The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-21
THE METHODIST FOOT
NEW DISCIPLINE MAY COuNTENANCE
THE LIGHT FANTASTIC TOE.
Ministers Opposed to WORLDLY Amuse-
Losing Ground with Young People.

/
| Church, have been the bugaboos which
/ have haunted the younger members of this
denomination for years. The dictum against
| these popular forms of amusement was
/ laid down when the great mass of Method
| lists were in sympathy with them. The
trend of the times and of public sentiment
/ is toward more liberal views on the ever
| mooted question of what kind of amuse-
ments Christians may indulge in. AS the
Methodist Church originally drew the line
/ most sharply, the change of sentiment is
more marked in this denomination than in
/ others.
tlcularly strict sect to do away entirely
| with the prohibitive rules against spec al
| forms OF amusement and to leave the matter
/ entirely to the conscience of the individual
church members. Singular as it may seem,
TINS movement is not suggested by the
| laity, but is being brought about by the
clergy. The prophecy is freely made by
those familiar with the situation that at
| the next assembling of the General Confer
ence of the church the objectionable clause
| in the Discipline will be expunged
The matter was quite thoroughly dis
cuSSed at a recent session of the New York
weekly preachers meeting. At that time
| q paper in support of the proposed change
| of the prominent divines of the denomina-
llon some opposition was raised, and one
minister declared that "theater.gosrs and
remark was greeted by chorus of 'snoes'
and "pshaws, from all quarters of the
aSSemblage.
There is one paragraph in the Discipline
| which meets with unanimous approval 1t
| is against the taking of such diversions as
cannot be taken in the name of the Lord
Jesus" This rule leaves the matter en-
| tirely to ones conscience. In another por-
ton of the church discipline, however, are
mentioned various offenses for the COM
mission of which church members may be
expelled; Among the things enumerated
| tiers. ETC. This part of the rules of the
church it is proposed to entirely wipe out.
a CLERGYMAN'S VIEWS.
Among the clergymen who have pro-
nounced ideas on this subject is the Rev.
Richard Johns. pastor of the Asbury Meth
odst Episcopal Church, of Hackensack, N.
J. In defense. of the stand which he has
taken he said:
There is considerable agitation among
our people concerning disciplinary rules
specting popular amusements. The general
rule mentions among things forbidden 1.-The
taking of such diversions as cannot be used
in the name of the Lord Jesus" That rule
GENTLY explicit, placing the matter just
where it belongs-on the individual con-
science of each Christian.
with great inconsistency we give this
rule-at once simple, Scriptural and COM
prehensive-and then in the body of the
which member may be brought to trial,
and if found guilty expelled, namely, The
buying, selling or using intoxicating liquors
beverage, dancing, playing at games
of chance, attending theaters, horse races,
circuses, dancing parties, or patronizing
1.-The item ON dancing is more frequently
referred to than the others. / do not be-
practice is destructive of ali spiritual life
and susefuln ess, but in giving minute di-
rections and specifications such matters
the General Conference has extended its
proper functions. 1t has right to get
up lot of rules and regulations not to be
found in the Scriptures, and to impose them
RESPONSIBLE
Thinking men will resent the idea of SUBJ
jecting their moral judgment to the decis-
ion of majority vote of General Con-.
ference of fallible men. 1t is felt that
Christianity. is not system of legal re-
straints, but rather a divine life, glad and
free.
ITO follow this way of particular specifi-
cation to its logical end we shall soon have
mass of rules that will apply to the whole
of our personal conduct, and our Book of
Discipline will rival the statutes of New
Jersey in rninuteness and voluminousness
why mention few things and omit
others of equal Importance. We want
ference on several things. For instance.
what about baseball? Is it wrong to wit
ness the struggle between the New York
and Baltimore clubs for supremacy? And
how. about the popular game of football?
Is this among the dark things not to be
a game Of chance? Must it include chess
and checkers as well as cards?
WEAK SPOTS IN DISCIPLINE.
'The twentieth century may introduce
some new forms of amusement and to keep
up with the times the Methodist Discipline
must have special mention of them ALL
No. this is all wrong. The men who sit
in the General Conference do not know any
more about these things than know my
self A vote settles nothing on these lines
The Bible gives us the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus and that beautifully
applies to the ever-changing conditions of
human character and conduct. We need
nothing more for our guidance
The classification is unjust Here is a
Wonderfui mixture of things bad and things
indifferent. all in the same lump. The sell
ing or rum by a church member is placed
on par with looking at horse race. The
other day our citizens improved the good
Main street. One old gentleman said to an
other: Keep your eyes from looking on in
nqaty What sa is fhe t Gtner Mhy net net
racing hosses. But, according to this rule,
be liable to trial and expulsion from the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
tho Joining sar,i IN square dance in parlor is
pernicious associations. Does not every one
know that there is vast difference be-
my conversion attended a theater found
that, somehow, all interest was gone / left
according to the Methodist Discipline. should
one want to see presentation by master
ike Henry Irving. the act could be visited
with the same punishment as attendance on
low theater on the east side of New York
say, either be more discriminating or ex-
punge this whole paragraph.
Referring to the frequent refusal of young
people to join the Methodist Church on ac-
count of its stringent rule against dancing,
Mr. Johns said: II find that persons hostile
to the Methodist Episcopal Church use this
in their efforts to attract young converts
to other churches. Many young people are
thereby repealed from us. Even some who
do not dance, and probably never will. do
rot like to make promises which they
are not sure they win always want to keep.
and are unwilling to connect, themselves
with a church which seems to be stringent
and inquisitorial about things that seem
to them perfectly harmless. Such sincere
but immature minds may be led to self
sacrifice for Christ'S sake. If the way is
made clear by instruction rather than by
law"
opinion is that the general rule is all right
and sufficient. but the paragraph contain
ing the specifications will be greatly mod
flied by the next General Conference. MANY
fear that the change would be construed
as a sad departure from well-known Meth
odist views but such is not the case Tt
would bring us hack where we were, and
place the stress of Judgment upon the orig
inal rule, which can never be improved
upon.
From Bethlehem to Calvary.