"THE SOLDIER'S BIBLE."

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 62, 13 March 1915, Page 10

"THE SOLDIER'S BIBLE."

WHAT THE CABDS TELL A private soldier by tlie name of Richard Lee was taken many years ago before a magistrate of Glasgow for playing cards- during divine service. Having neither Bible nor prayer-book, Lee pulled out a pack of carets and spread them be- ' fore h:ni, firer, looking at one and then at another as the .service proceeded. Noticing this, the sergeant of the company said, "Kit'hard, put up the cards. This is no place for them." "Never mind that," said Richard, as he proceeded to study the cards. When the service was over the constable took Richard a prisoner, and brought him before the magistrate. » "Well," said the magistrate, "what have you brought thi6 soldier here for?" "For playing cards in church." '"Well-, soldier,--what ha.ye.you to say for* yourself?" c'" "ATuch, sir, I hope.? . v : "Very good if not;, T will punish you severely." - - - ",■ -- "I have bcen,"V6aid -the soldier, "on | the march about six weeks. I have neither Bible nior Prayer Book. I have nothing but a pack of-cards, and hope to satisfy your .Honor of-the purity of my in tentions." Then, spreading the cards before the bailie, he began with the ace, and proceeded:— ■•■ "When I see -the ace, it reminds mc there is but one God. "When I see the deuce, it rcmind6 ,mc of Father and Son; "When 1 see the threa, it reminds mc of Father, Son, nnd : Holy Grost. "When I see the four, it reminds mc of the four evangelists that preached— Mattlraw, Mark, Luke, and John. I "When I see the five, it reminds mc of the wise virgins that'- trimmed their lamps. There were ten, but five were wise and five were foolish and were shut out. j "When I sec the six, it reminds mc of - the six days the Lord made heaven and earth. "When I see the seven, it reminds mc that on the seventh day God rested from the great work which he had made, and hallowed it. "When I see the eight, it reminds mc of the eight righteous persons who were saved when God .destroyed the world, viz.:—Noah and his wife, his three sons and their wives. -,'.'• "When I see the nine, it reminds mc of the ten lepers who were cleansed by our Saviour. There were nine of the ten who never returned thanks. "When I see the ten, it reminds mc of •the ten commandments which God handed down to Moses on the table of stone. "When I see the King it reminds mc of the Great King of Heaven Who is our God Almighty. "When I see tire ..Queen it reminds mc of the Queen of Sheba who visited Solomon, for she was as wise a -woman as he was a man. She brought 50 boys and 50 girls all dressed in boys' apparel for King Solomon to tell which were boys and I which were giris. . The King sent for I jvater for them to", wash. The girls , washed to the elbows and the boys to the wrists, so King' Solomon told by ' that." - "Well," said the Bailie, "you have described every card in the pack ■ except one." ...... f-- i--"What is that?". "The Knave," said "the Bailie. "I will give.your 'Honor a description of that too, if you will not be angry." "I will not," said • the« Bailie, "if you do not term meto-be the knave. 'The greatest -knave -i know is " the constable that brought mc here." , "I do not know" said the. Bailie, "if he is the greatest knave, but 'I know he is the greatest .fool." ' ', "When I count how. many spots there are in a pack of eadds," confined Lee, "I find 365, as many days as there, are in a year. When I count the number of cards in a pack I find 52—the number of weeks in a year. I find' .thereare 12 pictures in a pack, representing the number of months in a year; and on counting the tricks I find 13—the number of weeks in a quarter. So yoii ace," he concluded, "a pack of. cards serve for a Bible, almanac, and Common Prayer Book."