BISHOP MOORHOUSE DEFINES GAMBLING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1081, 12 January 1883, Page 3

BISHOP MOORHOUSE DEFINES GAMBLING.

Dr Moorhouse, Bishop of Melbourne, has defined the difference between lotteiies for charitable purposes and the Melbourne Gap lotteries. He said lately, iu a conversation at Hamilton, Victoria, “ ihat he regarded bazaar rattles, when straightforwardly and honestly conducted, as an embodiment of the principle of ‘ co-operative purchase’ super-added to the principle of ‘ determination by lot,’ both of which operations wore perfectly harmless and legitimate. A number of persons combined together to purchsse an article—there was nothing wrong in that. Having subscribed enough money to purchase it, they next proceeded to determine by lot which of them should enjoy the possession of that article, and this was a mode of deciding quite in accordance with Scripture precedent, as witness the ca-e of Matthias. Some of the Bishop’s hearer s asked him whether sweeps on the Melbourne Cup, or other ventures recognised as gambling, could not be justified by the same process of ratiocination; but the Bishop distinctly answered * No,’ and proceeded to show the difference. Said his Lordship: 1 In re is no consideration given by the gambler. The man who risks his money in that way expects to win yours, and vice versa, without any. thing being given in ref urn ; whereas in a'.bazaar' raffle every owner of a ticket holds a beneficial interest in their common property, which is actually purchased A s everyone cannot be the possessor ot the article, it is necessary to determine who shall take it, and there is no fairer way of deciding than by casting lots. The Bishop was next reminded that certain betting men averred that the principle of tire and life assurance was nothing but gambling, as a company would bet any of their customers 1000 to 5 that his house was not burnt down during the ensuing twelve months, or longer odds that he would not die during the same or any other period. Dr Moorhouse met the argument by saying that people who paid fire or life insurances had a beneficial interest in the transaction. They were protected against loss by fire, and so received value for their payments ; amount of their life policy was paid to their representatives, and the premiums resembled so many instalments lodged in a savirgs bank to be afterwards returned with interest. Dr Moorhouse said that it was a very common trice to bracket together a number of things that had no real connection or analogy one with another, and this was the only way he could account for some people’s obj ction to bazaar rattling. The process, however, was entirely different from gambling; and the fact that gambling was undertaken with a se'fish oljoct, whilst bazaar rattles were got up for purposes wholly unselfish, also constituted a great distinction.