The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-21
THE RACING PASTOR REPENTS.
Rev. MT. Arney's Races Were Square
He Won't DO IL Again.

He won't DO IL Again.
Following is the report Of the investigat-
ing committee of the Muskegon, Mich,
NJ. E. conference. in the case Of Rev. J. w.
Arney. the famous racing pastor of Sara
mac, Mich. The report was adopted.
Your committee, to whom. was refer red
certain rumors and publications concern
ing the Rev. John W. Arney, would re-
spectfully report that In its opinion there
can be little question concerning most of
the facts in the case.
ing one or more horses. He did this for
exercise and personal pleasure, IS well ss
Tor the possibility Of pecuniary profit by
their sale, especially after they had been
thoroughly trained. In some cases of spe.
cial promise he sent them to professional
trainers. He AYERS to US that his con-
science never indicated to him that this
WAS wrong and denies to as the truthful
ness Of many OF the unwise and improper
things attributed to him by sundry news
paper interviews, and notably the alleged
interview In the NJ askegon Chronicle of Sep
tember IL, which he never had with that
paper. 49,.
horse-race OF which 90 much has been said
to the damage of this brothers ministerial
character and the injury of the cause of
Christ He originated q horse matinee
among his immediate neighbors and
friends who have fast horses. and it grew
into consequence and importance until it
was called . race. Indeed it had, as usual
in races, IN entrance fee, though small.
for the horse. and q gate fee, and there
were some insignificant premiums for the
winning horses. This money he gave to
the drivers. and it does not appear to be
true a. stated in some Of the papers that
Brother Arney's horses were ever at races
at Saginaw or Ionia, although some of his
horses were there for speed training. At
the races, in which his horses were, at
Saranac on the 18th of July, 1890, they were
the winners. and Brother Arney was con-
graduated by the crowd in the usual way.
There does not appear to have been any
betting At this race Against this Brother
Arney guarded by declaring that any act
of betting would lead to the exclusion from
the grounds of any horse upon which the
wager was laid.
Before the race came of the matter had
got into the papers, and Brother Arney's
presiding elder wrote to him expressing
the opinion that 1t could not be true that
he was getting up race and advising him
to withdraw from all connection with It.
Brother Arney replied in respectful terms,
but thought he had gone so far that he
was in honor bound to see il through.
Brother Arney appeared before the conf
mittee ana made the following statement:
Il certainly did commit q very impru-
dent act when l committed myself TO the
project of having a horse-race at Saranac,
July %. Having obligated myself as a
Methodist minister not to sttend horse
races committed a great wrong when l
stepped aside and participated In this one.
/ certainly regret this imprudence and
sincerely regret the notoriety that has
come from that transaction, and am sorry
for the harm that may have ensued 10 the
church. l desire also to say that neither
by my act nor in my belief can l indorse
this idea of ministers engaging in such
practices as public horse-racing.'
And Brother Arney further stated that
while be remained Methodist minister he
will never again engage in horse-racing,
and that he expects to remain III the Meth.
odist church as long a. he lives.
Your committee recommended the adop-
ton of the following:
Resolved, That the Michigan Annual Con-
ference places the scale its unqualified DIS
appreciation upon eli attendance upon horse
races as especially forbidden in section 242
of the discipline and very demoralizing in
their character. And We cannot approve
of our ministers training horser or trattick-
ing in them. Indeed. we believe IS We are
reminded in our ordination TO this holy Of
fee that we should "as much as lieth in us
apply ourselves to this one thing and draw
oil our cares and studies this way"