WHAT A LOTTERY PRIZE DID.
By Editor
ABOUT six years ago, a young merchant in New Orleans, whose business was fairly successful, was tempted to buy a lottery ticket. He drew a prize of $20,000. Money so easily acquired was spent gaily and freely. Habits of lavish expenditure and disregard of business were soon acquired, and in four years Mr. C— found himself a poor man. Instead of going to work he devoted all the money he could raise to the purchase of lottery tickets. A few months ago, he paid his last penny for three shares in a mammoth lottery scheme. When the day of drawing came they proved to be blanks. He went home without a word to his garret, and the next day was found dead with a bullet through his brain. Few of our readers have any idea of the extent to which this species of legalized gambling is carried in this country. THE Boston Watchman (Baptist) expresses the fear that a general collapse of Christian faith is impending. It says, "That general credence of Christianity which has been customary for Protestant nations, has been subjected to such constant and tremendous erosion by floods of modern skepticism, that its fall is imminent. Infidelity has made fearful havoc among the mass of our civilized fellow-men. This is not yet so evident as we fear it may be in a few years. In the decaying tooth the external wall of enamel hides for a time the ravage of caries within, and the gloss of civilization will hide the decay of public faith for the season. But the time of collapse must come."