Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-10-20
THE METHODIST COUNCIL
Discusses Cause for Divorce and The
Keeping Of the Sabbath.

| II L. Sioley, Msrieus. o., spoke on
Marriage aid Divorce Laws" lie said
the Roman church msde the bohd inds-
soluble till death, While the sgnostic
sociologists urged tha: when the tic of at
fsction vas rend-d the legal bond should
De severed These, he asserted, the ex-
tremes Of Protestantism r, jected. 1t al
ways held thxt adultery was valid Cause
for divorce and generally dsseriion WAS
also.
A warning WAS uttered against the ten
dency in some quarters to confne divorce
10 the first ground. The speakers prop
osition was that the right 10 divorce is com
Elemental to and demanded oy the right to
ms srriage, not only in csse OF adultfy, but
| also of desertinn. Christ gives one ground
Of divorce, St. Paul al other. wholly differ
ent. Consequently neither nor both stated
| the law of divorce, though ca ch gave case
within and which illustrates tbxt law.
Hence it follows that the law itself is
| not a matter Of scriptursl statement, so
must be deducsd from the right to and
nature Of . marriage unior, and the Two
| causes given, iustifying Its severance. In
| substance We thirk it is this: Adultery,
desertion ard other acts, which like the
first destroys the sexual purity of the rels-
| ton, or like the second, operate to deny to
| the innocent party and society substantial
bene fl 8, go Whist is essential in the right to
| the relation If its bond be held ipdissoluble,
are valid causes for apnuilins it.
In the afternoon the first essay ess upon
"The Lords Day, and .jhe paper vas pre-
pared by Rtv. l., G. Stewart of the A. M
E. chu,ch, Baltimore, and read by DR.. II
A. JuhpsoD, A. NJ. E. church, Bermuda.
He held that the Sabbath should not be a
day Of amusement, but day sacred to tte
Lord The Sabb,th vas everything 70 the
people Ct Christianity. = day Of rist from
labor, Of prayer and thai ksgivihs. Rs
Il glon could scarcely res. without the Sab
bah. Morality does not exist long separate
from religion. No morality meant death
All Christian nations should eusrd The
Sabbath, as the Ssbbaih was the promoter
| of public morality. Those acts shcui3 not
be carrie d on by the government or with lis
sanction on the Sabbath tbst could as we'll
be done another day.
R-v. T. Brams ge Of the Wesleyan Re
form Union said lhe Sabbath vas one Of
Gods holiest and best gifts to man. The
world nefd dec rest and where ,hs Law is dis
regarded the penslsy is severe, even death.
The Sabbath 10 emineDtly social Jay, aud
without it the home life of millions of poor
toiers would be impos sible. Above all
things it was day for religion. Ii should
be observed as the Lords day.
Thomas Ruddle, B A, hesdmssier #
the Bible Christian College, SheobsAr,
England, spoke on the attitude of the
church TOW ards amusements. He said the
discussion must be strictly limited to smuse-
ments that have no oth.r end, no other
fleet than the pleasure they afford us while
engaged in them. Practically nearly every
Amusement has indirect tendencies which
to . very large extent stamp it's character
for coed or evil. In this ~sy the question
OF gambling is excluded from consideration
What ought we TO say to young man who
says: II have worked hard today in the
close atmosphere Of The factory or shop,
now mean 10 eLj1y myself ither to 20
to 4 concert or play 'ennis' The most
obvious fact forced upon as ~hen we con
suit the New Testament with a vie~ 10
snsrerir the question at Issue, is this
There have been men Who had absolutely
n, time for amusem emeats. From these facts
no argument can be dra~n against smuse
ments hat would not be equally valid
against commercial and in1 u,ttlsl pursuits.
IL we remember our Lords preference Of
a clean face and anoiutsd head to sack
cloth and a gloomy couGtenanca and st.
PAul's ever vigilant defence Of spiritual
liberty We might be COZ strained to admit
there is nothing in the spirit of the New
Tesiiment opposed to the moderate aud
rational use Of amnsemeBts. Rpmsnists
made il Council of Perfection" to live
unna,uraily and Puritsns fastened . yoke
| unbearable on every single believer. Both
have utterly failed in their purpose.
On only one principle ceul1 such severity
be justified, viz the sole business of every
man is to save his own soul from the wrath
to come. Such a principal was false. and
mistaken. The earth on which we dwell
| is adapted to mirth. Every reed may be-
come = musical pipe, every meadow a
pleasure ground and the duilest stu lent Of
the world around him might learn
| it vas meant for enjoyment.
Whatever may be the duty OF the church
towards amusements, ii IS obviously not
her duty to be host lie towards them. 1t 10
not her mission 10 provide amusements.
Her mission 10 to save 81 us and build up
spiritual charac.er. Let her use amuse-
menss when there is occasion, but never
permit smusemenis to use her
Bishop C. D. Fcn Of Philsdelphia said
the attitude Of the church must be deter
mined under we'll established preeepts.
They were recognition Of the Besd OF
smu.emenss, apprnbs'ios Of good and con-
d. m ~ ion of bad, a1d the taking Of such
diversious and such only IS can be used in
the name of the Lord Jesus. God made
man 9 laughing animal. The urgegt need
Of children vas play. as for athletics, the
,llier the better IL hal mless. But If train
ing made nothing but sptsbdid brutes and
aud games gave rise To bestiae, church COL
lssgues should frown then do ~u or pus ihs m
out. Theatre going ard promiseusu as dsE C.
ing are etseLt ally demorsfzieg. He gloried
in he Ep~orih League, hieh sent young
members from plsc,icsi Christian activities
into innocent home games and pure amuse-
menis.
Rev. Joseph Hettieton. LozdoD. held
thss the difficulty lay in drawing the line
between harmful and Innocent amusement.
Rev. B. NJ. Aeesick, 81. Louis, fourd
noihis 80 de!eserious Is the Sunday pspef.
"she abomias,io1 Of desolaiion.' Il be-
, come 90 through isself. They advertised
in IL, subscribed for il, and read IL instead
Of the Bible. The Sabbath AID the Bible
stood for all ,hss was good and great; the
SucdAy psper the reverse, the church
socc for ne Sunday paper. rns Sunday
paper vss indicssb before the bar Of God
and the chuch stood with is, ps,.ieeps