CARD PARTIES FOR THE CHURCH.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10480, 16 October 1912, Page 3

CARD PARTIES FOR THE CHURCH.

SIR, —Having heard that a euchre party and dance held for a church has been a huge success, I wondered if it is right for us to take the proceeds derived frorq cards for the benefit of the church? The public attend these sort of things just because others they know are going, and because it is a pleasant way of getting _ an evening’s enjoyment. Never giving the principle of the thing much thought, or, if they do, just end up by going with the tide. As long as they :get the money and the people enjoy themselves that is the main ohject.'Why don’t we make a stand for the rights of the church? Is it not from it that wo expect all that is good and true to emanate? And I think it is well for us o reflect before we introduce the use of such things as * cards that have such a taint about them, into the | church, "We know, and I am not speaking from personal experience, that the gambling in connection with cards has been the ruin of millions of homes. And surely what is looked upon as one of the “social evils” should be kept outside the church. It is not the actual, harm in a simple game of cards. I myself play and enjoy euchre when it is in the home, or for any beneficial purpose such as paying off the hall debt, etc. But from the associations in connection with cards, I think we would be wise in keeping them apart from the church. What have we to on for the future if it is not the hope that the churches hold out to us? And if we, by onr apathy, help to introduce the appearance even of evil to sully the influence that is supposed to be only for good, then I think we are wrong. Then again some of the young people that attend them might be led by these very church socials to get too fond of cards, and so in trying to raise a few paltry pounds they may do incalculable harm in other ways. I would offer the suggestion of gettng up some good concerts. There is a lot of good local talent, and with the help of a few outside friends they could, lam sure, with very little effort, get up a programme that they would be proud of. This anyway is the opinion of—“ONE OF THE FAIR SEX.” [lf cards are objected to, though they form an atthraction to many, they could well he dispensed with if adherents made their subscriptions to their church on a mere liberal scale. There would, then be no need even for socials, and the Church workers would also probably be able to show more satisfactory results. It has been alleged that there are some who, while vigorously singing a hymn of thanKsgiving, will be feeling in their pockets so as not to mistake a sixpence for a threepenny bit when the plate comes round. Weak finance caused by poor support is the reason why worldly devices have to he adopted to secure money required for religious purposes.—Ed.]