p. 607 | Card-Playing at Home

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 9, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 38.

Card-Playing at Home.

PLAYING cards for "pastime" or as an "innocent amusement" soon becomes a passion; and when once fixed, a man will forego home, family, business, and pleasure, and suffer the loss of his all for the exciting scenes of the card-table. That accomplished writer, the late Dr. Holland, said:—

"I have all my days had a card-playing community open to my observation, and I am yet unable to believe that that which is the universal resort of the starved in soul and intellect, which has never in any way linked to itself tender, elevating, or beautiful associations, the tendency of which is unduly to absorb the attention from more weighty matters, can recommend itself to the favor of Christ's disciples. The presence of culture and genius may embellish, but can never dignify it.

"I have this moment," says Dr. Holland, "ringing in my ear the dying injunction of my father's early friend, 'Keep your son from cards. Over them I have murdered time, and lost Heaven.' Fathers and mothers, keep your sons from cards in the 'home circle.' What must a good angel think of a mother at the prayer-meeting, asking prayers for the conversion of her son whom she allowed to remain at home playing cards for 'pastime'?"

The late Bishop Bascom, in denouncing all forms of iniquity, speaks of the "gambler, who, rather than not gratify his passion for play, would stake the throne of eternity upon the cast of a die—who, unmoved by the tears and entreaties of her that bore him, the wife of his bosom, and the children of his own bowels, continues to indulge his hated passion, until the infatuated reprobate would table his game upon the tomb of his father, or shuffle for infamy upon the threshold of hell."—The Safeguard.