questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第7节
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200； he will make 600； he will make 1；200； and he will lose all。
Like the winebibber and the professional murderer； the professional
gambler has his den。 Not a large city in the world is without these
haunts of vice。 Who is it that feeds and supports them？ The novice
at cards and dice； husbands and sons of respectable families； just as
the occasional dram…taker supports the saloon。 As one has asked：
〃Could fools to keep their own contrive；
On whom； on what could gamesters thrive？〃
GAY。
The penny novice seeks the penny gambling den。 The aristocratic
speculator seeks the gilded gambling den。 The expert trickster of
large luck and large fortune makes his way to Monte Carlo； the
gambling Mecca of the world。 Monte Carlo is a famous resort
situated in the northwest part of Italy。 It is notorious for its gambling
saloon。 This city of nearly four thousand inhabitants is located in
Monaco； the smallest independent country in the world。 Monaco is
about eight miles square； and lies on a 〃barren； rocky ridge between
the sea and lofty； almost inaccessible rocks。〃 The soil is barren；
except in small tracts which are used for fruit…gardens。 For centuries
the inhabitants； the Monagasques； lived by marauding expeditions；
both by sea and land； and by slight commerce with Genoa； Marseilles；
and Nice。 But in the last century the people have converted their
country and city into a world…wide resort。 In 1860； M。 Blanc； a famous
gambler and saloon proprietor of two German cities； went to Monaco；
and for an immense sum of money received sole privilege to convert
their province into a gambler's paradise。 Soon immense marble
buildings arose in the midst of such beauty as to make it a modern
rival of the gardens of ancient Babylon。 Costly statues； gorgeous vases；
graceful fountains； elegant basins； and beautiful terraces； all of which
are made alluring by blooming plants； by light illuminations； and by
free concerts of music day and night；these are the attractions in this
gambler's paradise。 Here fortunes are won and lost in a night。 For； as
has been sung；
〃Dice will run the contrary way；
As well is known to all who play；
And cards will conspire as in treason。〃
HOOD。
Then we have the speculator in commerce。 He is the denizen of
the Board of Trade hall。 He speculates on the prices of next week's；
of next month's meat and breadstuffs。 And still this sort of gambler
may be a book…keeper in a bank； a farm hand； or a clerk in a
grocery store。 It ha become so simple and so common a practice
for persons to speculate on the markets that any person with ten
dollars； or twenty…five dollars； or a hundred dollars may take his
chances。 Tens of thousands of dollars to…day are being swept into
this silent whirlpool； the gambler's commerce。
Also we have the pool gambler。 He is actuated by love of excitement。
He is found at the race course； at the baseball diamond； and at all
sorts of contests； where he may find opportunity to be on the outcome。
It is a common thing for young men to steal their employers' money；
for young girls to take their hard…earned wages to stake on games and
races。 Recently 175；000 were paid for the exclusive gambling right
for one year at the Washington Park races in Chicago。
Last of all； we have the society gambler。 He is growing numerous
to…day。 He is the same person； whether clad in full dress in the drawing…
room of the worldling； or in common dress around the fireside of the
unchristian Church member。 Like the professional gambler his
instrument is 〃cards；〃 and he can shake the 〃dice。〃 His games are
whist； progressive euchre； and sometimes poker。 The stakes now are
not money； but the gratification of excitement and the indulgence of
passion。 One； two； four hours go by almost unnoticed。 Prizes are
offered for the best player。 As a Catholic priest told me after he had
won a small sum with cards。 Said he： 〃We just put up a few dollars；
you know； to lend devotions to the game。〃 So prizes are offered in
the social gambling 〃to lend devotions to the game。〃 It is under such
circumstances as these that young men and young women receive their
first lessons in card…playing。 A passion for card…playing is called forth；
developed； and must be satisfied； even though it takes one in low places
among vile associates。 〃A Christian gentleman came from England to
this country。 He brought with him 70；000 in money。 He proposed to
invest the money。 Part of it was his own； part of it was his mother's。
He went into a Christian Church； was coldly received； and said to
himself： 'Well； if that is the kind of Christian people they have in
America； I don't want to associate with them much。' So he joined a
card…playing party。 He went with them from time to time。 He went a
little further on； and after a while he was in games of chance； and lost
all of the 70；000。 Worse than that； he lost all of his good morals； and
on the night that he blew his brains out he wrote to the lady to whom he
was affianced an apology for the crime he was about to commit； and
saying in so many words； 'My first step to ruin was the joining of that
card party。'〃
In all of its forms gambling is loaded down with evil。 In the first place
it destroys the incentive to honest work。 Let the average young man
win a hundred dollars at the races； it will so turn his head against slow
and honorable ways of getting money that he will watch for every
opportunity to get it easily and abundantly。 The young girl who risks
fifty cents and gets back fifty dollars will no longer be of service as a
quiet； contented worker。 The spirit of speculation； the passion to get
something for nothing； is calculated to destroy the incentive to honest
toil and to honorable methods of gain。 As one values his character； as
he values his peace of mind； so should he zealously guard himself
against overfascinating games of chance。 Once we had a family in our
Church who played cards； and who taught their children to play cards。
Of course these families had no time for prayer…meeting； nor for
Christian work。 Card…playing for amusement or for money will
create a passion that must be satisfied； although one must give up home
and business and pleasure。 In a town where we once lived a young man
and his wife attended our Church。 In every way the husband was kind；
and attentive to business。 But he had fallen a victim to playing cards
for money。 When that passion would seize him he would leave his
business； his hired help； his home and wife and little one； and would
lose himself for days at a time seeking to satisfy that passion。 An
enviable husband； father； citizen； and neighbor but for that evil； but how
wretchedly that ruined all！ Dr。 Holland； of Springfield； Massachusetts；
says： 〃I have all my days had a card…playing community open to my
observation； and yet I am unable to believe that that which is the
universal resort of starved soul and intellect； which has never in any
way linked to itself tender； elevating； or beautiful associations； but；
the tendency of which is to unduly absorb the attention from more
weighty matters； can recommend itself to the favor of Christ's
disciples。 I have this moment；〃 says he； 〃ringing in my ears the dying
injunction of my father's early friend： 'Keep your son from cards。 Over
them I have murdered time and lost heaven。'〃
Gambling is dishonest。 It seeks something for nothing。 Man possesses
no money； that he might risk giving it to some rogue to waste in sin。
All the property one possesses； he possesses it by stewardship to be
used wisely and honestly for good。 Every age has needed a revival of
the Golden Rule in business。 Much of the business of to…day is attended
to on the dishonest principle that characterizes gambling； 〃Get as much
as possible for as little as possible。〃 This spirit is first cousin to the
spirit of gambling。 The only difference is； one is called wrong and is
wrong； the other is wrong and is called right。 Tell the gambler he is a
thief； he will acknowledge it； and will beat you； if he can； while he is
talking to you。 Tell the other man he is a thief； and he will sue you at
court and win his case； although it is just as wrong to steal 100 from
an unbalanced mind； as it is to steal 100 from an unlocked safe or
off of an untrained football team。 It will be an easy matter to produce
professional gamblers so long as society upholds dishonest dealers by
another name。 What men need in this matter is moral and spiritual
vision； spiritual discernment。 Some persons live by taking advantage
of those who are down。
In all of its forms gambling leads to a long train of crimes。 In addition
to his crime of theft the professional gambler； through passion or drink；
becomes a murderer。 I knew a professional gamb
