The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-12-29
The Relation Of the Clergy "a amo,c'
mems.


The Rev. DIR. Richard S. storrs
OF the church of the l'iletims. oI
brooklyn, IS Clergyman who doe.
not appear to be afraid % Rratif, y
taste for harmless rneroation. bt.
cause TO do Soils une0nxentional. ot
what might even be termed. 0ncIefi-
cal. A very interesting affair. nc-
eording TO our esteemed. .cnnie,npo-
rary, the Brooklyn Datlsf Lsiqle. t1ok
place at the residence OF Mr.. Frapf-
lin Woodruff, on Thursday cvenInv
and among the invited guests nfcs-
ent was the Rev. DIR. Storrg.
Ihe event was nothing less thai,{
private match of billiards between
Mr. William Sexton and Mr.. Joseph
Dion, the well known experts IN
this facinating game. A regular
three-ball game OF five hundred
points was played III fhe presence OF J
a distinguishes company. Then
the players indnl5ed IN some finc
fancy shots.npd snllsct nently every
body indulgedin teE eshments. The
occasion was one - snnOcent and
agreeable enjovnlcpt throughout.
The presenccof 4 tproininent min
ister of religion nj such an enter
tainment uels only shows strong
good sensS bnt 5 indicative, we
think, OF change in the attitude
of the clergy generally toward al.
amusements not evil in themselves.
A pronounced expression in the
changing sentiments in .thisrespoct
is found III the Bohlcn lectures for
1881, delivered at Philadelphia By
Bishop Dudley, of kentucky. This
fearless writer advocates wise dis 4
elimination as the great present
need of the church. In reference ia,
anu. ements, he declaresY
that the clergy are standing on
ground that is wholly unienabie.
81 beheve," he says, "that tho in
discriminate condemnation of ono~i
whole class of amusements and the
lndiscrimination approval OF another
has produced the effect upon the
mass of christian people 10 destroy
the valus of all sueh judgn eat
He can not see why clergy and laity
may rightfully go hand in hand to
the concert hall or reading hall
there TO hear the prima donna or
lragedian, and yet must be forbid
den to attend the opera or theatre.
The actor who refused 10 read
before n young mems
christian association is pronounced
worthy of admiration for his rebukc
to christian Inconsistency in telling
Inc young men that it could not be
right for them TO hear him read
while seated in chair, the language
hey deemed it unlawful to listen to
I spoken by the same person dressed
n character.
In games the same Unreasonable
distinctions are shown by Bishop
Dudley to exist, and cards are ta-
)ooed in households where domi-
hoes and backgammon are sources
)f constant amusements. The con-
rasts of this sort might be carried
much further. And the bishop Is
light i'll regarding the enforced
separation Of the clergy from their
people in hours Of recreation as a
mighty evil. In the bowling alley,
he Rev. DIR. Storrs is a formidable
'lyal of any member of the congro-
.atiOn. Why should he not be per-
nitted to become equally invincible
II the billiard table?
Well will it be fur the church
when it shall be fully recognised
hat what is lawful for, people IL
awful for priest, and that what the
PRIEST may not do because il is not
inful, his people too infiht forcgo.'
Every step toward the fuiier recog- !
lition of this truth is in 1he .direc-
ion of true religious pro gress.----
Yelc York Sun.