The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-07-27
WEdE GIVES SERMON. Il !.
ON sTlE DEVILS BIBLE
!. AND DANCE OF DEATH
CONTINUED from Page u

world. It isn't indulgences that Gre
ates happiness, but the denying OF
ones self. You deny yourself some
things that the lower crowd don't
and you are happier than they are. So
deny myself things that you don't
and am happier than you are" @ 53l}
If you have the idea that true hap
piness comes from card-playtng,
dancing, wearing decollette dresses,
smoking cigarettes and drinking
champagne, then your gray matter
is so iI.initestimal that if it were
put into the quill Of humming bird
and shot into the eye of mosquito,
it wouldn't make it wink. -,
When young people ask me about
the right and wrong of amusements,
I give them three rules with which
to test them. Let me tell you what
they are. Never indulge in any form
Of pleasure that will 1njure the soul,
mind or body. Any amusement that
tends to lead you away from God;
that leaves you less conscientious;
that lessons the power of the mind or
body, should be condemned, no matter
how fascinating it may be. Abstain
from all pleasures that lead into evil
associations. If duty leads you among
wrong associations God will take care
Of you and bring you out clean and
SAFE; but If in your desire for pleas
ure you deliberately cho0se that
which brings you among had associ-
ates, their influence win work to your
sin. Lastly, beware Of pleasures
which effect others ,fd isasterously.
You'd better deny yourself all pleas
ure than to enjoy them at the ex-
pense and we,l-being of others. 1t
will do no good after your influence
has ruined a life. to say you meant
no harm. "},r. ( AZ - f. e.
: There are two forms of amusement
that are all too common today and
I want to speak of them tonight.
They are card-playing and dancing.
II you will apply the three rules ]
have just spoken Of to these two
forms of amusement you will find
that both of them should be con-
demned by all right-minded persons
whether Christians or not. 81 s:, sJt,
A deck Of cards has aptly been
called the devils Bible. A0u will
see it in saloons, pool halls. broth
els and gambling bells, but never at
a Getting. You will find In
the hands of thieves and thugs, Of
drunkards, gamblers and prostitutes,
but never in the hands of saint
Cards are so associated with the ruin
and damnation of thousands that the
true Christians refuse to use them
for pastime or amusement. NTT'5 N%fy}E5
Nhe Christian church has always
beer opposed to card-playing,, because
card playing develops a desire fol
gambling. The society card-shark
has the same passion as the disreput-
able gambler, and plays. on as II an
Internal spell were on them. It Is g
well-known, fact that the church.
member who plays cards would fath.
er play with tpasteboard than pray
for sinners. That kind is more IN
terested in winning a card game fol
a prize than in winning a soul fol
the kingdom Of God. Nero fiddlet
while Rome burned, and these card.
playing church members fiddle away
ttheir time while the unsaved are dy
ling all about.them. f|5t&G
tfsaFfs'''Well,' some say to me, what!
the difference between game o.
cards and any other game-a gam,
is. a; game, isn't it?'' Alright, what!
the difference between glass Of mill
and a glass of whiskey-a drink II
q drink, isn't it. You say a s6cia
card game is not as bad as gam,
for money. The only difference is
one is a little rattlesnake and tn,
Eother Is a big rattlesnake. Down II
Kentucky in one town the court de
lmanded that the euchre players b
Indicted under the anti-gamblinl
laws and dealt with as criminals.
the laws were as strictly enforced Ii
some other towns, many a -husban,
would be found toting grub down t,
the jailsto feed churchmember wife
want next to take up the question