of support. Idleness is the source of infinite mischief, because idlers must live, and if they will not live honestly by their work, they must contrive to secure, by dishonest means, a livelihood by their wits.

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The first step in the direction of gambling is in the learning of the games of chance and skill in which the fraternity" indulge. These, in the beginning, seem simple and harmless; but when a passion for playing them is once created, it is exceedingly difficult to overcome. Many a young man, led on by evil associates, and surrounded by influences he can not resist, becomes a victim, bound by the cords of habit, which he can not sever, and is brought at last to ruin.

The devices for winning money are various, ingenious, and bewitching, and he who permits himself to enter a gaming establishment, even as a spectator, or to associate with those who gamble, serves to illustrate the fable of the spider and the fly. The majority of young men engaged as clerks and cashiers who lose their places by dishonesty, owe their misfortunes to the associations and temptations of the gambling hell.

The habit of betting on cards, dice, horse-races, and elections, is highly prejudicial to good morals; for he who bets is naturally anxious to win, and has the strongest temptation to use dishonest means to secure his wager.

J. M. was a promising young man, of good connections and fair education. Like many another, he was remarkably confident of his own strength of mind and power of selfcontrol. Leaving home at an early age to engage in business, he was thrown into the society of the gay and dissipated. At first he learned to play cards for fun; but when the excitement of simple amusement failed, he began to bet,

Why is gambling wrong? Describe a gambler. What is the first step in the gambler's life? What evil habits are encouraged by the gambler? In what ways is gambling performed? Why should we not even enter a gambling hell? How are many young men ruined? What is said of betting? Why does it lead to evil way

M. M.-9

as he said, "only for a dime a game, to add interest to the play." When asked to drink, he drank, but "only for the sociability."

Between his companions, the gaming, and the drink, he became bewildered, and night after night found him at home, in his own little parlor, gradually nearing the brink of a precipice over which he was soon to tumble to ruin. When friends-true friends-remonstrated, he scouted the idea that he could become a gambler or a drunkard. After a time he prided himself upon his ability to play well, and also upon his discrimination of the flavor of fine wine. By the combined influence of his vanity and his vice he became a doomed man. He lost his business, he alienated his friends, he broke up his once happy home, and, leaving his wife and little one, started to the far West, where he hoped to retrieve his errors. On the way he fell into the company of gamblers, was overcome by the temptation to play, was drugged, robbed, and beaten, and finally died of remorse by his own hand.

If it is wrong to play for dollars, it is wrong to gamble for dimes; and if it is dangerous to play for dimes, we leave it to the boys to determine the propriety of gaming for marbles and pins.

The lottery. In the earlier days of our history, it was not uncommon for the legislatures of the colonies and states to grant authority to establish lotteries, the profits of which were for the purpose of endowing schools, building churches, etc. The lottery is a game of chance which is determined by the casting or drawing of lots. The design in legalizing these establishments was not to encourage the people to acts of benevolence, and to teach them liberality from a sense of duty, but to appeal to their covetousness,

Give the story of J. M. Are you sure you are wiser, better, or stronger than J. M.? How do you know that you will escape his misfortunes? Is it wrong to play for dimes? For dollars? What is the moral distinction between dimes, dollars, cents, marbles, or pins? May gambling habits commence with covetousness for winning marbles? Why? What is said of the lottery? Why is it fascinating?

and lead them to invest their money in the hope that, by a lucky turn of the wheel, they would be the fortunate possessors of valuable prizes, which cost but a trifle, and thus be saved the necessity for work. It was found by observation that, whatever good might have accrued from the churches and schools thus erected, the evil effects upon the community were greater. People who purchased tickets became excited with expectations of sudden wealth; they ceased to work steadily, and became idle and dissipated.

