THE TENDENCY TO GAMBLING.
By William N. Glenn
THE desire to get something for nothing, or for the smallest possible outlay, is innate in the human race. This disposition was highly developed during the prosperous days of the iniquitous Louisiana Lottery Association. That institution was squelched by act of Congress sustained by the U. S. Supreme Court. True, in annihilating this one institution, the act placed in the hands of Congress a most dangerous weapon—a censorship of the press—which may, and no doubt will, some day, be used to the detriment of the people's rights, in violation of the first amendment to the Constitution. Here was illustrated the fact that the enemy of righteousness is always on the alert, when men are endeavoring to put down evil, to cause them in some subtle way to overdo and open the door to some other evil. But, in overthrowing that one great lottery incubus, the spirit of gambling was in nowise abated. In a measure it lay dormant, but only to await any opportunity or plausible pretext for appealing to the sympathies or apparent interest of the public. It frequently breaks forth in ostensible aid of some church interest, or charitable appeal, or popular municipal enterprise. In various ways the coal is kept alive enough to awaken the desires of the old and to create an ambition in the young to "make a strike" beyond the profits of legitimate business or the earnings of honest toil. A case in point is the building of the new convention hall in Kansas City, a laudable enterprise of itself for a growing city. Concerning the manner of its finishing, Mr. W. F. Richardson writes as follows to the Christian Evangelist.— When the report was made that a few thousand dollars were still required to prepare the hall for occupancy, the gifts began coming in with the generosity which has ever marked the people of this city in public enterprises. In a few days half the sum had been promised and the whole would shortly have been in hand. But, when Mr. K. B. Armour gave a splendid cow from his magnificent herd of blooded cattle, to be sold for the fund, somebody suggested that any such gifts received be used as prizes for ticket-holders for the opening concert. The idea took like wild-fire, and soon a full-fledged lottery was in operation on our streets. Many gifts of stock, jewelry, merchandise of all kinds, and other vendable articles came pouring in, until it is estimated that there will be fifteen thousand prizes. The papers have "boomed" it daily, and a hundred and sixty thousand tickets have already been sold, with demands for more. The city and surrounding country have gone daft on the subject, and men, women and children have been crowding the office of the directors, eagerly snatching for the chances of gain. It is needless to say that this whole affair has been a most demoralizing one. Not only has it consumed the earnings of many poor men and women, and boys and girls, who could illy spare the quarters they paid for these tickets, this is the least of its evil results. It has given the vice of5gambling a public recognition in this city which it has not had for many years; and if we do not reap the fruit of this sowing in an increase of the vice among all classes of our people, it will only be because its evils are so plainly manifest as to forbid that any but those already victims to the awful habit should be led away by this spasm of indulgence. Another result which is to be deplored is the toleration with which it makes many good people look upon an act which is absolutely wrong, judged either by the law of God or of State and the city. Although this sale of chances has all the marks of an ordinary lottery, and differs from it only in the purpose of its institution, there are many excellent people, doubtless, who feel that it is entirely harmless. "It is for the good cause, you know!" But we must not forget what Paul says of the principle of "doing evil that good may come." The most deplorable result of this infatuation on the part of our people, it seems to me, is its effect on the young; it will be difficult for their parents, after purchasing for them chances in this drawing, to persuade them that there is any special harm or danger in repeating the act on other occasions. Many a youth will have the first tiny flame of the passion for unearned gain kindled in his heart by this convention hall drawing. In all this is demonstrated the impotency of human law to reform the human heart. It can only restrain, and is limited even in this respect. So far as law does restrain men from injuring or defrauding others, it is all right; that is its purpose, and, legitimately, it can do no more. Hence the folly, the deception, of supposing that men's hearts can be changed, or be made any better morally, or be brought any nearer to Christ, through the instrumentality of human law. Only the Spirit of God, leading to obedience to His law, can make men any better at heart; no human law can compel such obedience. Men may be made to believe that they are obeying the law of God when they yield to the restraints of human law, but such are only deceived; they are only made self-righteous, hypocrites, Pharisees. Upon such the Lord has emphatically pronounced His wo. See Matt. 23:25-28. The teaching of Christ throughout inculcates this principle in the minds of all who will receive it. The law of God is spiritual (Rom. 7:14), and can be obeyed only through the unction of the Spirit (John 4:24). "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." Rom. 10:10. Notwithstanding all the teachings of God's Word upon this point, all our legislative bodies, from Congress down, are being besieged by men who profess to believe that Word, urging them to enact laws compelling men to observe Sunday, or to take from the public funds the people's money for the furtherance of some religious scheme in the name of Christianity. And there is a growing tendency on the part of such legislators to yield to the pressure in order to gain political advantage. But there is no Christianity in the compulsory observance of any religious rite or institution. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Cor. 3:17.