St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-22
RELIGION AND Kinks.
Ministers of the Gospel Throughout
America Agitating the Question OF
DenOuncing Roller Skating.
Many Believe the Rink Draws Too
Much from the Pew and is
Fatal TO Spirituality.
Opinions from St.Paui and Minneapolis Clergy
on the Suhject-Roller Kinks not IN
Much Present Danger.
ROLLERS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.

ROLLERS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
REVEALS OF RELIGION SAID To BE SERIOUSLY
RETARDED BY THE POPULAR CRAZE.
It is reported that the spiritual advisers OF
the country have been casting Jealous eye
at the amount of time and attention monopo-
lied blythe new fashion of roller skating. From
the Methodist Book Concern in New York,
which is the headquarters of that numerous
and influential sect, come murmurings
of disapprobatiOn. Psators all over the
country are sending in complaints that their
efforts 70 start revivals are frustrated by the
new craze; and it is said that the bishops are
seriously considering whether or not to set
the seal OF Episcopal condemnation upon the
sport. The great revivalists OF the church.
such as Tnom Is Harrison aad Widow Van
Colt, are down upon it and are praying for
relief The MetLodists have a convenient
way Of disposing Of these things. To be a
Methodist includes loyalty TO the discipline as
Interpreted by the clergy, and roller skating
will follow dancing in the procession of pro-
hbited amusements. Not among the Meth
odists alone but in all denomin atoms COM
creep to the surface an undcrtone OF com
plant against this form of entertainment
The different lights in which this sort of
sport is regarded by teachers OF
religion may be briefly stated: Those who
take the somewhat scpulchral view of life
that it is period of preparation for the tomb
are apt TO regard Kinks as an abomination
and the practices INDUCED in them as "a
snare.
There are others who regard all amusement
with favor which is not harmful per Sc
either to health or morals, as long as it keeps
its proper place as i recreation, subordinate
TO and Of very little moment compared with
the real business Of life. To them roller
Kinks are good in their place; the amusement
Is rxhilaratiug, invigordtiug and recreative.
They only fear lest its fascination should so
swallow up the minds of the participants that
they should regard the world as vast skat-
ing rink and the business OF mans life 10
lower the dve-nile record.
DIVERSE VIEWS.
4 third class of ministerial observers favor
almost any device to tighten the dark shades
in life's panorama, aud look on roller skat-
ing in the abstract as philanthropic iDven-
ton. But they have doubts as 10 its desira-
bility from practical standpoint. They see
in roller Kinks popular places OF resort in
which the pleasure is not of mental or
moral but Of purely physical order, and so
attractive to everybody who like recreation and
consequently patrouiZed by motley crowd OF
people good, bad and indifferent. They may
believe in the essential honesty and good in
tent OF the managers OF the Kinks, and that
their purpose IS to keep out all improper
characters, but they also are acquainted with
the exceeding wileful stratagems of the devil
in insinuating his agents into good society.
They see a difference between roller Kinks
and the concert room or opera house where
the people 10 be amused sit in separate
chairs, their attention being eoncentered on
the performance. At the rink. however,
there is much promiscuity. Introductions
are frequent, circumstances are favorable to
making new acquaintances and many OF
them, and, In short, it is liable to become
open 10 many of the objections urged against
the public ball.
Then, again, there are those who have
great faith in human nature, and believe
that person Of good morals and purpose
wont become contaminated by associations
in roller Kinks. On the other hand they see
IN the amusement counter attra .tion To the
saloon and low theater, more efficacious and
ailuring than the prayer meeting and Young
Mems Christian association, and so hail il as
. great aid to practical morality.
The GLOBE has been at pains to secure
EXPRESSIONS OF OPINION
from some OF the representative teachers OF
religion on this subject IN st. Paul and Min
ncapos, which it presents herewith.
Before calling attention to these state
meuts, IL the reverend gentlemen wont
object to being placed In such company, the
GLOBE would like 70 quote from a CONVERSE
ton held few months ago with the propre-
tor Of one of the principal billiard aud bar
rooms in Minneapolis. His talk NAV be
takcu'us thoroughly representative OF the
feeling Of people in his business 10 both
cities, and may or NAV not be thought TO
have a bearing on the subject as here con-
sidrred.
This roller skating Is really very serious
thing for Us, and gives deeper hue 10 the
black eye we received at the hands Of the
high license and patrol district ordinance
There are thirteen or fourteen of them in
Minneapolis, uud they draw from us a great
deal Of patronage. Why, look here,'' Git was
iu the evening that the conversation took
place. Il used 10 have from twelve to twenty
billiard and pool tables running every even
ing from TO IL o'clock Now. YOU sec.
there are only four men playing pool and
two at the billiard tables here. Where NV
receipts were $50 and So a night, they have
dwindied down to Sl2 and $40 When the
roller craze dies down We expect to do BUSH
ness again, If its fashionable for Young
men 10 60 "a them and have an evenings
sport for 81 or 30 cents they won't come here
aud leave their dollars With me"