The evening times., 1900-04-12

NEW YORK, April 12.-It more than
a mere coincidence that three OF the mo i
influential of the Eastern conferences Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church have re-
Gently adopted memorials to the General
Conference requesting the elimination from
the Book OF Discipline OF the present in
hibition against dancing, card playing, and
theaGegoing
This action is part OF a concerted move
ment on the part Of the younger and moIe
liberal element Of the church.
Similar. resolutions will be passed by
other district conferences throughout TIE
country, and some of the best-in -o.1ned
clergymen in the denomination believe Iris
radical change will be adopted by a large
vote by the General Conference, wh:ch
meets next month in Chicago.
The pastor OF one Of the largest Meth
odist churches in Manhattan said yestcr-
day: This clause in the Discipline is
practically dead letter SO far as
know nobody in the Methodist Church his
been disciplined for years, either for dane
ing or for attending the theatre"
The Rev. Ezra 5. Tipple. pastor Of ST.
James Church Madison Avenue and One
Hundred and Twenty-sixth Street. who in
troduced the resolution in the New York
Conference Tuesday said yesterday.
The proposed change n adopted will
erase from paragraph 24S of the Discipline
the words dancing, playing at games Of
chance. attending theatres. horse races. cir
cuses. dancing parties, or patrOnizing
dancing schools
This would not in any way weaken the
1ef of h..
Tipple said. toward questionable amuse-
meuts, but would rather strengthen II.
The appeal is 10 the individual conscience
and TO the Word Of God. It does not in
dicate tendency 20 conform 10 the world
DO YOU believe that dancing is sinful
not dancing Of the Haymarket kind. but
dancing, for instance. with ones own
friends and in ones own homer"
Il is not sinful per Sc. 1t depends
upon the surroundings the circumstances.
the influences attending it,"
The Rev. DR.. George p. Mains
formerly Of Brooklyn. and now connected
with the Methodist Book Concern. at No.
l50 Fifth Avenue. urges the repeal Of the
Objectionable clause in a long article in the
Methodist Review"
Il believe" said Or. Mains that this
section OF our Discipline which was il
serted by the General Conference OF 1872.
index expurgatorius Of amusements, was
a most grave blunder Of ecclesiastical leg
islation. / believe that the effect Of this
distinctive enactment has been to dam
age and belittle the ir.- Ience OF our de-
nomination. / have often had the feeling
that in much of our Church teaching the
mistake has been made OF taking narrow
views Of the Legitimate sphere Of Christian
life.
Tine embodiment Of this legislation in
our Book OF Discipline exposes the Meth
Odist Episcopal Church to a damaging
popular aversion. / know of several cases
where we have lost the membership Of
most excellent young people because they
could not make themselves believe that
FOR them certain things were wrong"
The Rev. J. O. Wilson, pastor OF ST. An
drew's Church. in West Seventy-s xth
Street said: Il think It likely the propos-
cd change will be approved by the General
Conference. It must not be inferred in
that case. however. that the Methodist
Church is taking a position in favor OF the
psstimes IL now debars.
The present list Of prohibited amuse-
ments says nothing about attending prize
fights or cockhghts, but nobody would in
fer that the church favors those diversions
So far as dancing and theatregoing axe
concerned, many Of our young people in
dulge themselves in those amuseme ats
anyhow. and there is a growing tend auly
TO resent the fact that our church alone
singles out amusements to be put under
the ban specifically. which in themselves S
may be harmless. In sense this move
ment is one toward greater IiberaIity. II
makes each member the judge before his
own conscience Of what he ought to 60 in
seeking his amuSeDentS' 90