"But by all thy nature's weakness,
Hidden faults and follies know.
Be thou, in rebuking evil,
Conscious of thine own."
Is Mason Long converted? God and himself only know.
Was he fully converted when he wrote "The Converted Gambler"?
If the Bible be true, and it was left for me to decide, I would answer in the language of St. Paul:
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal."
A true Christian will exercise charity toward all offenders, granting a boon of pity to the erring, and cast a glance of mercy upon the faults of his fellows. He will cherish a recollection of his virtues, and bury all his imperfections.
Is Mason Long a true Christian? Read his description of Canada Bill. Then read a true description of Bill's personal appearance on page 190 in this book. If Mason Long had never seen Canada Bill, I would excuse him, but he said he capped for him once, or at least he tried to do so.
Has he shown any Christian charity in speaking of a man in his grave? Read what he says, and you will see that he or I are mistaken.
Bill was not a thief, he was honest to a fault. He was not a large man, for he never weighed over 130. He did not have a nose highly illuminated by the joint action of whisky and heat. He did not drink himself to death within a year of 1876, for he visited me in New Orleans in 1877. He did not drink whisky at all. His great drink was Christian cider, and it was very seldom I could get him to drink wine. He did die a pauper, and God bless him for it, for he gave more money to the poor than a thousand professed Christians that I know, who make a great parade of their reformation.
The public put all sporting men into one class, called gamblers; likewise they put all church members into classes and call them Christians, etc.