Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-05-13
A Clergyman OH Amusements

The Rev. Marvin r. Vincent, Of
the First Presbyterian Church in
Troy, has published four discourses
upon the value of amusements as a
force IN Christian training The
author answers the argument of those
who seem to find something wicked
in many of the healthful games of the
day. Mr.. Vincent says:
Youth must not dance, but thew
march TO music in company, aud go
through callSthenic exercises, involv-
ing good deal more motion than
dancing. But if people may march
to music and be guiltless, 1t is very
hard to see how skipping to music
converts the exercise into sin. 1t IS
said that the associations make the
difference but the advocate of this
theory Is shut up to proving that the
associations are Inseparable from the
amusement. Now | ask. in the name
of common sense, why not devote a
/ little Christian care to separating
from It's abuses and regulating in it.
/ conduct. an exercise which improves
I the bearing of our youth. tends to re-
lleye their natural awkwardness in
society, and gives them innocent ex-
/ hilaration. When our Young Mems
/ Christian Association removed to
their new rooms, they did so on the
/ principle that PRAYER meeting and re
/ liglous periodicals, though important
( in their place, would not of them
selves suffice to attract young men
! from without They had tried the
! experiment in their forlorn rooms,
/ under q machine shop, in an out-ot
| the-wav place, furnished as a minia-
| ture chapel, and a very seedy one at
/ that, and the result was that about
! six months ago the Association was
in 5 fair way to die and make no sign.
Young men would not 90 to that dis
NAL hole to spend an evening, when
more attractive places abounded i'm
the city and I would not if ! had
been IN their place but the Associ-
ton got a new lease OF life. 1t en-
| gagged large, airy rooms, III a central
| position. 1t kept its prayer meeting
! room neatly and appropriately fur
nished. but it added large social
parlor, its walls adorned with pic
lures, fine piano invitingly open,
the best current periodicals, secular
and religious, upon the tables, and
games OF checkers. chess and domi-
noes, distributed about the room
The young men came in crowds
They were thrown a once into con
tact with the Christian youth OF
every church in the city, with the
city pastors, with committees speci
ally appointed by the churches to
take strangers in charge, with good
music, religious literature, and limo
cent amusement
Mr.. Vincent makes some admir-.
able hits at the fallacy IN the argu.
ments of those who would shut out all
amuSements. He saws that some
! people exclaim Think of Paul
danciug. or Peter playing billiards
Do you think we shall have checker
boards in heaven p This. he saws. is
no argument-it ia sheer nonsense,
and most unworthy trifing over a
serious subject Think of Paul
dancing 7" Well. think Of him =
Think of Paul wearing blue swal.
! low-taile coat. with brass buttons
/ Think of Peter skating, cutting fig
ures of eight and performing 'outer
edge backward y Think of John in
a white crayat. or of bartholomew
/ putting up Seidlitz powders. or OF
/ Timothy running with 4 FIRE enpine