St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-02
JONES' SUBSTITUTES.
Asked With What lie Would Replace the
Innocent and Harmless Amusements
of the Day,
The Evangelist Replies: Works of Charity,
Prayer Meetings and General
Doing Good.
He, However, Admits That His Posi-
ton is ImpracticabIe and Un-
reasonable.
Sam Small Expresses Deep Regrets
That the Chicago Meetings
Must Close.
Peculiar Views ON Amusements.

Peculiar Views ON Amusements.
Special to the Globe.
CHICAGO, April 1.-Rev. Sam Jones,
having repeatedly denounced all forms of
sO-called sports and amusements and enter
tainments, known and practiced by civilized
people, there is a growing desire among
many honest-thinking people to know what
that gentlemen would offer as substitute
for all these. He was called upon by a re-
porter this morning, when the following
| conversation took place:
Mr.. Jones, will you talk ten minutes on
the subject of legitimate amusements and
entertainmentS?'
me, sir, wont do that
"Will you then preach on that subject?"
II Will not promise to do that
"Haye you nothing to offer the world In
place of the things which now amnse them
and which you would take from them?''
well, the way do is this: Instead of the
theaters l take prayer meetings; in place of
gambling or billiards take the work of doing
good; in place OF bad books I read good
ones"
That will do for you, Mr.. Jones; but do
KIP Get the mass OF the people, young and old,
go take those grounds and live up TO them?''
'oh, no. 1 expect to be in the small rat
nority. The great majority are on the
paths that lead TO evil and TO hell.'
"Excus the suggestion, Mr.. Jones, but is
not your position in this matter impracticable
and unre asonablo?"
HE ADMITS IT.
II am sorry to admit that 1 think it is, bu
am bound to be on the safe side.''
Then you think there are no middle
grounds, no halfway pleasures or amuse-
ments that you would recommend between
the church and the tbeater, between the
prayer meeting and the saloon?"
"Yeu may tell them that among the limo
cent and harmless amusements on my sched-
ule are the prayer meeting, works of real
charity, caring for the sick and needy and
going about doing good, as Christ did,
But do you ever expect to capture this
great majority on that liner
II cannot say, but this general rule is good.
Let every person leave those things which
tend to evil and cling to those things which
lead to good
The interview ended by Mr.. Jones posi-
lively declining to go on record as the advo-
cate of any line Of amusementS
or entertainments to take the
place of those he assails so
relentlessly. There are many good people,
young and old, between these two extremes,
who will regret that Mr.. Jones has nothing
to suggest on this point. There are many
who believe that God tolerates recreation
and amusement, allows children to romp,
lads and girls to play, and men to laugh
without imperiling their immortal souls. Al
small, but 4
VERY GOOD LITTLE GIRL,
who is much inclined to like Mr.. Jones,
asked the writer at the close of one Of his
talks, in which he had denounced almost
every known form of human amusement:
l wonder If Mr.. Jones would think it
awfully wicked in US to play ''ring around
the rosey," because you know there is danc-
ing in it?
II will ask Mr.. Jones the next time see
him and get his ideas on that point
And then please ask him, too" said the
small. anxious inquirer, ''if 'puss in cor
ner' eau be played, or Copenhagen, because
there's kissing in that or fox and geese or
jack straws,' or old maid because old maid
is game OF cards, and Mr.. Jones says he
hates cards, and, o, please ask him about
jack strawsT l would SO hate to give up
Jack straws.'"
The promise was given and kept, but
from the interview with the evangelist here
given it will be inferred that Mr.. Jones has
much to quarrel with in the way poor, suf-
fering humanity tries to tighten the way to
the grave, and has nothing to offer in the
way of compensation but attending prayer
meetings.