THE GAMBLING EVIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume C, Issue 11665, 23 August 1898, Page 5

THE GAMBLING EVIL.

ATTITUDE OF THE CHURCHES. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 22,

There were pulpit references in two oi the city churches here to the subject of gambling, yesterday evening. The Rev C. Coleridge Harper, preaching at St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, said that gambling was a serious evil in New Zealand, as in other countries. He did not think much would be gained by legislation, for that would be, to a great extent, ineffectual, unless it were strongly backed up by public opinion. Neither did he think much could be expected from the proposed Anti-Gambling League, whose extreme platform would -not commend itself to moderate-minded' persons. Mr Harper considered that most good could he done by the “ still, small voice ” of personal influence.

At the evening service in Wesley Church, the Rev C. Baumber preached from a text in Proverbs —“An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.” He quoted the -words of Mr Tom Mann, who had said to his fellow-workmen: “We have more to fear from drink and gambling than all the capitalists in the country.” These were true words, and the preacher appealed to workmen to rid themselves of the vice. The fact that the churches were not themselves clean was still more deplorable. A return presented to Parliament showed that seventy permits were issued last year to certain churches, authorising them to gamble as much as they liked during ninety-four days. The Methodist Church was not among them, though he did not desire to say that their Church was better than others in all things ; there was room, and abundance of room, for improvement. He proceeded to read an article lately published by the “Lyttelton Times” on the subject. He added that he said “ Amen ” to every word of that article, and he expressed himself as profoundly thankful that a newspaper in the colony had been found to speak out so boldly. The Churches’ attitude towards gambling, he said, must he one of uncompromising opposition. The Church must he free from sin, or it could not speak, ll a Church could not exist without gambling, in order to raise money, the sooner it went out of existence the better; it was never likely to do any good in this world. It was, however, no use calling out for legislation until the people had been educated on the subject, the same as in every great reform.