Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-03
sThe Indifferent Things"
ssA Congregational Pastor'' Replies to
 His Critics.

l.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER
 My recent article was written mainly as protest against the course of certain extrem- ists among the ministers and members of Christian churches who indulge in harsh and indiscriminate denunciation of amusements which have in themselves no moral quality, and who in their uncharitableness go even so far as to assail the Christian character of many earnest, loving disciples of the Master conscientiously differing from them in opin- ion and practice. The endorsement which, to my personal knowledge, it has received from some of our most eminent divines as well as the answers which have been written in opposition, prove conclusively to my own mind that it embodies principles which are correct and consideration of which is necessary to Q proper treatment of amuse- ments as related to healthful and true life. The old method of sweeping indiscriminate condemnation has resulted in conspicuous failure. It has not commended itself to the conscience and intelligence of the age. Broad minded, thinking Christian men and women have learned to distinguish between 8 use and an abuse in amusements Men of the world too have come to- distinguish be- tween asceticism and piety The test of Christian character with them is not whether person dances or plays cards, but whether he is honest, noble, generous, truthful. con- siderate, forgiving, loving-shows his faith in God by his Christlike works among men. However depraved they may be, they. have reason and common sense and appreciate 8 sound position equally with Christian men. It is not always to be deprecated when you carry their judgment with you. The Master said in some things, t.sthe children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light" The devil, though very wicked, is not fool have no doubt that if I had written an article opposing sermon which heard years ago on the sin of skating I should have had all the vile classes Mir Shares refers to on my side. If I had de clared that the resolutions of that Ohio Methodist conference against croquet were unwise, those same wicked classes would have approved my position rather than that of the conference. Because they agreed with me, would that necessarily prove that was wrong and those who held contrary views right I trust MT. Shares will be wiser henceforth than to apply such test without qualification. He must see the false and ridiculous conclusion to which his test would often lead. I should not thus notice it except that it is often put forth as conclu- sive on disputed point, when it is often most ineonciusive and misleading. A curious incident Illustrative of this fell under my eye 8 few years since. In conference of preach CTS 1t was stated that some good man had written an essay on the Fear of God" to counterbalance the effect of John Bunyan'a @Pilgrim's Progress ;'' the work of the im- mortal tinker being 'stoo light and entertain ing, and not sufficiently serious, since it pleased the unbeievers as well as the elect"
 am not surprised, considering the asso citations and mauner in which dancing and card playing have been and are sometimes practiced, that many excellent Christian peo- pie regard them with suspicion and aversion Personal observation of many years and comparison of views with others who have carefully watched the influence of these anusements lead me, however, to believe that the least harm will come from them, and often none at all if the pastor or parent dis eliminates between the use and abuse I say to my young friends when tkey ask my opinion about dancing: Dancing is not wrong in itself. It's associations and excesses may, and often do, make it wrong. Remem- Der life is not playground you are not here simply to be amused. You have powers to develops work to do for others. That person is indeed pitiable creature whose great aim is pleasure whose thoughts rise no higher than the next ball. game or sooia- ble; whose chief accomplishment consists in pitching or batting ball, or rolling ten-pins, or rowing, or skating, or croquet1ng, or gracefully lowing and taking certain steps. As recreations or diversions to be indulged in at proper times and to certain degrees and in good associations, all these have their