The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-30
SUMTER. S. c.. WEDNESDAY. MAY 30 1900
DANCING, CARDS And
THEATER FORBIDDEN
Presbyterians Must Abstain
From These Amusements.
MISSIONARIES ARE HEARD

MISSIONARIES ARE HEARD
Pleas Are Made For Assistance to Push
the Work-Report Of Committee on
Home AIissions-Progress of Sunday
school Work.
ATLANTA, May s4.-The Presbyterian
general assembly by its vote urges mem
bers Of this church to abstain altogether
from dancing, theater-going and card
playing.
The report Of the committee on pas
toral letter was adopted this morning
The letter is in part as follows:
For the promotion Of the spiritual
wen-being of the church, the general as
sembly feel constrained to address all
our people g few words Of instruction
and advice on the importance OF abb
staining from such amusements as are
destructive or unfavorable to the re-
igious life of the Christian.
Under the term worldly amusements
may be included the dance, theater and
the card table. There is dancing which
is innocent in itself. There are plays
that are highly moral, and card playing
without gambling cannot be called
sin. There are also dances, stage plays,
and games of cards shat are IN them
selves harmful and contrary to the law
of God; and such being evil and only
evil are condemned and forbidden BY
the church. On these matters the church,
through it's constitution, the deliver
ances Of its courts and from its pulplts
has spoken in the strongest terms.
The question then arises: May not
Christians freely indulge III such forms
of worldly amusements as are not sinful
in themselves? In reply the general as
sembly urges our people to abstain alto
gether from the amusements referred to,
as matter of Christian prudence, ex-
ample and out of regard for the honor OF
Christ.
The reasons are assigned
l. These things are worldly and char
acteristic OF worldly as distinguished
from a spiritual life.
2. Experience shows that persons en-
gaging in worldly amusenents are easily
led into such indulgences as are wrong
in themselves.
3. Worldly amusements are not favor
able to a growth in grace.
The report of the committee on home
missions showed two new presbyteries
and Is new churches. For local home
missions $4,000 had been raised during
the year.
When the recommendation came up
for consideration Rev. J. ?. LLOYD, a
missionary from the Indian Territory,
presented the claims of his field III an
Interesting address.
Rev. Robert Hill Of Dallas. Tex,
spoke for the Dallas presbytery, urging
the great need of funds to prosecute the
work. The Dallas presbytery covers a
territory extending $50 miles, embracing
a population of 100000, with only eight
self-supporting churches and 1908 Pres
byterians. In one county there were
more Methodists than there were Pres
byterians in the entire preSbytery; III
another single county more Baptists.
Elder J. S. Munce of Richmond made
a strong appeal for better methods IN
raising the invalid ministers fund. tie
said it was the shame and reproach OF
the church that infrm and aged minis
tiers were permitted to suffer. He would
not minimize the importance of hon
and foreign missions, bnt this was the
most important question before the bod /.
He quoted the scripture, "He that fal4s
to provide for his own household de-
nies the faith and is worse than an ln-
fdel."
Thereport of the committee was adopt
ed, carrying with it the reelection OF
DR.. j. N. Craig, secretary.
DR.. R. H. Nall of Greenwood, S. c.,
presented a report from the committee
on Sundayschools and young people $
societies. The report is one of the most
important and interesting that will come
before the general assembly. The COM
mittee made some recommendation that
bid fair to bring about the hveliest sort
of discussion when they are taken up by
the assembly.
The reports from "a presbyteries shows
the number of Sundayschoolst to be 2, ,O63,
with total enrolment Of 1876 OIL
GERS, teachers and scholars, with an ave-
rage attendance of "a l6s. The total
contributions for the past year were
$87, 100.76, with current expenses OF $685.
781. rs. One feature of the report is the
number of churches reporting 40 Sun
dayschools, there being 800.
UNITED PRESBYTERlANS.
Forty-Second General Assembly In
Session In Chicago.