THE GAMBLING MANIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1548, 1 September 1905, Page 3

THE GAMBLING MANIA.

ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST’S VIEWS. Goolong, August 21. The proposod removal of tho Goolong racecourse from Marshalltown to tho town proper has boon -adversely oritioisod by many looal Protestant ohurches on tho ground that it would onoourago gambling. At St. Mary’s Churoh on Sunday Archpriest McKenna referred to tho subjoot. Ho said it would surprise many, aftor all they had heard against gambling, to hoar from a Catholic priest who had studied tho rigorous strictures of moral thoology that gambling was not intrinsioally and essentially a sin. Tho passion it generated might cause o porson to commit a sin | either of theft or of injustice to his family, himself or his oroditors, by foolishly sponding what was not proporly and strictly his own. But ‘if a man who oould afford to lose some of his own money betted on races or other sports he had full right to do so without a shadow of sin. As for those who betted small sumß, wbioh was really the question at issue, it was silly to say that their conduot was destructive of morality. There were other ocoasions of wiokednoss nearer homo infinitely worse and more prolific of wickedness, such as company keeping ad libitum, night walking on tho beaoh and out of town, and even pionios. As for art unions and raffles at bazaars, everyone knew that the bulk of the profits wore for the objects mentioned on suoh occasions, to reducß tho debt on a ohurob, school, or tho like, and they woro quite satisfied whether they won a prize or not, knowing that the prizes were few oompared with the number of so-called gamblers. It would be f harsh Jaw that would deprive Catholioi who were not well off of that means oi raising funds, especially as they had tc provide their own sohools, on acoount of their conscientious conviotions. Oaiholio methods of teaching morality were not to try to remove a raceoourse from a townoc vice versa, but rather to train the oonecienoe from youth in tho oommandments, In tho nature of sin, the various kinds of sio, their gravity, their rebellion against God,' and tho necessary oonsequenooa without due repentanoe and forgiveness. Religious conviction, the fear of God, practical faith, and not material methods or pubiio agitations, would tend to preserve the moral purity of the people. The noble animal, the racehorse, ought to be permitted to pursue his vocation. The proximity of the new oourse should prove a boon to business people, cabmen, and jthers. He referred to horso racing as a coble and thorougly British sport.