30
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Gambling.
To the Editor of The Republican.

eAiiN OdAiiiiiS OlCGy
billiards, etc.. for amusement Gam
bling is gaming for money or its equiv
alent. The evil of gaming is, Qst) in
its surroundings. In public places you
will usually find profanity, loud CONVEX
sation, vulgar jests and drinking. It
leads to late hours which are deleterious
to health. Time for self improvement
is wasted and the man learns to seek
and love the society that is evil, thereby
depriving home of his society, money
is wasted and the habit is formed of
seeking his pleasure away from those
who have a just claim on him. (2nd).
1t cultivates and fosters a taste for
hazards which leads to and ends in
gambling. An adept at dice will prob
ably be induced to try his hand at play
ing for money. 1t is easy to get it that
way. So of cards. That gambling is
an evil no Christian will deny, and null
titudes who are not Christians know it
too well to doubt it for a moment.
1t is evil because it wrongs the player
whether he lose or wins. An unhealthy
excitement is aroused which quickens
the pulse, flushes the face, sets the eye
staring, feelings are wrought upon and
minds are in such a state that unkind
and angry words often break out. The
love for the game grows until the mind
Is as eager for it as the drunkard for
his cups. 1t becomes a devouring pas
sion that will consume every thing good
and noble, pure and elevating and is
only a species of theft that does not
necessitate the thief thrusting his hand
into your pocket and extracting the |
money. 1t wrongs the employer and
the employee who practices it.
History records many instances; the
daily papers are full of accounts of the
downfall of confidential clerks and the
ruin of homes through gambling. The
young man starts to gamble, then lands
in Canada, or the penitentiary, or
suicides grave, or if perchance he
escapes these, is sure to land in hell
unless he repents, cults his meanness
and lives decent life.
Let me give you an illustration: 1t .
was the principal of one of the schools .
in one of our cities. He drew his wages
and that of the teachers under him;
then he went to gamblers retreat.
We lose sight of him for little, but
presently we see him lying on the floor
of hotel in his own blood A day later,
Sabbath morning see him again. What
a Sabbath for him-his last on earth
he is in the clutches of the demon dis
pair. That evening he was in the hands
of the undertaken. There is no room
here for mock sentimentality There
is plenty of room for something more
than momentarv shudder. Monday
there was lonesome funeral. But the
gamblers were not there to look after
their young patron. Those sleek gen
tlemen who are said to be so magnani-
nous at times were not there to look
after any pail bearers, or to console
that heart-broken young widow. They
had all that they wanted-his money.
They cared not for him or his wife.
Gambling is receiving property with
out rendering just equivalent.
Every game of chance from the pitch
ing of coppers, which have seen among
boys on the streets, to the stake of the
professional gambler, from the insipid
game of the lady to the carousal of the
hideous man, from the parlor of the
woman Of society, or the church men,
Der to the haunt of men when an old
box is the table, is gambling. This in
cludes lotteries, betting. etc. Fine
houses may be reared by the money
thus gained. Men and women high in .
the social sphere may be guilty of it; no
matter, that does not change it's nature
The glitter of diamonds and the flashing
of gold does not change the nature of |
the viper. Sweetest music can't drown |
its woe. You may make a cloak of !
bank notes of high denominations, but |
that will not conceal its hideousness. |
1t will still be the same willy, venomous
serpent and out from the cards of the
winner gazes.the CHASTITY specter of dam
nation and from the cards of the loser
ghosts the coils of despair. You may
do all in your power to make it attract
i've to the virtuous but you will only
make it the more hideous while fraud t
will ever be stamped upon it.
1t is characterized by prodigality. 1t
wastes money and life's energies. The
gambler will hazard every cent he can
get. No matter how often he loses, if
he wins once he is encouraged to try
again. He will borrow anywhere and
under any pretense. He will steal from
his wife to crafty his passion.
Wealth gotten by gambling seldom
stays long. God frowns on them and
usually they have in the end poverty,
shame and Indebtedness. When a
young man begins to gamble he Is on