The Evening critic., 1882-03-20
SABBATH OBSERVANCE.
Action of baltimore Conference In
Regard 10 Observance of sabbath
hy Camp-Mceting Associations 80
Wnshinrfnn GrONe niNcnssctl.


Washington Grove Discussed.
An Interesting debate occurred at the closing
session Of the Baltimore Conference when the
reroit Of the Committee on sabbath Observ-
ance was read. Tho committee offered the
following resolutions;
whereas overy effort and tendency to dis.
regard the sanctity Of the SABBATH and mako IL
day OF secular business and worldly amuse-
ment among tho people Is attended with
corresponding decline In nc spirit OF enter
ment to tho great mission OF the Christian
Church.
Resolrtd, That VIC, as a church, are In hearty
sympathy with every laudable plan, ecclesi-
astical or otherwise that has been or may be
projected in the future to make tho observ-
ance sacred and universal, and enter our most
solemn protest against any compromise or
legislation that tends to abolish II ms civil
institution.
RtSoirCd, That in view Of the tendency of the
tines and the potent influence OF the secular
press In controlling the thought and morals OF
the masses, we more thnn ever leol IL our
duty, by all lust means within our power, to
discourage and arrest the circulation OF such
papers among us as assail the divine sanctlty
OF the Institution, or inslnuate an editorial
contempt for its proper Observance.
ReSoiTed That we honor the established pre-
cedent Of the brethren OF some of our camp
meeting associations In their conscientious
scruples I'm refusing to negotiate with rallroad
corporations to set at naught Gods law; and
do hereby pledge ourselves, as ministers of
the Gospel, TO defend and cXempltfy TO the ut
most of our ability the moral precepts which
they have magnined.
Rev. G. Herbert Richardson spoke in favor Of
the report. The Conference, he said, should
speak out strongly and decidedly on this
Tolnt. The brethren should say what they
mean, and do what they said. 1t was mo use
to meet in conference in March ana pass such
resolutions as these, unless In July and August,
when camp-mcctIng time came around, they
stood out against camp.meeting associations
which disregarded the action OF the Confer
,Ff NsTu xpR laaH n1rnNa al f1nFs
action TO that now proposed, and the Wash.
ington Grove CampMeeting Association had
tramplcd ON and ignored the action Of the
Conference. AT n recent meeting of that as
sociatlon, resolution was offered by Alex.
ander Ashley, esq, in opposition to the as
sociation receiving rebate from Sunday
travel on the railroads, and 1t was voted
down. When he had been asked by his Presid-
ing Elder to attend that camp-meetng, he had
declined because of Its action in regard to the
sabbath day. He believed in standing by the
action of the Conference, which was in ac-
cordance with Gods word, and so long as the
Washington Grove Camp-Meeting Association
continued It's practice In this respect, he
would not attend 1t, even If ordered to do so
by all the Presiding Elders and Bishops, too,
in the M i. Church.
He offered the following resolution in addi-
ton to those reported by the committee:
| ResOired, That we express our unqualified
| condemnation of the action of the Washington
| Grove Campaigning Association III agreeing
| TO receive rebate for Sunday travel on the
and % qs9 sr na
| meeting as long as the association continues
| such practice
Rev. ]. A. Price, Presiding Elder of West Bal
| timore district, said the Conference should be
| consistent; IL such practices were wrong, say
| So and stand by it; but we should not come
! here year after year and vote resolutions un-
| less we intended to adhere to them hereafter.
| He cordially indorsed the position of Brother
| Richardson. Rev. j. B. Vanmeter said the
| Washington Grove Camp Meeting had not only
| dsregarded the previous action of the Con
| ference, but had sought to influence appoint
ments of preachers in Washington in the in
terest OF that campaigning.
Rev. d. Peyton Brown said he had listened
| 10 some marvellous statements about the
Washington Grove Camp-Meeting Association,
| made by men who did not know what they
| were talking about. He denied that any re-
bate was received by the association from
| the railroad. The railroad company simply
took collection from each person going to
| the camp, to be applied to Its support, and
did this at the request of the Washington
| preachers meeting, and the laymen OF the
| association were not responsible for 1t.
| DR.. Lanahan said this association is COM
| posed OF laymen, and 1t was not right to put
| them on trial before this Conference. For
| himself, he intended to exercise his own judg-
ment in going 10 camp p-meetings, whatever
| might be the action of the Conference. If he
| went TO any improper place, any one that
| choose to do could arraign. him for 1t be-
fore the Conference. He moved to lay on the
table the resolution offered by Rev. Mr. Rich
| ardson.
Rev Mr.. Richardson said II was not a fair
thing for Dr.. Lanahan TO move to lay the res
| Olutlon on inc laDle JUST hltef lie Hau spoken,
and appealed To DR.. Lanahan to withdraw the
motion; the latter refused, however, where
upon Rev. Mr.. Richardson said: 'Then let
the Conference meet the Issue fairly and
squarely and say Just where 1t stands The
vote being taken, DR.. Lanahan's motion was
| lost.
| Bishop Wiley said he did not think 1t in or
der to mention any particular association in
connection with the proposed action of the
Conference; the resolution should be genesa
so as TO apply to all camp-meetlng assoc1a
tions in the Conference.
Rev. Mr.. Richardson then modified his reso
luton so as TO read:
Res0trod, That we express our unqualified
condemnation of all camp-meeting assocla
tions which agree TO receive rebate from
Sunday travel on the railroads; and we urg,
our people and preachers TO discountenanc
:. all camp-meetings that continue such prac
| tices.
The resolution was then adopted by lal g
majority OF the Conference.