GAMBLING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 4010, 12 January 1892, Page 2

GAMBLING.

A Slanoo at its History. (A sermon delivered at the .Mastertou Wesleyan Church on January 10th by the Rev J. Dukea.) This is an evil of modern growth merely, a thing of yesterday, all 'the more difficult to deal wiih 0.1 that account, it is known to hava existed in various forms for at least 2,500 years. It is clear that,, both under Republican and Imperial Rome, gambling was practiced, for stringent laws were passed for its suppression and violations of the gaming laws were severely punished; bub here is an anomaly which no rational being can satisfactorily explain. During the period of the Saturnalia a general license was granted, and gambling was permitted, Euripides tells that a like indulgence at other seasons was extended to old men, both amongst the Greeks and Romans; how truly, and yet how strangely does history repeat itself. Our Government, instead of setting before itself a high ideal, and legislating towards its attainment, retrospects to Pagan Rome ? Ought 1 the powers that be' to recognise and bend to the immoral and dangerous notion that such indulgences are indispensable safety-valves to the seething mass of corruption, which largely composes the make-up of society? Surely, novel' I for 1 who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ?' Gambling existed among our rude barbarian forefathers from time immemorial, and it has been discovered in most countries throughout -lie world, whether civilised or savage. The first prohibiting act at' Home' was passed intbereiguof Henry VIII. Since then the attention of the Imperial Parliament ban been frequently drawn to the evil, and various measures of a more or less drastic nature hive found their place on the Statute Book. If it be asked,' why have they not ontirely wiped out gambling:?' because, among other reasons, we have had : 1. Anomalous aud iniquitous indulgences, 2. Shameful laxity in the administration of the law. THE IMMORALITY OF GAMBLING. Gambling is an immoral praotice, evidential of a corrupt and depraved nature. The germinal principle and inspiration of all gambling is ' love of money." Granted tbat the love of money, which is the root of all evil, exists in the heart, the ingenious powers of evil will immediately suggest unjustifiablu means for its gratification and development, Gambliug is one of those means. It commends itself to the carnal mind .as an expeditious mode of acquiring wealth without labour. In its embryonic stage, then, it is a contravention of the Divine order of things, for God has ordained that wealth shall be built up of honest toil, and in the aocumulatioii of money no man shall be impoverished to enrich another, Settle it, therefore, in your minds, that the evil antecedent to and impelling to the aot ot gamblingin

1 LOVE OF MONEY.' When this takes possession of a man it becomes an absorbing passion, and unless restrained and changed by Divine grace it will bear him along until "whatsoever things are true, honest, just,' pure, lovely, and of good report," are dried up in his heart, He will become so essentially selfish, that ' his eyes will be utterly dark" ened to the woes of suOoring humanity, and his right arm will be clean dried up as an instrument to succour and defend.' When yon see a man possessed of this passion, he is like a keen sporting dog on the scent, be follows out this traok and that track, nor is be satisfied until he has secured and despatched his victim. The whole of this wretched business of gambling is traoeable to an immoral source, and as the fountain is impure the stream, of necessity is impure. It is in principle and practice a breach of the eighth commandment, 1 Thou slialt not steal, 1 and every day's observation of the evil amongst us, shows that it is

DEPLORABLY DEMORALIBINO, This colony is strewn with the moral wreckage of this evil, A mere glance at the blighted hopes, and wasted fortunes, and desecrated honour, ad;\ desolated homes, and broken dov/h health, and dat k, darker, darkening prospects as the gambler approaches the throne of judgment, is enough to make one we: p tears of blood. Young men beware of this evil of gambling, for like drink, often its associate, it | will, sooner or later, ' bite like a Ber-j pent, and'sting like an adder.' Mr' Vaughau, one of the most experienced of the London magistrates said, not long ago when passing sentence upon a young man charged with pilfering for belting purposes,' I wish tint the clerks in the mercantile houses , of London could come to this court and see what I see, and hear what 1 hear, This ia only , one of a multitude of cases where prisoners placed in your position have confessed that their robberies are EKTIRKLY DUE TO BETTING, It is most lamentable this betting; I regard it as a curse to the country, because I see.how young men are lured on until they fall into a state of misery and wretchedness.' Those words of warning are needed in this colony. to day. Enter not' into the path of tlie wicked and go not in tlie say of evil men,, Avoid it, pass not by it, tum from it, and pass away, (To k Cbnhmd.)