OUR CRYING EVIL

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 66, 18 March 1910, Page 6

OUR CRYING EVIL

■ THE ' SINS .OF . GAMBLING. WORK FOR THE C.E.M.S. Gambling is the'biggest evil of the day, and it is this : that we in the Dominion have to' specially''fight against, according, to the Rev. H. S. YV'oollconibe, travelling secretary of the Church of, England Men's Society, who has come out with a message from the men of ' the Old Country to the men,of New Zealand. His meeting in the Choral Hall last night was the most . unconventional and convincing. thing in connection with religion we have had in Auckland for. a long time. The hall might, have been- fuller of people, but .of,enthusiasm. . . ■ „, : Mr. Jj. J.. B<j.gnali, Deputy-Mayor, welcomed. Mr. Woollcojnbe on., behalf of the city, and Bishop Neligan, - who used, to work side by side with Mr. Woolleombe in the . East ■ End of London, and was really the means' of the visit beingrunderr taken, extended ,-a wejeome from the diocese. . , ,'•.■•• in XL rousing address Mr. Woolleombe dealt out some home truths, which must have given more than one of, his hearers the pause. ,He does not talk from a pedestal (an amiable fault of some of his cloth), but. as one wayfarer to ..another in the journey of life, and he has the saving sense' of humour. He does not work down from, principles ito life, but works, up • from everyday incidents to principles, which is the easier way for the ordinary i mortal.. He is terribly down on gambling, and spoke iii scath-. ing terms of'the Dominion Government's action in legalising the totalisator. All gambling was, he .said, simply taking money out of the" pocket of the other man. It was the biggest evil of the age, and was, the source of more evils. Men did not like to heai , '; that because they had not wakened up to the knowledge that it was a foul evil of which a Christian man blight {6 \yash his hands. This led to a lot of hypocrisy. He had known men who were- willing to take the money out of a pal's pocket in horse-racing J or two-rip, and. after'Tistening to an address on social or moral reforms, would applaud it to the echo. "Many men who would scorn to commit other sins gambled 1 without a thought of its deadly influences. _ Christian people needed waking Up to a sense of their respon- , sibilities in this matter, and must realise what a dangerous evil it was. In a brief and practical way Mr. Woollcombe pointed out Bow each member of the C.E.M.S. (rend those who should be members)' could help 'in forming a barrier -which .w"ould" r steni c -the awful 'tide. He explained the objects of the C.E.M.S., and emphasised the point that if the Church existed. to get something" done, then it was the duty of every member of that Church to do something. Speaking specially of the Dominion, Mr. Woollcombo said" it was a glorious country, and there were plenty of opportunities for people to enjoy themselves. There were plenty of opportunities for sport and pleasure, but people should have a care lest the very things that were good in themselves became a source of evil. Man was meant to enjoy himself, but there was such a thing as selfishness. Even , athleticism might degenerate into selfishness. If a fissn -developed himself to the'" exclusion of everything «Jse he was not fulfilling the duty for which he was sent into the world. W_e. _w.ere meant to . enjoy ourselves, but we were also .put into the world, to bo* something, and to'do something. If lie did nothing else he hoped he would .be. able to.sow in the hearts of some "men the desire to throw themselves into the work of the Church as the best means of doing something for themselves, and for the good of humanity. This is some of what Mr. Woolleombe said, but type will not convey the way he said it. He has some delightful stories, some, of which he picked up in the East End of London, where he worked for 14 years, and .he also has some very sad. ones. The iiddress wiTI be followed by many more in the city and suburbs, and every man. young or old, will find something that interests him- in the message which this , enthusiastic yonng man Tins 'com'fi'out to deliver. Next week MY. Woollcombe will give short talks to men during the dinner hour at the ChambcT of Commerce, find each evening he •win speak. at St. Matthew's. ■•• ■