The New York herald., 1871-03-28
Methodist Ministers on Fashion
able AmusementS.
Thus Far Shalt Thou Go and No Further-What
the Methodist Episcopal Church Discipline De-
mands and the Bishops Recommend
Dancing Must be Done Only to the
Glory OF God - Terrors Of the
Theatre : The Tartuffas and
Chadbands in Council.

they had had OF the debate last week. aud there
consequently pretty large attendance at the meet
ing yesterday. The Rev. ]. r. Bottome read an es-
say The subject which he took the ground that
we as people are OF nlghly nervous tempera-
ment, that our nervous system is kept continually
at its utmost tension and that relaxation and
amusement are absolutely necessary for our very
existence. But our excess OF toll finds lts counter
poise only in excess OF amusements. We have not
enough red days in our calendar; we have too much
work and little play. And in our close applica-
ton to work we leave the providing OF our amuse-
ments mainly II not wholly to women. We find 1t
easier 70 give them money 10 get what We want than
To lose an hour or n day to provide something our
selves. And so comes the round OF fashionable
folly. Everywhere excess excess.
WE ARE SINGULAR PEOPLE.
We an enigma the people OF the Old World
and not less SO to ourselves. We are rapidly aping
the customs Of old Rome and incorporating her
gods and her systems with our own. And now what
is the duty OF tle pulpit IN relation to fashionable
amuscmeDts? what shall we do, or what power
has the ministry TO arrest this evil' The pulpit Is
limited the power and force OF moral
tlnent. 1t cannot legslate against amusements,
nor can ministers complain against them,
because they are fashionable; because in so
doing they would have to condemn themselves
sometimes for The same. The decay OF national life
begins with the decay OF morals and nation can
stand long after its moral sentiments and power have
been weakened or broken down. But the pulpit
can't stop dancing shut the theatres. II may
however, wake up moral sentiment in the nation
when shall in time avert this danger Mr. Bottome,
quoting from the discipline of the Methodist Eplsco.
pal Church, opposed the putting on OF
JEWELS AND COSTLY APPAREL,
ambition pride avarlce ana other things displeas-
Coda, xvnlla hnca md
ments which cannot be taken in the name of the
Lord Jesus Where. he asked is the line OF demar-
cation 10 be drawn? The general rules laid II down
as doing "what each one knows Is not for the glory
or God, ;; thus placing members outside OF the dis
cipline Take for example, said Mr.. Bottome, the
puttlng OF gold or costly apparel. What
(tfeacher in the Methodist Church can stand
up against II, the acquisition of
wealth. What minister could resist taking a
fee simple in real estate, bonds or mortgages
other propertys Or, in the matter OF book reading.
who shall decide for me. said he, what shall read
for the glory OF God Massilon was wont to fiddle
light airs before he went TO preac but had he been
Methodist he would have violated rule OF the
discipline because he fddled. member OF this
odydancesin his own family end, according TO the
Discipline, he can
DO TO THE GLORY or GOD.
Has he violated any OF its provisions No. hut he
has gone contrary TO our notions OF lis interpreta-
ton The general rule allowing each Christian man
to be law unto himself still stands Don't de-
nounce him as sinner. lie has not violated any
law. wnat he needs most Is education up 10 that
higher standard which 81. Paul lays down when he
says. III meat maketh my brother to offend VIII
eat no meat while the world stands, lest
j make my brother 10 offend" The ball,
the dance, the theatre and the games
condemned by this meeting are too nagrant
TO be adoprcd by Christians. Ministers must try TO
turn tlem fI0m such an,isements II they indulge In
taem and II they fail III this discipline them they
can. 1t Is not necessary FOR preachers 10 carry
deca.oguc or the Discipline around with them and
threaten TO apply them TO every mduger in amuse-
ments. To aniinadyert on particular sins from the
pulpit Is but TO advertise them. Deal with them,
said he 1T the start, tnat repetition Of your
demnaton shall not be needed during your pastorae.
We
MINISTER'S ARE TOO TECHNICAL,
too much gwen TO severe definition. We either
make q hobby OF Christian holiness u doctrine or
We run 10 the other extreme. and not only do not
preach on 1t, but docaim against 1t. And thus
every Christian eye Is constantly turned toward the
surface OF things. There Is better way. "The
middle hall IL the saiest.' Gods people must be
separate people. Tney must have no fellowship
with the unrnttul works Of darkness, but rather
prove them. There is need to tell sensitive plant
OF danger; II sr1nks iistnctively. SO neither need
you bind Christian man with laws and penalties
and PROHIBITIONS; he Is a law unto himself. "My
sheep, says the saviour, near NY voice and they
Will Iiee from him. for they know not the voice OF
strangers Where the spirit Oh the Lord is there
berty-not liberty do wrong but liberty OF action
But IL my liberty works wrong or evL to another
can iorego IT, Lei the minds OF the people be educa
Ted and developed the Christian lie and the moral
tendencies be directed toward God, and with such
experience as they Will nave they VIII not then need
honabIe amlsements. Following after amuse.
but the cry OF the heart after rest irom
toll. Let II be taught that the
CHRISTIAN LIFE is NOT STATE OF vAssALAGE,
but Kingdom within Sp'1ngng up into eternal
hfe-a rest which the word cannot give. Let the
Church raise np sucn nre that the desires for lasn-
shall
win fire. II the werd puts on It's charms let the
Church DO 50 100, butiet II be the bapusn OF the
holy Ghost and OF lire. and then whatsoever wOrkcih
abomlnation or lnakel a lie Will soon disappear.
O that il from heaven might fall
And al, our sins consume;
Come. Holy Ghost tor hee cal,
spirit of burning. come
Rev. Mr. Bottom having finished the reading OF
his essay, calls were maze for Dr. FERRis. who look
the floor. lie sad that. unfortunately. perhaps he
was OF The positive make up. He had not yet
ground Cif
THE ANGULAR CoRSERs OF ms NATURE,
and he had been sad all the week because OF what
he had SAID 10 Brother Schatrer last Monday: but
yet he would Tie same thug again under SIMILAR
circumstance. rne danger OF the Methodist Epis-
copai Church to-day nc ,cons'defed to he
II accomplish victory over the powers
OF darkness around, bur the evil within is the prin-
where between the Church ana the word. The
w0rd i no longer going TO Judge US SAID he, by
remarkable distinction between the Two. and calls
u 10 come out from the world ana be separated
10 be new creation a holy people. lie
deprecated any effort toward breaking down this
Inc. There Is u axness OF churcn discipline
III the city wHlch VIII not be admitted
the country. He could not admit, Tor moment,
that every man should be law unto himself. The
Christian must not be without law ana restraint any
more tDan Others. Let every man he law unto
himself and see how many laws there VIII br.
Neither the BDle The Methodist Discipline al
mits oi any such thing, ana there must he standard
| somewhere. There are points beyond which II
not safe FOR the Curlsiian 10 travel. fne who
goes up close 10
! viii soon pass The doctor said there.
four classes OF am,lsenleDts but he dl deslg.
nate them He favored cr0qtiet as gOoo and health
ful. There are some anusenents not wrong De-,
se bur wrong III their antecedents. their history and
their tendencies anu II ls improper for 4 CHRISTIAN
10 tSe them. Dancing, theatre.going, card playing
and nove reading are among them. Ana II Will be
! found true that the man who lntluges
| IN one VIII liiuugc all. They go
! toeelher thai the dancer viii read novels
/ ana the novel reader Will 10 10 The theatre.
He did not know unti last Monday tnat u Methodist