A RELIGIOUS CARD PLAYER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1284, 8 October 1886, Page 4

A RELIGIOUS CARD PLAYER.

A private soldier, by the name of Richard Lee was taken before the magistrates for playing cards during Divine Service, The sergeant commanded the soldiers at the chnrch, and when the parson had read the prayers, he took the text. Those who had Bibles took them out, but this soldier had neither Bible nor Common Prayer Book, and pulling out a pack of cards, he spread them out before him. He first looked at one card and then anos ther. The sergeant of the company aaw him, and When the services were over, the constable took Richard a prisoner and brought him before the Mayor, “Well," said the Mayor, “what have you brought the soldier here for r “ For playing cards in the church ” “ Well, soldier, what have you to say for yourself]” “ Much, sir, I hope.” “ Yery good; if not, I will punish you severely." “I have been.” said the soldier, “ about six weeks on the march. I have neither Bible nor Common Prayer Boob; I have nothing but a pack of cards, and t hope to satisfy your Worship of the purity of my intentions.” Then, spreading the cards before the Mayor, he began with the ace :—“ When I see the ace, it reminds me that there is but one God. When I see the deuce, it reminds me of the Father and Son. When I see the tray, it reminds me of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. When I see the four, it reminds me of the four Evangelists that preached—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When I see five, it reminds me of the five wise virgins that trimmed their lamps. There were ten, but five were wise, and five were foolish and were shut out. When I see the six it reminds me that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth. When I see the seven, it reminds me that on the seventh day God rested from the great work He had made and hallowed it. When 1 see the eight, it reminds me ot the eight righteous persona that were saved when God destroyed the world, viz. Noah and his] wife, his three sons, and their wives. When I see the nine it reminds me of the nine lepers that were cleansed by our Saviour. There were nine out of the ten that never returned thanks. When I see the ten, it reminds one of the Ten Commandments which God handed down to Moses on the tables of stone. When I seethe king is reminds me ofthe great King of Heaven, which is God Almighty. When I see the queen it reminds me of the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon, for she was as wise a woman as he was a man. She brought with her fifty boys and fitly girls, all dressed in boys’ apparel, for King Solomon to tell which were boys and which were girls. The King sent for water for (hem to wash. The girls washed to the elbows, the boys to the wrists ; so King Soloman told by that.” “ AY ell,” said the Mayor, “ you have described every card in the pack except one.” “ What is that ]” “The knave,” said the Mayor, “ I will give your Honour a description of that, too, if you will not be angry.” “ I will not,” said the Mayor, “if you do not term me to be the knave.” “ The greatest knave I know of is the constable that brought me here.” “ I do not know,” said the Mayor, “if he is the greatest knave, but 1 know he is the greatest fool.” When I count how many spots there are in a pack of cards, I find three hundred and sixty-five, as many days as there are in a year. When I count the number of cards in a pack, 1 find fifty-two, the number of weeks in a year. 1 find there are twelve picture cards in a pack, representing the number of months in a year ; and on counting the tricks I find thirteen, the cumber of weeks in a quarter. So you see, a pack of cards serves for a Bible, an almanac, and a Common Prayer Book. Then the Mayor let him go.