Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-03-20

Ths sf-lao.isst Caas.ch Caasl.1ers oas
nss 80 sac Otaer aaa Csatela ,l4ts.
Aetssa - lae eel1+r trsss.
~ @ee.sf s. co8rier-4 -4aaFia.tl
Ea tstsag sassfl.a az ne
b4k Caeerl- Wtlca Is tas
kat elts - tas Meta3iist Bishops II
fss U3 States IS whether 81 al -
i4-le ea4l.1la Eeer- skating ia rIlks-
Esstf us3 orgs letters from pastors
S 8. ask fsr advice as o. ehAt attit..as they
80 ht g. assume coward ths sli-absorollg
spt 4aF d flel ssy that their s,farts
e. stft regiFals shas Wiater have beea
e.lsl. l-1.i y--f.s-ratat = toe skating craze
aieh aHass the yeaag people away fro1u
tae services. FAD charca O. th7 rAstime IA
lae ria1 Reports from the pr0fes-
s.aaal Faei.ailsts are 90 the same purport-
raes afr aAahle o. eoa uant the suce-ss
of former years 90 eqasnce ~ the DIS
traeUan. Harrison. the Boy Preacher
iun' r.- iae Bishops e. sue manifesto
oa tl taiat as a. whether this sort of skat-
tls is aat es-enfially the same 10 character
as taa dancing which M MathodisA positively
prohit4ts ina pabNe assemblages. The
Widow Nan C0it > emphatic in denounc-
ing the amusement ss wicked. aud the
tendency 0l most % che cores spondence Is
Of that tenor. Bat pastors generally
hesitate, without the authority OF the
Bishop. % 90 a stand ia the matter
Taus far fhe Bishops have confined their
replies a. private and unofficial advice.
Rev. Dr. Curry, about a. expert Metho-
dist as there is on points of discipline, said
IA answer 70 an inquiry of your cores
poRdent:
4" Roller-skating ia public riaks is not a
whit different, in its moral aspects, from
dancing In bali rooms. The discipline Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church Is con-
strued 10 placr dancing in mixed assem-
biages under the han which n explicitly pro
nounces against as ungodly aud demoral-
+ izing amusemeuts / don't intend 70 give
+ YOU the views Of the Bishops on this sud-
denly important questionable gentlemen
! are scattered throu ghout the country
oa duty, and there will be no meet
ing before the end of the skating sea-
SON, unless one be called for the express
purpose Of dealing with this topic-but
have. individually, no doubt what their
decision viii be.
In the meantime Rev. D. Buckley, ed
itor of the ott cial organ Of ths Methodists,
tels SO certain OF the pernicious quality OF
the riuzs that be viii alvise pastors "a
preach plainly against them. and forbid
their members to indulge publicly in the
sport. The policy viii be To inveigh
against the sport as physically injurious
too. The opinions of eminent physicians
so far as they agree with this idea, are K
be AT once secured and published. 1t car
be set down as a positive fact, therefore
that Methoiism is going 10 wage warfar,
on the rinks..
Inquiry among the leading manufactur
ers OF roller ska tes, 50 far as they are rep
resentented bv agencies for the wholesal,
trade in this city, elicits the news that the
reh gious opposition will be combatted t,
some extent Some of these firms are own
ers of patents, and the rivalry between
them is rather bitter but they have so fal
combined as % order for distribution grea
quantities of a tract which is being pre-
pared in their interest. The opinions N
number OF medical, gymnastic and theo
logical experts viii be given to prove that
unless indulged into excess, roller skat
Ing is in every way beneficial These tracts
viii be- sent free to all the rinks in the lanC
for disfribution