Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-10-19
EPISCOPAL CHURCH FESTIVALS
Rev. DIR. white, of Calvary Church,
Heard From at the Protestant
Episcopal Ghnreh Convention, In
session "a Boston, Mass.

Rev. DR.. white, of Calvary Church,
Heard From az the Protestant
Episcopal church Convention, In
session "a Boston. Mass.
The following extract from the pro.
cesdings Of the Protestant Episcopal
convention is taken from the Boston Ad-
vertiser:
The Rev. DR.. White, of Memphis,
Tenn, offered the following:
Resolved, That the right reverend
bishops be respectfully requested 10 ex-
press their opinions as to the propriety
OF the various instru mentalities adopted
for raising funds for the support of the
church.
Upon this resolution the author Ad.
dressed the house as follows:
Mr.. President-I assure you il is with
the deepest reluctance that | rise to ad.
dress an assembly so large, so learned,
so experienced and so pious on the sub
Ject / am about to bring before it. II a
sense OF duty did not prompt me l would
be silent, and | hope, gentlemen, to &C.
cupy your attention only for a few mo-
ments to a matter that has given me
much anxiety. / have been a minister
of our holy church for fifty years; / am
attached to its form of worship, to its
doctrine and to everything connected
with it; and if it was necessary, gentle.
men, l would fight, although not
naturally a brave man, for every
shred in the vestments and every
line in the prayer : book. But my
attachment to the church does not bind
me to an evil that extensively prevails.
Do you ask, gentlemen, what is that
evilR | answer, the improper instru-
mentalities that are used to secure funds
for the support of the church. | do not
object to a mans kissing his wife on
Sunday, or-or anything of a puritsnical
nature. Loud laughter. l am fond
OF innocent recreation, renewed laugh.
ter and all who know me well will ties.
tify with what zest | enter into the 10.
Doeent amusements of the day. But,
gentlemen, | protest against the instru-
ments that are adopted to sustain our
church. | must be very particular now,
gentlemen, and | tell you what | object
TO: | object to ice cream entertainments;
| object to voting for the prettiest girl 10
the community; | object to rafting; |
object to waltzes, and | object to round
dances, and to everything of this kind.
[ believe, gentlemen, hat the evil spirit
has never invented an engine more
likely to demoralize our people than
the methods now taken to support the
church. 1t throws practical religion
out of the question; it actually
turns the young people of cur church
crazy in regard to these matters. Let
me illustrate: Three or four young men
have no position in society, and DESTROYS
of getting acquainted with girls, approach
some two or three old ladies Of the church
and say, Don't you want an entertain.
ment for the purpose of paying the min
listers salary, or the assessment for the
bishops, or to furnish the minister with 9
carpet or some other article of furniture
If you will make the arrangements VIC
will see that the expenses are paid
The ladies responded in the affirmative
These young men meet together and beaI
the expenses of the entertainment, anC
they dance till two or three o o'clock in tn,
morning. The effect is to demoralizi
the young people and to make thesl
young people think that religion consist
in matters Of this kind. | OH ct I,
these instrumentslities because | an
an advocate of the offertory. l thinl
the man who contributes to the churcI
one cent is as much a worshiper O
God as the man who makes the most al
dent player. Giving is an act of Wei
! ship. 1t is the only way Of giving recog
nized in the bible, and these fairs, enter
!, tsinments and festivals, in my opinion
are contrary to the teaching of scripture
contrary to the dignity OF the church
We profess to be very aristocratic in on
notions, very exclusive we belong +
) THE church. How notifying, then, wheI
| pass through the streets of the cit,
and hear outsiders say: us it rossibl
that the Episcopal church resorts (,
such methods as these to support it
ministers2' Even men OF the world ar
opposed to methods OF this kind.
DR.. Adams, Of Wisconsin, moved I,
amend the resolution by substituting tn
word improperly for "propriety."
DR.. White accepted the amendment
/ aud the resolution was then adopted
with a few dissenting voices. A division
however, was called for, and resulted il
the passage Of the resolutions by a vot
/, Of $50 ayes to 70 noes.