Although their money was in most instances expended in that which yielded them no return, for the prizes were very few compared with the blanks, so infatuated did men become, that they would try and try again, in the hope of a future success, and thus waste their entire means. Young men were peculiarly liable to be affected by this desire for gain, and were tempted to steal from their employers in the vain hope that they would be so fortunate as to restore the stolen funds. Such was the extent of the mischief produced, that almost all the states abolished lotteries as prejudicial to the public welfare and injurious to individual prosperity and happiness. All such institutions foster the spirit of covetousness, which makes men discontented, idle, and vicious.

Religious lotteries.-If the experience of our own and many foreign countries is such as to compel them to abolish state lotteries, and pass severe laws against the sale of tickets, as prejudicial to the interests of the people, the question arises, are not all schemes of this character liable to the same objection? There is a great diversity in the methods that are used to stimulate people's cupidity, and yet the principle involved is the same in all, however ingenious or plausible they appear. On the one hand, the plan is to extort money, for which little or no equivalent is rendered, by

What was the experience of the states? Do lotteries foster covetousness? How? What effects do lotteries have on people? Does the size of the prizes affect tho principle which is involved in lotteries?

inflaming the avarice under a plea of charity, benevolence, and duty. On the other hand, there is the desire to get more than is given, cloaked under the flimsy and transparent excuse of liberality.

If covetousness is wrong, then no one can be justified in enticing his neighbor to its commission. It is written, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation,” and, we may add, that does not attempt to impose upon his own conscience by the argument that benevolence prompts him to invest in a raffle for a silver pitcher. Such liberality is a delusion and a snare, and is a violation of the command, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, any thing that is thy neighbor's."

nor

CHAPTER XIX.

"My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother."

FILIAL OBEDIENCE.

The helplessness of childhood.-Most animals soon arrive at maturity, and are able to leave their parents to seek food and shelter, but not so the child. Long years must elapse before it can procure its own food and clothing. The young robin needs the shelter and protection of the mater

What shall be said of raffles, grab-bags, etc.? In a lottery at a church festival, is it the church's welfare, or the hope of a prize, that induces people generally to purchase tickets? Is it covetousness? Is it right for a church to stimulate the covetousness of any person? Is it right for persons to permit themselves to be so tempted? Is it liberality that prompts the greater number of people to buy chances in a lottery, or the hope of great gain? Is it right? Repeat the text.

What is the subject of Chapter XIX? What is the text? What difference is there between the young of animals and of man?

nal nest only until its wings are fully fledged and strengthened for flight. Then it can take care of itself, for it possesses that faculty called instinct, which enables it to procure food, build its nest, and rear other broods. To man. God has given a very limited instinct, but He has imparted mind and conscience instead that can be developed only by long discipline.

Childhood is a protracted pupilage, and its education must come largely from the father's commandment and the mother's law. Patience, gentleness, kindness, watchfulness, days of care and nights of anxiety, are spent in ministering. to the comfort and supplying the wants of the infant. Parental love spares neither labor of body nor weariness of mind in securing the happiness of the child. What, then, is due from the child to the parent? It is written, "Honor thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thec, and thou mayest live long on the earth." This is God's. command and the promise attending it.

"Honor thy father and mother."-The direction to honor implies that we shall respect, reverence, love, and obey our parents in all lawful requests. Children are under an obligation of gratitude, aside from that of authority, to render these returns for all the years of care devoted to. them. This honor must be exhibited by kindness of manner, gentleness of behavior, a pleasant voice, an agreeable countenance, and a cheerful and willing yielding of the will of the child to the desire of the parent.

Filial obedience.-There are certain rules of action prescribed by parents for the government of every well-ordered home. Children are under a moral and legal obligation to

What enables the animal to take care of itself very soon? Has man instinct? What has he that animals have not? Why does mankind need so long a childhood? What are necessary to the support and education of the child? What is due from the child to the parent? Why? What is the promise of the moral law? What is meant by honor? How is this honor to be made manifest? Should the parent yield to the child, or the child to the parent? Must every home have its laws? Why?