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is　the　most　gigantic　delusion　that　Satan　ever　worked　upon　an　intelligent

people。　　It　is　a　well…known　truth　that　〃limitation　is　the　secret　of　power。〃

The　best　way　to　provoke　an　early　marriage　between　devoted　lovers　is

bitterly　to　oppose　them。　　The　stream　whose　water　spreads　over　its　low

banks　is　without　depth　and　current　and　power。　　But　confine　the　waters

between　high；　narrow　banks；　the　bed　of　the　stream　is　deepened；　and

its　mighty　current　supports　animal　life　and　turns　the　wheels　of　mill

and　factory。　　The　regulation　of　the　liquor…traffic　by　license　makes　it

a　financial　and　political　power　second　to　none　in　America　to…day。　　To

vote　for　any　party　or　man　who　advocates　liquor　license；　is　to　give　a

loyal　support　to　the　American　saloon。



To　expect　the　abolition　of　drunkenness　solely　through　processes　of

education　is　to　preach　one　thing　and　to　practice　another。　　It　is　to

perpetuate　an　evil　that　costs　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　precious

lives　every　year。　　It　is　to　leave　to　the　next　generation　a　work　that　God

expects　us　to　do　here　and　now。　　Dr。　Banks　relates　an　incident

witnessed　by　Major　Hilton　on　the　coast　of　Scotland。　　〃Just　at　the　break

of　day　the　people　of　a　little　hamlet　on　the　coast　were　awakened　by　the

boom　of　a　cannon　over　the　stormy　waves。　　They　knew　what　it　meant；

for　frequently　they　had　heard　before　the　same　signal　of　distress。　　Some

poor　souls　were　out　beyond　the　breakers　perishing　on　a　wrecked　vessel；

and　in　their　last　extremity　calling　wildly　for　help。　　The　people　hastened

from　their　houses　to　the　shore。　　Out　there　in　the　distance　was　a　dismantled

vessel　pounding　itself　to　pieces。　　Perishing　fellow…beings　were　clinging

to　the　rigging；　and　every　now　and　then　some　one　was　swept　off　into　the

sea　by　the　furious　waves。　　The　life…saving　crew　was　soon　gathered。　　〃Man

the　life…boat！〃　cried　the　man。　　〃Where　is　Hardy？〃　　But　the　foreman　of

the　crew　was　not　there；　and　the　danger　was　imminent。　　Aid　must　be

immediate；　or　all　would　be　lost。　　The　next　in　command　sprang　into　the

frail　boat；　followed　by　the　rest；　all　taking　their　lives　in　their　hands　in　the

hope　of　saving　others。　　O；　how　those　on　the　shore　watched　their　brave

loved　ones　as　they　dashed　on；　now　over；　now　almost　under　the　waves！

They　reached　the　wreck。　　Like　angels　of　deliverance　they　filled　their

craft　with　almost　dying　menmen　lost　but　for　them。　　Back　again　they

toiled；　pulling　for　the　shore；　bearing　their　precious　freight。　　The　first　man

to　help　them　land　was　Hardy；　whose　words　rang　above　the　roar　of　the

breakers：　　〃Are　you　all　here？　　Did　you　save　them　all？〃　　With　saddened

faces　the　reply　came：　　〃All　but　one。　　He　couldn't　help　himself　at　all。

We　had　all　we　could　carry。　　We　couldn't　save　the　last　one。〃　　〃Man　the

life…boat　again！〃　shouted　Hardy。　　〃I　will　go。　　What！　leave　one　there　to　die

alone？　　A　fellow…creature　there；　and　we　on　shore？　　Man　the　life…boat

now！　　We'll　save　him　yet。〃　　But　who　is　this　aged　woman　with　worn

garments　and　disheveled　hair；　with　agonized　entreaty　falling　upon　her

knees　beside　this　brave；　strong　man？　　It　is　his　mother！　　〃O；　my　son！

your　father　was　drowned　in　a　storm　like　this。　　Your　brother　Will　left

me　eight　years　ago；　and　I　have　never　seen　his　face　since　the　day　he

sailed。　　No　doubt　he；　too；　has　found　a　watery　grave。　　And　now　you　will

be　lost；　and　I　am　old　and　poor。　　O；　stay　with　me！〃　　〃Mother；〃　cried　the

man；　〃where　one　is　in　peril；　there　is　my　place。　　If　I　am　lost；　God　surely

will　care　for　you。〃　　The　plea　of　earnest　faith　prevailed。　　With　a　〃God

bless　you；　my　boy！〃　she　released　him；　and　speeded　him　on　his　way。

Once　more　they　watched　and　prayed　and　waitedthose　on　the　shore

while　every　muscle　was　strained　toward　the　fast…sinking　ship　by　those

in　the　life…saving　boat。　　At　last　it　reached　the　vessel。　　The　clinging

figure　was　lifted　and　helped　to　its　place。　　Back　came　the　boat。　　How

eagerly　they　looked　and　called　in　encouragement；　and　cheered　as　it

came　nearer！　　〃Did　you　get　him？〃　was　the　cry　from　the　shore。　　Lifting

his　hands　to　his　mouth　to　trumpet　the　words　on　in　advance　of　their

landing；　Hardy　called　back　above　the　roar　of　the　storm；　〃Tell　mother

it　is　brother　Will！〃



My　friend；　simply　talking　and　praying　will　not　save　our　loved　ones

from　drunkards'　graves。　　We　must　man　the　life…boat　of　municipal；　State；

and　National　reform；　and　vote　for　principle　and　Christian　temperance

until　we　save　the　last　man。　　He　may　be　〃brother　Will。〃







III。

