The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-23
PARsoN ARNEY IS SORRY.
The Minister Who Got Up q Horse
Race Won't Do Il Again

of horses in his neighborhooi 70 trot their
swiftest animals for prizes At any
rate that was the way in which
the story got around the country.
There was a race, and the Methodist
minister, it was reported, not only con-
Quoted affairs, but sat In a sulky behind his
speediest horse and ran him to victory.
Parson Arney very soon obtained wide
notoriety. The ministers of churches not
far from his home preached sermons of
severe denunciatlon. The MethOdists gen
orally didn't know exactly what 70 think
of minister who could talk from the pull
pit on Sunday and manage a race track on
a week dav So great became the scandal
that Presiding Elder Barnes of Kalamazoo
drew up charges against the ministerial
lover of the turf and presented them before
the Methodist conference which met here
this week
Before the conference convened the Rev.
| Mr.. Arney was interviewed. He said he
know that he was going be hauled up, but
he declared that his conscience didn't have
any spots on it, and he was sure that he
would get through all right. He said that
a little after the race the district confer
ence met and held an inquest upon his con-
duct He told his story, and his brother
minister's decided that there was nothing
to make a fuss about. The Rev. Mr.. Arney
explained that his labor in the vineyard of
the Lord didn't bring him in many skekels,
that he wanted to have some more money
and he didn't see any better way to get it
than to avail himself of his knowledge of
horsefiesh. Without being horsey man,
be is at the same time fond of horses.
he says he can't help this; it was born in
| him, andthe isn't at all ashamed of it.
Some twelve or fifteen months ago he
made horse trade, and got the best Of the
bargain. He continued buying and selling
horses. The extent of his bushes ability
30 81
some Boston financiers he bought eighteen
| or twenty horses, and that in the course of
| his transactions he picked up two or three
| youngsters that had a strain of good blood
in them. 1t was the acquisition of these
young horses that got Mr. Arney into his
horse race difficulty. AS a minister of the
gospel he wandered a little way from the
prescribed and customary duties OF a
preacher ordained, when he had started as
horse agent, therefore when he became the
owner OF two or three smart bits of flesh of
excellent shape, vigor, and fire, it perhaps
did not seem altogether improper that he
should find out. just the same as John A.
Morris, or either of the Dryers. or any
other out and out racing man, exactly what
those horses could do on regular race track
with crowd of people looking on and a
purse to excite speed.
The long and short of it is that the Rev.
Mr.. Arney yielded to his inclination TO test
| those horses, and won for himself not only
whole lot OF money, but great deal of
trouble. When the case was presented to
the conference by Presiding Elder Barnes,
Bisop Andrews appointed a committee to
consider the matter. The revered sports
| man defended himself with vigor. He told
the committee that il was really necessary
Tor him 10 have more money; that the horses
| which he had obtained we're too valuable to
keep and too good to sell TO any of the farm
ers around, because they wouldn't pay what
| the horses were worth. Then, to use the
| Rev. Mr.. Arney's own language, he said:
| Il thought a race might attract some
attention to my horses, and that
the speed they showed on the track
! would help to sell them. ! talked to some
| of my friends, and the race was the result.
My name did not appear on the programme,
and did not drive my own horses, as the
papers represented. We had more horses
were at first intended. On that account we
received more advertising than we had con-
| tracted for; In fact, the advertising went
far beyond my expectations My horses-I
mean these three that were engaged in the
race-would bring at least 81 900 more to-
day than they would before the meeting. 1t
| would be easier for me to sell them now,
and here is where my profit would come
| IN. The prizes offered to the winners
were merely nominal. We had good
order and a pleasant time. No gambling
| was permitted, and there wasn't a feature
in the whole day against which OBJ
lection could be made. The Christian Ad-
uOcdte severely criticised me- and Elder
Moore asked me to write a letter to the
editor of that paper making my statement
of the case. Elder Moore suggested that |
should explain that had known what the
results would have been | would have had
nothing to do with the races. Now, was
not prepared for this suggestion and would
write nothing but a personal letter to the
editor, because l went into the race with
my eyes open, with a purpose in view, and
| do not regret my participation in it in the
least. | am deeply interested in christian
work. l am fond of preaching. l have
worked hard among my people, and the re-
suits of my work are most gratifying. II
/ have an innocent fondness for horse
that is my affair, and hold that properly
conducted horse race is innocent amuse.
ment. My own church people understand
my position and want me TO come bach
another year"
The committee sat in secret session, and il
is little bit difficult to find out whether the
Rev. Mr.. Arney told them of the rather
favorable letters he had received from min
listers and laymen who had read of the now
very widely-known horse race, and of tbs
causes that led Mr.. Arney to engage in it
1t is reported that he received some very
sympathetic letters from quite well -kno WI
clergymen. to say nothing of notes of con
graduation from all sorts of people in al
most every state in the union. If it is true
that the minister was commended for hi.
conduct by so many people and so many
fellow ministers, it would be extremely in.
teresting if he should publish the names o.
those who have approved his course. II
would show, at least, that he does not stand
alone in his belief that minister may, with.
out discredit to the cloth, have great dea
to do with horses and horse racing.
1t took the committee three days to find
out all they wanted to know about the pro
priety Of any minister appearing upon G
race track, and the propriety in particular
of the Rev. MIR. Arney's action on the
course at Saranac. After all the state
ments were made the committee became
convinced that the Rev. Mr.. Arney was q
good deal of a horse man. There was evil
dence that he had made practice of train.
ing and racing horses. Although the min
lister had said that before his trial, he
would not submit to any conditions that
might DO imposed on him by the confer
euce, that 50 far as he was concerned he
didn't care whether he was suspended OF
not, nevertheless, upons consideration, and
after having been persuaded by some
of his friends, he experienced d
change of heart and pledged himself
that he would never again indulge in horse