The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-27
Bishop Joyce Says That Is
Attitude Of Methodist
Young People
HIS ANSWER TO QUAYLE
Declares That 1t Was Young Menu
bers Who Enforced Enactment
of Amusement Clause of
Church Discipline.

Methodist ministers, whether given to
reading the papers or not, perused with
great care yesterday the reports of Rob
ert Quayle's address advising the re-
moval from the church discipline of the
section referring to card playing and
other amusements, on the ground that
young people were repealed from the
church by it.
Bishop I. w. Joyce was not at all
alarmed when he read the speech, being
inclined, on the contrary, to be amused
by it. He does not agree with Mr..
Quayle, but declares that the young peo-
pie are responsible for the amusement
clause of the creed. Bishop Joyce, in
speaking of it, said:
IF it had not been for the young peo-
pie themselves these changes suggested
at Chicago might have been made some
time ago. The matter under discussion
is touched upon in the church discipline
IN the form Of a general inhibition, fol-
lowed by specific comment. This general
Inhibition forbids members of the church
from INDUCING in any diversions which
cannot be taken in the name of Jesus
Christ. At the conference of 1872 spe-
cificationS were added making this apply
TO card playing, dancing and attendance
at theaters.
Later many members of the church de-
cided this to have been mistake, and
ten years ago an attempt was made to
remove these specifications. 1t was ar
gued that general declara ton would
prove much more advisable as times
change and customs with them, so that
there would be no end to the specifica-
tons necessary. This suggestion met
active opposition, and was defeated large
lV hV the iOStr11roantaIitxy af
people working through the Epworth
League. Consequently the specifications
are still there The Epworth League has
on it's membership rolls 1000 900 young
people, all of whom have signed pledge
to observe the church discipline. They
stood against changing those rules on
the very points upon which a change is
now advised under penalty of our losing
their support
Presbyterians are indulging in con-
siderable discussion Of the same general,
topic now. Rev. Stanley r. Roberts,
pastor of a Presbyterian church in Min
neapolis, says he would favor the install
lation of bowling alleys and even billiard
and pool tables if such appliances were
wanted. He said he saw nothing wrong:
IN these diversions if they could be re-
moved from all evil surroundings Flow
ever, he added that he would scarcely
feel like going as far as had Archdeacon
Wherefore, who had permitted work
ingmen to smoke and even to drink beer
while he was addressing them in West
minister Abbey. Said Mr.. Roberts,
II consider the use of beer a sin. Re
garding smoking there has always been
much difference of opinion. If I were to
address an audience of woFkingmen- at
their noon hour I should not think it out
OF the way to let them smoke; but l
would never agree to let them drink
That would be temporizing with sin. I
suppose those meetings in Westminster
Abbey were held in some side room, but
they were held somewhere in the house
of God, and drinking certainly should
not have been permitted there" 54