GAMBLING。



CARD…PLAYING



GAMBLING　has　become　a　moral　plague　of　modern　society。　　In　one

form　or　another　it　has　entered　the　rank　and　file　of　every　department

of　lifein　private　parlor　over　cards；　in　hotel　drawing…room　over

election　reports；　in　college　athletic　grounds　over　brains　and　brawn；　in

the　counting…room　over　the　price　of　stocks；　in　the　racing　tournament

over　jockeying　and　speed；　in　the　Board　of　Trade　hall　over　future　prices

of　the　necessaries　of　life；　in　the　den　of　iniquity　at　dice；　in　the　drinking

saloon　at　the　slot…machine；　in　the　people's　fair　at　the　wheel　of　fortune；

in　the　gambling　den　itself　at　every　conceivable　form　of　swindling　trick

and　game。　　Gambling　has　come　to　be　almost　an　omnipresent　evil。　　In

treating　this　subject；　it　is　our　purpose　to　point　out　something　of　the

nature　of　its　evil；　not　only　that　we　may　be　kept　from　it　but　that　we　may

save　others　whom　it　threatens　to　destroy。



Gambling　grows　out　of　a　misuse　of　the　natural　tendency　to　take　risks。

A　social　vice　is　some　social　right　misused。　　Men　have　the　social　right

to　congregate　to　talk　over　measures　of　social　and　economic　welfare。

But　if　they　discuss　measures　which　oppose　the　principles　of　free

Government；　their　meeting　together　becomes　a　crime　against　the

State。　　A　personal　vice　is　some　personal　right　misused。　　As　some　one

has　put　it；　〃Vice　is　virtue　gone　mad。〃　　It　is　a　personal　right　and　a

personal　virtue　to　be　charitable；　even　beneficent。　　But　since　justice

comes　before　mercy；　if　one　uses　for　charity　that　which　should　be

used　in　payment　of　debt；　his　virtue　of　beneficence　becomes　a　vice

of　theft。　　So　it　is　with　gambling。　　It　is　giving　the　natural　tendency

to　chance；　to　risk　an　illegitimate　play。　　The　person　who　is　afraid　to

risk　anything　accomplishes　but　little　in　any　way；　is　seldom　a

speculator；　and　never　a　gambler。　　Usually　the　gambler　is　the　man

who　is　naturally　full　of　hazard；　who　loves　to　run　risks；　to　take　chances。

Nor　will　one　find　a　more　practical　and　useful　tendency　in　one's　make…

up　than　this。　　See　the　discoverer　of　America　and　his　brave　crew　for

days　and　days　sailing　across　an　unknown　sea　toward　an　unknown

land。　　But　that　was　the　price　of　a　New　World。　　Note　the　hazard　and

risk　of　our　Pilgrim　Fathers。　　But　they　gave　to　the　world　a　new

colonization。　　See　the　Second　greatest　American　on　his　knees　before

Almighty　God；　promising　him　that　he　would　free　four　million　of

slaves；　providing　General　Lee　should　be　driven　back　out　of　Maryland。

General　Lee　was　driven　back；　and　that　immortal　though　most

hazardous　of　all　documents；　from　man's　point　of　view；　was　read　to

his　Cabinet　and　signed　by　Abraham　Lincoln。　　All　great　men　have

taken　great　risks。　　Not　a　section　of　the　United　States　has　been　settled

without　some　risk。　　No　business　enterprise　is　launched　without　some

risk。　　To　secure　an　education；　to　learn　a　trade；　to　marry　a　wife；　all

involve　some　risk；　much　risk。　　The　tendency　to　risk；　to　hazard；　to

chance　it　is　a　practical　and　useful　tendency。　　Only　let　this　tendency

be　governed　always　by　wisdom　and　justice。　　No　person　ever　became

a　gambler　until　consciously　or　unconsciously　he　forfeited　wisdom

and　justice　in　his　chances　and　risks。



Gambling　takes　a　variety　of　forms。　　First　of　all　is　the　professional

gambler。　　He　has　no　other　business。　　His　investment　is　a　〃pack　of

cards〃　and　a　box　of　〃dice。　　See　him　with　his　long；　slender　fingers；

with　his　shaggy；　unkempt　hair；　with　keen　eyes；　and　a　sordid

countenance。　　He　is　prepared　to　〃rake　in〃　a　thousand　dollars　a　night；

and　would　not　hesitate　to　strip　any　man　of　his　fortune。　　The　professional

is　found　at　county　fairs；　on　railway　trains；　in　gilded　dens；　and　at　public

resorts。　　Being　a　professional　outlaw；　and　subject　at　any　time　to　arrest

and　imprisonment；　usually　he　has　an　accomplice。　　Sometimes　a　gang

work　together；　so　that　it　is　with　perfect　ease　they　may　relieve　any

unwary　novice　of　his　money。　　They　know　human　nature　on　its　low；

mercenary　side；　and　soon　can　find　their　man　in　a　crowd。　　But　few

persons　have　started　out　in　life　having　it　for　their　aim　to　get　something

for　nothing　who；　sooner　or　later；　have　not　been　〃taken　in〃　by　this　gang

of　swindlers。　　They　know　their　kind。　　The　end　of　the　professional

gambler　is　final　loss　and　ruin。　　He　will　make　100；　he　will　make　500；

he　will　make　1；000；　he　will　make　2；000；　then　he　will　lose　all。　　Then

he　will　borrow　some　money　and　start　anew。　　And　again　he　will　make

200；　he　will　make　600；　he　will　make　1；200；　and　he　will　lose　all。

Like　the　winebibber　and