DECK OF CARDS
Recorded by T. Texas Tyler
Traditional Arrangement
 
NARRATIVE:
   During the North African campaign, a bunch of soldier boys
had been on a long hike and they arrived in a little town
called Cascina. The next morning being Sunday, several of
the boys went to Church. A sergeant commanded the boys in
Church and after the Chaplain had read the prayer, the text
was taken up next.

   Those of the boys who had a prayer book took them out, but
this one boy had only a deck of cards, and so he spread
them out.  The Sergeant saw the cards and said, "Soldier
put away those cards."  After the services was over, the
soldier was taken prisoner and brought before the Provost
Marshall.

   The Marshall said, "Sergeant, why have you brought the
man here?" "For playing cards in church, Sir."  "And what
have you got to say for yourself, son?"  "Much, Sir."
Replied the soldier.  The Marshall said, "I hope so, for
if not I shall punish you more than any man was ever punished."

   The soldier said, "Sir, I've been on the march for about
six days, I had neither Bible nor prayer book, but I hope to
satisfy you, Sir, with the purity of my intentions."

With that, the boy started his story:

   You see Sir, when I look at the "ACE", it reminds me that
there is but one God;

   And the "DEUCE" reminds me that the Bible is divided into
two parts; The Old and the New Testaments;

   And when I see the "TREY", I think of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost;

   And when I see the "FOUR", I think of the four Evangelists
who preached the Gospel.  There was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John;

   And when I see the "FIVE", it reminds me of the five wise
virgins who trimmed their lamps.  There were ten of them, five
were wise and were saved.  Five were foolish and were shut out;

   And when I see the "SIX", it reminds me that in six days,
God made this great heaven and earth;

   When I see the "SEVEN", it reminds me that on the seventh day,
God rested from His great work;

   And when I see the "EIGHT", I think of the eight righteous
persons God saved when He destroyed this earth.  There was
Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives;

   And when I see the "NINE", I think of the lepers our Saviour
cleansed.  And nine out of the ten didn't even thank Him.

   When I see the "TEN", I think of the Ten Commandments God
handed down to Moses on a table of stone;

   When I see the "KING", it reminds me that there is but one
King of Heaven, God Almighty;

   And when I see the "QUEEN", I think of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
who is Queen of Heaven;

   And the "JACK" or "KNAVE" is the Devil;

   When I count the number of spots on a deck of cards,
I find 365, the number of days in a year;
There;s 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year;
There's 4 suits, the number of weeks in a month;
There's 12 picture cards, the number of months in a year;
There's 13 tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter;
So you see, Sir, my pack of cards serves me as a Bible,
Almanac and Prayer Book.
 
"And friends, this is a true story, because I was that soldier."

Note. Some sources credit T. Texas Tyler as the writer of the song.
However, other sources say it was the basis for a sermon by a 
preacher in the late 1800's.