The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-05-14
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Gambling.

piness of the marriage relation, brings
confusion. leads to intemperance, and
destroys all tender feelings. 1t lis worse
than downright theft. A man may
steal yet love his family, but the
gambler is destitute OF true love, and
home has no special attractions for him,
further than a place of convenience. 1t
gradually obhterates all the virtues,
quenches religious feelings, while
prayer, the Bible and the Saviour are
nothing to him. He is deaf to the plea
for pity or mercy. His heart is con-
sumed by the fire of play. risk, play,
and conscience is eased.
This is the end. We shall see the be-
ginning presently. One says-"The
finished gambler has no heart. He
would play at his brothers funeral and
gamble on his mothers coffin, another
declares, that gambling palsies the
heart and so effectually silences the
voice of conscience that a man may
commit any crime and feel no remorse. p"
Satan as he sees their dealings NAV
well be proud of them and look up to
them with q sort of differential respect,
as one monster gazes at a superior.
The poet says where 'er the gaming
board is set, Two classes of mankind
are met; But if we count the greedy
race, The knaves fill up the greatest
space"
When by order of Napoleon house of
torture in Madria was destroyed they
found an image of a beautiful woman.
Its proportions were correct, but it was
an instrument of torture. Victims were
commanded to embrace the image, and
as they placed their bosom to the cold
lips of marble, a spring was touched,
an internal machine was set in motion
and the arms Of the image, filled with
sharp daggers, arose and encircled
the victims and cutting into the flesh
mangled them in a horrible manner and
DESTROYED life. Such an image is gambl-
ing. 1t looks well at distance, but it
is armed with Iances that cut body and
soul. Flee this image, for there death
in it.
Do not voice the sentiments of my
readers? Surely for the great majority
at least.
But tell me what is the connection
between this and card playing as car
ried on in society? LetCs see! Society's
pet game, though it is popular and
fashionable, is the beginning of the evil.
1t is said there is no harm in playing
cards. Perhaps in themselves they are
harmless, but what of their associa-
tons? What do they represent? Every
argument against the wine cup holds
good against cards. and but for the love
of fashion, the fear of society, and lack
of intellectual and spiritual occupation,
no christian would think of patronizing
the card table. Should a goddess fashion
dictate that We pierce the rose, for a
Jewled ring, or hobble about with
plnched foot like an old time Chinese
woman, there would probably be plenty
Of votaries Just as there were for the
kangaro dip, or the hIdeous hustle that
made the wearer look like they were re-
lations of the camel. When satan sends
forth his messenger under the guise
OF fashion and says to society women,
to world lovers and pleasure seekers, its
quite the proper thing to play progress
sive eucher, bridge whist, even if it IS
for religious motto, dame fashion can
count on a grand rally in which some
protesting christians will join. But it
is fashionable. SO what Offence does
it make if hundreds or thousands are
swept down the rapids into the whirling
chasm below. Society, indifferently
looks on and says, fool dummy, it was
your own fault, that the way, the
piously trained are always in danger.
Thousands may be and are ruined by
it yearly, but the institution remains.
1t is in the parlor and the gambl-
ing dens, on the cars, and aboard
the steamers. in hotel drawing rooms
and camps, at waiting places and
places of amusement in the woods
and behind the shed by day and night,
summer and winter. The cards look
innocent but they represent a variety
Of games which are unjustifed in the
card tables which is supported by ad-
vance infatuation and fashion.
First by fashion in society, then by
fascination worse than the serpents eye,
then the fever which love nor reason
can allaY. Shall christians countenance
it? We do not discuss 1t from the stand
point of the world. 1t is part of the
workings to have what they call a
good time; to live for self not for others.
They do not propose to sacrifice any of
their own pleasures.
You may talk of policy and claim that
you must make some compromises to
win an unconverted friend or companion,
but there is nothing in such a plea.
You know you cannot do it that way.