Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-05-28
A WARM DISCUSSION
Methodist General Conference Com
mittee on Dancing Disagrees
Minority Report.

OMAHA, Neb., May 24.-Bishop Ninde
presided over to-day's session of the
Methodist general conference. There
port OF the committee on the state of
the church touching dancing and other
worldly amusements was filed with the
secretary. The committee does not
agree. The majority declares that
there Is no sufficient reason for making
the proposed change. The minority
report signed by eleven members, re-
commends the elimination of portion
OF paragraph "a and the insertion of
new paragraph, as follows:
No true Chrsian can doubt that any amuse-
ment which diminishes the spirit OF prayer or
interest in spiritual things, or disquahtes for
earnest efforts TO lead men TO the conservation
OF their hearts and lives TO God, is wrong. Nor
can any thoughtful Christian engage in any
diversion which has a pernicious effect upon
the young or which cannot safely be
initiated by them. Amusements also which
lead the worldly minded to suppose those who
indulge in then are not devoted Christians
should be avoided. He who would please his
neighbor for his good win indulge i'm nothing
whose general fleet is bad, even though upon
himself II may be Indifferent or, as he supposes,
good.
We aIe tionately urge our members not to
bliudly follow their own inclinatiOns or to inn
itate the multitude who live unto themselves,
andenioin upon our pastors the duty OF expos
tulating with those who are obviously in dam
ger OF substituting earthly joys for those Of
true reli zion,
The report Of the committee on Ep-
worth league, which was laid aside
Saturday, was taken up again. DR.,
Casw ell moved to consolidate the offices
of general secretary and editor of the
Herald, but was defeated. The
next fight was on motion
to strike out the clause per-
hitting other societies to continue
In existence on equal terms with the
league. During the argument DR..
Berry and Mr. Murray of pennsyl-
van had heated colloquy Murray
charging that there was collision be-
tween certain committeeman by which
minority report was kept out of the
conference. DR.. Maxwell of Nebraska
thought the league should be given exc
elusive right in the church.
The previous question being de-
manded a yea and nay vote was asked
by L. NJ. Shaw OF pes Moines. Il
was defeated. Mr.. Murray OF Penn
sylvania demanded a vote Dy orders,
but 1t was not ordered. DIR. Munroes
amendment eliminating the section
which provides for recognition of
other societies was sustained by vote
Of 275 to 1854.
Chaplain McCabe, as matter of
privilege, stated that the Rev. G. N.
Reed had donated $4,000 toward
building a church in Rome, Italy
The duties and authority of the
officers of the Epworth league were
then taken up. The proposition to
make the president of the league
member of the quarterly confer
ence provoked considerable opposition,
In this connection DR.. Swindells moved
that the president should be elected by
the quarterly conference and not by
the chapters themselves. Carried The
previous question on the whole report
was then ordered and the report was
adopted and the league received into
the church,
The committee on the book concern
recommended that the Rocky Mountain
Advocate, Published at Denver, be de-
clared an official paper provided there
be no expense to the book concern.
The mission committee recommended
that the annual conference in India be
authorized, with the concurrence of
the Bishop presiding, to elect as dea-
cons or elders local preachers who have
been engaged in regular work for two
years or four years respectively, The
committee ON education recommended
that post graduate courses be estab-
lished in the various colleges and asked
for more liberal endowments to estab-
lish such courses.
The Committee on Temperance and
Prohibition handed in a report on the
use Of tobacco. In substance it reads;
We are convinced that many young
people are led into habits OF dissipation
by early indulgence in the use of cigar
cites, cigars aud other forms Of narcotic
posons; therefore, we call upon our
minister and members to employ their
utmost efforts to abate this evil No
preacher should be admitted to the
General Conference who uses tobacco.
superintendent Of Sunday schools
should not use it.
The report went over for action.
DR. J. f, Berry was again reelected
official editor Of the Epworth Herald