The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-20
A Methodist's Device.

A Methodist's Device.
The proposition Of an enthusiastic Meth
odist layman. that Methodlsm should seek
to counterfeit the influence OF the liquor
saloons of this great town by establishing
more attractive resort for popular recre-
alton. Is interesting. though not novel,
His scheme. as he explained it to meet
ing OF Methodist preachers on Monday. is
to put up building containing large
audience room and also bowling alleys. bill
lard tables. gymnasiums. swimming baths.
and various other provisions for the
amusement of the people. on tho theory
that the devil ought not to be allowed to
monopolize the sports in which human
nature delights. He would make them
rather serve the cause Of religion. and OF
Methodism more especially; for. as he said
very truly. the original progress Of Meth
odism was among the poor and down.
trodden, or those who most need elevation
above the sordid plane OF their existence.
When wealth enters into the Methodist
churches. exclaimed WESLEY himself. fare
we'll to religion. Accordingly the Meth
odist meeting houses were formerly the
simplest and plainest Of edifces. They
offered no attractions to the eye and, they
world to enter them. Until compare
lively recent period Methodist congrega-
tons were distinguished for the soberness
Of their attire. The great mass Of
them were people in humble clrcum-
stances. whose ambitions were spiritual
and heavenly rather than carnal and earth
ly. They did not seek fashion. but avoided
Its display as temptation Of the devil. The
treasures which they would accumulate
were not Of this world. but Of heaven. Yet
by reason of their very economy and absti-
hence they laid the foundations Of earthly
wealth for their descendants. with the re-
suit that many Of the Methodist meeting
houses OF this day are as, imposing and
as ornamental as the churches from
which they turned in the old time.
A Methodist meeting house in the
Fourth avenue has Just been torn down be-
cause its congregation would follow the
march Of wealth and fashion in its upward
movement. TWAS originally the temple OF
the richest and most fashionable Of the
New York Methodists. but its Fourth
avenue situation lost its attractions for
them as they grew still richer and more
fashionable. Though they had driven to it
their brave attire. the distance from their
homes was long. and they preferred that
their carriages should stand before meet
ing house in a neighborhood more select.
The purpose OF this enthusiastic Meth
odist Is to bring back the poor and humble
into sympathy with Methodism by making
concessions to the spirit Of tho world which
WESLEY would have regarded as even more
dangerous to religion than wealth itself.
Methodism started with an ascetic protest
against all such attempts to conciliate the
flesh. It was thoroughly and essentially
Puritanical. and 1t received Its very name
as derisive epithet because OF its resistance
to the license and sporting tendencies OF a
luxurious society. 1t started out to Offset
the influence of the fox-hunting parsons
and to impress on the people the awful Sc
robustness Of this life as preparation for
the life to come. In England. and in this
country more especially. it made Its head
way by calling men away from the carnal
and the temporal and fixing their thoughts
on the spiritual and the eternal.
Beginning with this asceticism and this
uncompromising opposition to the desires
OF unconverted human nature. Method
ism grew and extended with ra-
pidity so uncxamplcd that its adhe-
rents are now more numerous than
those Of any other religious system In the
United States. except the Roman Catholic.
The Baptists. who with the Methodsts
constitute the actual majority Of American
believers. pursued simultaneously the same
line of austere teaching and example. and
they increased at a rate scarcely less ex-
traordinary. They both despised the am
bition OF the world as vain incentive in an
existence whose richest prizes are WORTH
less as compared with the spiritual rewards
of the life to come. Standing on the awful
brink of eternity asked their preachers.
shall men dance and play as il there were
no retrlbution to come Shall Christians
join with pagans in crying. Let us eat and
drink. for tomorrow we die 2
Notvery long ago Methodist who played
billiards would have been turned out Of the
fold as black sheep. A Baptist in New
England town who built bowling alley for
his private use fifty years ago was promptly
excluded from tho church. The sons OF
Baptist, Methodist. and even Presbyterian
families were Obliged to hide in garrets or
barns II they ventured TO play game at
cards. the implements OF the devil. as their
pious parents described them. The amuseL
mepts which the Methodist teoaoclast adp