The sun., 1900-04-14
STRIKE OUT THEATRE CLAUSE
Shall MethOdists be Allowed to
Dance, Attend Theatres,
Circuses, Etc?
GENERAL CONFERENCE TO ACT
What Chief Justice Lore, Lay Dele
gate; Presiding Elder Watt, Min
isterial Delegate; Samuel I'll.
Baynard and Others
Think of the Matter.

Dancing, playing at games Of chance,
att nding theatres, horse races, circuses,
dancing parties or patronizing dancing
academies are things which Methodists
are not allowed to indulge in according
to the discipline of tue church At the
General Conference, however, which
meets in Chicago next month, PROPOSE
tion to abolish the paragraph forbidding
these things will come up.
These questions are occupying the
minds of every thoughtful follower OF
John Wesley at present. Indeed, there
is no subject to come before the General
Conference in which the younger genera
III n OF the Methodist Church feels so
profound an interest.
The paragraph, which it is proposed
to abolish, is No. 24S of the Book OF Dis
cipline. This is commonly known as
the amendment paragraph" and pro-
vldts that no member of the Methodist
Church shall dance, play at games of
CHANCES attend theatres, horse races,
circuses, dancing paltie7, or patroniz1
dancing academies; and any cue trans
gtes-ng these rules shall be ''disci-
pliued. Many Of the more progres.
siVe men in the cpnnci.s OF the church
have long felt that these are matters hat
should be left to the individual con.
scir nee, and thft the paragraph should
be- stricken from the Book Of Dsciplil e.
aud the younger and lib raj element in
th denomination have set on foot q
movement having fpr its end the abolish.
ment OF the, TO them, Ujeclionable para
| graph.
The result Of the agitation is now be-
ginning tl make itself felt, and already
several district Confer noes have passed
resolutions requesting the General Con.
ference to eliminate paragraph No. 24s
from T. Book of Discipline.
Methodist ministers here in Whining
ton, as we'll as throughout the peninsula
are by no M ans of one mind in the
matter. Many oppose it largely because
they fear that should the paragraph bt
stricken out the people at large NIGH
misunderstood the reasons for the change
and assume that the church had placed
the seal of its approval upon amuse
men,s it now prohibits.
In the latter end OF 1883 eight or tel
persons who appeared to be deeply con
vinced of sin came to Mr. Wesley il
London Tor advice and instruction. H,
met with these people every Thursda,
evening and finally laid down some plail
Scriptural rules for their instruction an(
guidance. In regard to amusement h,
advised them against 'taking any sucl
diversions as cannot be used in the nam,
of the l. rd Jesus These precepts hav,
always been known as the "Genera
Rnes Of the Meth, dist Episcupa
Church, and were satisfactory to thu
entire membership
At the General Conference OF 1872
which mt in the city Of Brooklyn, TIE
Committee on the State of the Churcl
Cat ,logued certain sins, namely, dane
ing, gambling, horse racing, theatre.
going, etc, these are classified under the
head O. paragraph No. 24S in the disci
pline.
Chief Justice Charles B. Lore, lay dele.
gate from the Wilmington Conf. renee to
the General Conference, in speaking oil
the matter said that mere rules would
not tend to promote purity of character.
II men were guided by high principles
they would need no rules. As to the
wisdom .of removing the paragraph at
this time he was not prepared tU say at
present.
Rev. DIR. Robert S. Watt, presiding
elder of the Wilmington district and
ministerial delegate to the General Con-
ference, said: "These questions come up
at every session of the General Confer
ence and any proposed changes are al
ways overwhelmingly voted down.
Go not favor the adjustment of para
graph No. PAS. Any change made would
be misunderstood.
Samuel H. Baynard, leading memL Ler
OF st. PauPs Church and alternate lay
delegate to the General Conference, said
81 think we are on dangerous ground
when we attempt to itemize Just what a
man shall or shall not do. / consider
that the ten commandments cover in a
general way all that should be in the
discipline of church. There is alwavs
danger when we attempt to particularize,
OF c3ndemning what might be consider
ed good morals in one place and entirely
overlooking things immoral in other sec
tions of the country. The ten command
ments should be the highest authority.
We should be guarded and careful in
making any alterations, and feel that we
were fully justified in doing SO before
making them"
Rev. William Writ King, D. D., the
new pastor of Grace Church, said: ION
the ground OF general principles, the
church has no right to issue any prnci-
plies or laws governing the details of
human coduct. 1t is the business OF the
church simply to lay down great moral
principles, aud leave the people to direct
all the mere details for themselves"
Rev. W. L. s. Murray, pastor of st.
Paui's Church, said: IL am satisfied
With the discipline as it is and do not
favor any change. A change of any kind
would lead many to think that we ap-
prove OF things which the church has al
ways been against
Rev. s. W: Thomas, D. D., editor of
the Philadelphia Methodist and we'll
known in this city, said;
Il think it would be the part OF wis
iom to let the present lue stand, for its
einoyai Will lead to ml.