Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-13

ment is worldly in,itsslf which does not nec-
 essarily violate the fundamental law of
 Christian life-love to God and man." That is his answer. Let us examine it. Obviously anything that necessarily violates the funda-
 mental law of Christian life'' is sin lin it. self" and hence by his definition no amuse-
 ment is worldly that is not a sin per SC. This is what he says, if he avow it to be his meaning, which I think he will hesitate to do. may have some other things to say,
 and perhaps the first will be to ask him if he
 believes there is any meaning to the word
 temptation" and if so to define it. He does
 not consider the "amusements" named to
 be worldly, and kindly undertakes to com
 ply with my request to name some that are.
 I have evidently set him hard task but he
 is equal to it. Raking over his classical lore
 he comes upon one at last, the glad1atorlal shows of Pagan Rome. am obliged to him, for really it had not occurred to me that there may be danger at this point and I as- sure him if I discover any effort in the Young
 Peoples society of my church to introdace
 ''the gladiatorial shows of Pagan Rome, shall stamp the thing out even if obliged to call in the police.
 asked him ''whether in his judgment those
 who are transformed by the renewing of
 their minds and thereby enabled to prove
 what is that good and acceptable and perfect
 will of God will be for that cause more or
 less likely to participate in and enjoy the
 dance, theater, etc. " He does not answer,
 and did not expect he would, but in place
 of an answer he makes some pleasant general
 remarks, to which heartily subscribe down
 to the words 'cards and dance, " at which
 point my discriminations begin to operate
 The reporters account of the very peculiar
 religious experience of the colored children of
 Washington was probably entertaining to the
 patrons of the newspaper, and 8 fine stroke
 on the part of the reporter. As an ''inci-
 dent" it may be deeply suggestive and vivid
 ly illustrative,' but if it suggests or illus
 trates anything concerning my question No
 it is altogether too deep and wide for me to
 get hold of it.
 My third question had respect to possi-
 ply not infrequent relation between dancing and divorce. was led to the suggestion from facts which had come to my hearing in
 some of the very few cases of divorce of which have personal knowledge and going to show that there is sometimes at least connection between the two.
 Prof. Baldwin had written that dancing, etc., are not thought necessarily wrong now in many Christian families, as they were. thirty years ago. The Congregational Pas
 tor'' quoted spprovingly and added that the
 gational churches of New England" The
 pastor has "an impression that during the
 last thirty years the number of divorces in
 Connecticut has increased" His impressions are correct and hence better than his argu- ments. I have an impression also that during thirty years good many dancing hus bands and wives have danced themselves apart AS to the proportion of divorced members in the churches of the different de- nominations, for which he asks would will ingly inform him, but know of no means of coming at the information. From my personal observation I have reason to hope they are very few and far between in all of them
 My final question was, What has been the ratio of yearly increase in the membership of those particular Heading Congregational churches of New England'' of which he had spoken ''since the views of Prof. Baldwin and himself had obtained in them, as com pared with previous exhibits?" As he had referred to restrictions in matters of anuse- ment as clog on church progress, it seemed to me fair to ask just that question in just that way. However, I confess believed then and believe now, that as @ rule, in close proportion as the membership of 8. church indulge in the customs in question, is it weak to work for God and slow to grow in every :. element of real value;
 He replies that in this .State the Episcopal Church has gained nearly twice as msny com municants during 8 recent decade and the Congregational also has increased more rap idly than my own denomination. He substi- tutes the sting of the Grg,tnaenttnp Gd honpi- nean for the grip of honest logic. If cared to enter into this comparative view of de- nominational growth to which he invites me. would insist upon broader basis than the little State of Connecticut affords, and if he knows anything of the matter outside the re- port of local convention he knows I am not likely to be humiliated by the showing. Local influences affect limited spaces the broad view alone is the true one, and I may remind him that the discipline of the Metho-
 IickE EYoioo0T0o1 Gburoh ic identical opd Fc od ministration materially the same, throughout it's entire territory. But is not all of this a Aggression Are the Episcopal and Congre gational churches of Connecticut, ministry and membership, dancing, card playing, theatre-going churches ? Is the Methodist Episcopal church abso- lutely free from these things? If not he has given a fling, but not an answer. But are the Congregational churches of Connecticut satisfied with the insinuation the Pastor has made I do not assume to represent them, but deny the implication for them, and ask if am not correct that some one of the multitudes of it's ministry who have the courage of their knowledge and convictions will set me right over his own signature. l the state of the case to be similar in all the evangelical denominations, the diff ference being mainly in degree The dispo- sition on the part of the young and giddy part of the membership to indulge especially in dancing and theatre-going gives pastors and their truly religious, active and earnest members constant solicitude and anxiety; but patience and forbearance are shown them un- der the hope that the church may exercise sufficient influence to hold them from abso- lute defection until age, experience, and es- pecially the teachings of the Holy Spirit, shall have brought them to a more Christian view and practice. Whether this course be wisest, or whether bearing with the evil does not iV1ar if bo obu by making her seem to approve what she only tolerates under protest. are questions which just now are lying with painful weight upon the minds of good men.
 AS bearing upon the general subject of the numerical growth of individual evangelical churches where the amusements named are practiced and others where they are not, believe it is the verdict of univer sal observation, as well as my own, that the former have been the successful ones in win ming souls. I recognize, of course, the fact that joining church is not identical with becoming follower of Christ There is sad reason to believe that many do join the churches who have no intention to submit themselves to the will of God. Indeed, there have been cases where people were in duced to join with the express understanding that they were not to s'deny themselves or to s'bear the cross. So increase of numbers is no positive criterion of real progress. The only pa9tOr 1 nave ever AnOWn WHO hu- voeated dancing card playing and theatre going openly, was accustomed to press the superior claims of his church among the young people of his parish, on the ground that it put no restriction upon it's members in regard to these things, but furnished the best society in town, gave social prestige, business advantages, etc, etc. His practice, too. was consistent with his utterances. He danced with the young ladies of his congre- cation. which the Congregational Pastor' certainly will not condemn. He was immensely popular. He drew large Iy from contiguous congregations, while his church grew rapidly, and he was quoted 8 man of s'progress," ," an advanced thinker" and brilliant and successful man. But his career was as brief as brilliant His star sank suddenly behind the cloud of Eretched scandal and he left in disgrace. Sober Christian people thought it was an Illustration of the blind leading the blind, and certainly the result was according to the Both fell into the ditch togeth | sr, but it was not the grand old Church of he Pilgrims which was smitten by his ad- 1 ventures. I give this simply as relation of iaet for whose correctness of detail I am re- sponsible, which can be taken for precisely what it is considered to be worth