The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-16
METHODISM and
THEATER.GOING
General Conference to Meet at Los
Angeles Will Consider the
Knotty Problem.
City Delegates Will Make an At
tempt to Secure More Liberal
Church Rules.
In Addition to Theater- Going, Dane
ing and Card Playing Will
Be Considered.
Special to The Journal.

special TO Inc journal.
New York, Jan. 16.-Are theater
going, dancing and card-playing com
patible with a truly Christian life
This is a question which has Ions
veXed authorities of the Methods
Episcopal church, and which will be
submitted to the general conference
at Los Angeles next May for settle
ment.
If the sentiment prevailing in New
York city were to dominate the con-
ference, there would be no doubt as
to the issue, but in the rural com
munities there is still a strong feel
ing in favor Of retiring from the
church those who indulge in what are
terme,. worldly amusements. Wher
the opposing forces are>1ined up 1t will
be practically the city delegates
against those from the country.
Clergy Favor Repeal.
AS far as can be determined by inter-
views with prominent Methodists, the
clergy of New York are quite as much
in favor of repeating the amusement
paragraph as the members of their
churches, althO in most instances they
are careful to state that this does not
indicate that they approve of the
amusements forbidden, but that they
disapprove of such an arbitrary and
unfair ruling on the subject
sodlu New LIZ w llllS ooCi1, pt'S-
tor Of Calvary Methodist Episcopal
church:
THE rule forbidding certain forms
of amusement or diversion does not
belong to the rules laid down by john
Wesley, and regarded as binding by
the church. 1t is only a sort OF BY
law. It pretends to make a catalogue
of things that must not be done, and
yet it Is wofully incomplete. For In
stance, horse racing and circuses are
included and bull fights and cock
fighting are not. A church member
might thus keep this rule and evade
the law which laid the whole matter
on the individual conscience.
1.-The Wesleyan rule forbids buy
ing or selling spirituous liquors or
drinking them, unless in cases OF ex-
treme necessity; the putting on OF gold
or costly apparel; the singing those
songs or reading those books which
do not tend to the knowledge or love
of God; laying up treasures upon
earth and borrowing without a prob
ability of paying.
Ballard Believes Rule Necessary.
The Rev. DR.. A. E. Ballard, vice
president of the Ocean Grove Camp
Meeting association, believes that 1t
Is necessary to have such a formula
ton Of prohibited indulgencies. Says
he
This rule was adopted by the gen.
eral conference in 1872. 1t was OBJ
served at that time that certain
amusements, such as dancing, theater-
going and gaming, were gaining fast
hold on the young people. The Meth
odist church determined to take the
matter in hand, and paragraph 248
was evolved as the best judgment OF
the conference after mature delibera-
ton. VIII anyone say that the moral
tone of the theater, Is more elevated
to-day than it was In 1872, that dan
cling is less pernicious or that games
of chance are lifted to a higher plane
of morality?' .
DR.. Ballard makes no discrimina-
ton In favor of theaters where So
called moral plays are placed on the
stage. He believes the play may teach
a moral lesson, but that the theater
itself Is sinful in it's environment and
influence.
Other Opinions Disagree.
The Rev DR.. Louis Albert Banks of
Grace Methodist Episcopal church,
said Of the amusement paragraph:
cit ought never to have been passed,
and I think there is a general senti-
ment among Methodists that the mis-
chief ought to be undone."
The Rev. DR.. Wallace McMullen of
the Madison Avenue Methodist Epis-
copal church belongs to the younger
generation of preachers and has a diff
ferent outlook on life.
, DR.. McMullen believes it would re-
lieve the church of an incubus from
which it has greatly suffered if the
rule We're rescinded. ut will not mark
a change of sentiment. only a change
of method he asserted.
Can't Be Enforced.
AT the preachers meeting the other
day, the Rev. j. A. Hensey of Pater-
son, N. j., spoke in favor of striking
out the mooted paragraph, saying that
such a paragraph was not only OPP
posed to the spirit of the times, but
that it never is and never can be en-
forced. He declared that he did not
favor the prohibited amusements, but
that he urged the repeal Of the
amendment on the grounds of reason
ableness and consistency.