Middletown transcript., 1898-01-22
MIDDLETowN. DEL. JAN. y, 1895
PoLTTY And PoLICY.

POLTTY AND POLICY.
The dictionary tells us one is th'
form OF government and the other thi
art Of government, and particularly al
applied to churches. Two items o.
news which have been going th'
rounds of the press turned our thought'
Id this direction. They are as follows
Rev. Alfred Smith, pastor of wesle,
Church. DoYer, made the following state
ment in recent sermon, relative to th'
capital of Delaware: During my min
istry. which has covered period of twenty
years, six of which were spent in the presid
ing elders office, have never seen plac,
where there is so much worldliness as Their
Is in the town of Dover" This statemen
was made in sweeping condemnation o
church members becomingI members 0
clubs in which card-playing and pool ar,
prominent features. The club member
are, Of. course, on the warpath.
y
The denuDciation of the Kent Club BY
members of Wesley Church will cause tha
church to lose s.. 1000, which sum promi
nent citizen of Dover had intended to give
to the church on the occasion of its rededi
cation, next month. He will save the
money for some church whose members dc
not deride the Kent Club.
We do not wish to have a finger in
the Dover pie but the situation is sug-
gestive. There must be considerable
feeling over the matter, judging from
the communications in the papers pub
lished in Dover and the correspondence
In the Wilmington dailies. 1t may be
true that the people of Dover are
"worldlyo above their fellows but we
scarcely think it true that ga prominent
citizen' or any other citizen able to
give $1,000 to the improvements of a
church, or half that sum, would feel
constrained to withhold his aid from q
permanent improvement merely be.
cause of a difference of opinion as to
the influences of a club. A minister
in the pulpit and out Of it has an ad-
vantage and often makes undue use Of
it. In the pulpit he cannot be ans
wered and out of it he may use his
ministerial cloak to prejudice the peo-
pie without being called to account.
We are glad to say we believe it is the
exception to abuse the ministerial
privileges, and a free press to-day would
not long suffer such condition.
But our thoughts are of the polity
and policy of the churches of to-day
towards amusements. Which amuse-
ments are harmful? Which are harm
lessp It Is not our province to answer,
but we believe for the numerical and
spiritual growth of the church there is
no more important question to be con-
sidered, and the pulpit should answer
the question. It should be discussed in
q liberal manner and not with prejudice.
To the church of our choice, the M.
E. Church, We think this question
Of amusements especially appeals. 1t
is reported that Bishop Walden at the
Conference in Chestertown last Spring
said Of this and other matters relating
to the polity of the church, that "those
not In accord with the M. E. Church
can get on the outside where there is
plenty of room" But does the M. E.
Church want this ? To-day churches
are built with parlors and kitchens
when but just few decades since a
musical instrument was ga factor of
the devil.n The church parlor and the
church kitchen are soul inspiring if not
soul saving instruments. They are
good. The great Salvation Army has
pushed its way to popular favor by
feeding the hungry body and then ap-
pealing to the hungry soul. The times
have changed and may not the rigid
rules of the M. E. Church upon amuse-
ments be too severe to-day An en-
forcement of the rules meansa separa-
tion Of parents and children in church
Itmeans that the M. E.
Church shan be the recruiting ground
for other churches, not from proselyt-
IAg but from the difference Of views in |
the matter of conscience as to HARM
less and harmful amusements. To
sing Psalms is good but the most con-
'cientious christian does not want to
ling Psalms alwsys-not while a resi-
dent Of earth at least. Let faith and
,ommon sense combine to teach the
way SO that the church may in no way
way lose in power, influence or men,
Ders.