The Very Latest Abomination.
By Editor
MANY times we are exceedingly pained to read the accounts of doings at church fairs, festivals, and donation parties. But this time sad feelings give way to indignation. A church fair is written up in a splendid style of laudation in a daily paper; the heading of "the wheel of fortune" is suggestive of lottery schemes; but the following paragraph proves that some churches are utterly lost to shame. "The grab bag was in the vigilant charge of the Misses T., who initiated the hands of childhood in the wonders of the grab game. The box is of original design with a conic shaped canopy, and standards trimmed with evergreens on a red ground." Travel over the whole United States and it is likely that in no place but a church—a professed church of Christ—will you find little innocent children instructed in gambling! It is about thirty years since the grand jury of Albany, N. Y., warned the churches of that city to desist from all practices which were violations of the laws of the State against gambling. This ought to have brought the churches of the land to a sense of their degradation in the sight of the world, and of the pernicious influence of their example, but it did not. About ten years ago Governor Washburn, of Wisconsin, called the attention of the Legislature to the subject, saying that the laws of the State were sufficient for general purposes, but special legislation was needed to reach the churches, where so many took their first lessons in gambling. This did not stop the practice, but Gov. W. failed of reelection by a large majority against him, while his party had a large majority in the State. So strong is the tide in this direction that a city in Illinois, passing an ordinance against all games of hazard, made an exception in favor of churches, or games carried on to raise means for religious purposes! Are such the light of the world, and the salt of the earth? The grand jury of Albany gave the churches warning but made no presentment, saying they did not wish to single out any church as an example where all were alike involved. So we do not consider the particular church here noticed as alone in the guilt of this transaction; the custom prevails, and all are partakers of the guilt who practice anything which in any wise leads in the direction of this evil. A writer in a California paper, three years ago, on the subject of "Chinese gambling," spoke of a certain game, and said it was unnecessary to describe it, as it was similar to a certain game well known in the fairs of the churches! "Babylon is fallen!" How long before it will be necessary to sound the cry, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins?" We would that the churches would be warned, and reform. But we have no hope of it. They have had sufficient warnings which they refuse to hear. The terrors of the last day alone will arouse them to a sense of their condition, when it is too late to escape.