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

impair your character or influence? Will
you lose anything by refusal? Will you
forfeit spiritual discernment or the con-
fidence of good people. The card table
has no good and much evil no matter
where it is found. In it's most innocent
form 1t IS the picket line of an evil
army. Why are ministers and church
people of the more consistent sort
against it? Why do church conventions
and Synod, conferences, classes, &c,
pass strong resolutions against them?
Why are appeals made against it. Why
are christian refinement, culture and
experience against it? Why do some
processing christians give up cards dur
ing lent; and all earnest active chris
tians who believe that what might be
conducive to worldliness for forty DAYS
IN the spring is equally harmful to the
spiritual life during the rest of the
year. Sneers have more power than
arguments where people combine to
uphold each other and seem to care
very little for christian principle, or the
tendency and results of the practice.
But, says one. | see no harm in it. In
progressive eucher, it is not so much
the desire to get money as pleasure.
yet to give zest. there is added the
very thing that makes it crime against
civil and divine law. 1t may be prize.
but the principle is the same when we
play for prize or money. 1t the is
an evil in itself and the source of evil. 1t
makes every participant law breaker.
who makes him or herself liable to ar
rest. The mayor of a town has the
right to arrest and punish the whole
euchre party if the wills. In Colorado
town a score of persons were arrested
for this thing. A little while ago the
mayor of prominent Ohio town put
the ban on women playing bridge
whist and euchre for prizes. The chair
man of the social committee of the
woman S club went to see the MAYOR
when she heard card parties were under
surveillance. By phone and mail women
protested to the mayor. He quickly in
formed them of his determination to
enforce his order. Il shall MAINTAIN
vigiant watch for violations, -" he said,
IF arrests are made we will treat the
offenders as common gamblers" The
person who practices this defies the law
Of the state and OF the church. Were ne
or she to treat the banker as thew treat
the church their financial reputation
would be gone in a week. Is there no
harm in that which defies law, human
and divine! No harm in an institution
that tends to and does turn Youthful
minds away from honest labor and
healthful employment?
No harm in that which cultivates a
passion for gambling which Is as re-
morseless as the vilest passion of the
soul! Which tempts its devotee to ne
glect family and to follow which the
young man would rob parents and en-
ployers!
No harm! then would you teach your
children to play? Yet some shortsight-
ed, silly Drained parents actually do
this and when the boys advance to the
den behind the saloon as professionals.
the foolish parents wonder why the
Lord has dealt thus with them. You
would shrink from being the one to
place your child in danger and well you
may. They readily fall into the prac-
tice, but they will not be so moderate
in their practice as older ones.
This fashionable game fourishes be-
cause it is looked upon as an innocent
past time but its awful suductiveness
makes it dangerous in the extreme.
Yours truly,
JOHANNES.