ADDRESS ON GAMBLING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5189, 23 November 1895, Page 2

ADDRESS ON GAMBLING.

Aii address on " Gambling and its tendency," was recently delivered by the flev. Dr. Satimarez Smith. In opening his address, the rev. gentleman, quoting Major Seton Churchill, said that under ordinary circumstances, and within the limits of moderation, it was justifiable to back one's skill, it was foolish to back one's hick, and it was immoral or fraudulent to back ouo's knowledge. All excessive betting, continued the lecturer, was clearly gambling. Lotteries and all games of chance entered into

. for money were gambling. Gambi ling was a speculative seeking after } undue pleasure or advantage to be i obtained without work. It was a 3 worship of chance, the idolatry of ; luck, and it was opposed to all prii- \ dencc and all honest labour, It was [ a folly, a danger and a sin. As to I the folly of it there was a testimony , of a certain bookmaker in England i who admitted that ho had booked £IOOO in a week in his operations 1 with women and children. Gamb--1 ling produced a feverish excitement which led otherwise sober men into distinctly mad actions, and everybody could see by its results that it meant an utterunsettlotnenfc of industry. Tho man who got into the vortox of gambling did not like to work. It was a danger to character, a clangor to prosperity, a danger to labour, and a clanger to all sorts of steady happiness. Ho asked them to regard it as a sin, in tho first place because it was reckless selfishness. It was an extravagant covotousness, which took possession of a man when he had learnt to seek for uncertain gain. It was also a sin because it showed an inconsiderateuess of others who were involved in one's ruin, and it was a wasto of God-, given opportunities—a waste of lifo, intollcct, character, and powers that might otherwise havo been used 'aright, |l