The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-19


tect, and a minority report will be pre-
scented by those members who favor a
moro liberal construction OF the rules.
This question has awakened great IN
,erest In church circles all over the conn-
try, and las even been discussed here
and there by secular newspapers. When
John Wesley started his societies within
the Episcopal Church. his purpose was
20 Gather together all persons within the
church who desired to cut loose from
worldliness and to consecrate themselves
bodv ana soul to religion. At that time,
saws tho historian, the moral and religious
condition OF England was most deplora-
bic. Tho court was dissol,'te; the stand
ard Of taste was low; the prevalence OF
skcpticsm was alarming; the church had
/, pscd into q state of lifeless formalist1''
the masses of the people had sunk into
increditablc vice and pruta'itS' ooilh
wesley. who was n fellow or Lincoln
collere oxford, became convinced OF
tbe necessity OF deeper spiritual ite ana
ia and his brother, Charles, and rev
other associates organized a meeting LOT
their mutual Improvement. they were
soon Joined BY others, among 'hehl
ceorre Whitefeld, and from that time
tho society grew rapidly and other socie-
tic ,vorc from time to time formed, Open
,ir meetings were held, and other meet
,rcs wsre held In private houses, IN parrs
~ wherever crowd could be assem-
b,cd They preached the simple doctrine
:, rencntance and conversion and the
witness of the spirit that they had oeeh
horn again. 1t was radical movement
md naturally ran into extremes.
There was complete separation OF the
Mcthodists-a term, BY the way, original
~ applied in derislon-from other church
members, and when the rules for the gov
ernn,ent of the societies were made, they
were naturally rigid These rules for
h,do To members the evils then most
generally practiced; "such as profane
swearing, Sabbath breaking, drunkenness,
buving or selling splrituous liquors, or
drinking them except In cases of extreme
necessity; fighting, uuarrelllng, brother
going to law with brother. returning eVil
fo,. evil, or railing for railing; the using
of many words in buying or selling; the
buying or selling of uncustomcd goods;
the giving or taking things on usury'
e., unlawful interest; uncharitaole or
improbable conversations; particularly
speaking evil of magistrates or OF min
listers. doing to others as we would not
they should do unto us; doing what We
know Is not for the glory OF Cod as
the putting on Of gold and costly apparel
the taking Of such diversions as cannot
be used in the name Of the Lord Jesus;
the singing those songs or reading those
books which do. not tend to the knowl'
edge or love Of God; softness, and need
less sclf-indulgence; laying up treas
urcs upon earth; borrowing without prob
ability of paying, or taking up soous
withou, probability of paying for them.
1t is hardly necessary to say that latter
day Methodists do not adhere strictly
to several OF these rules. They do not
| dress differently from other people IN
the same station of life; they do not re-
| frain from wearing jewelry; they do not
refrain from singing secular songs, and
many of them do not refrain altogether
from what we call worldly amusements.
| AS some Of the rules made under en-
| tirely different conditions have fallen
| into disuse, it is but natural that some
Methodists should be In favor or modl-
flying the rules relating to dancing. card
playing, theatre-golng and the like. and
the vote In committee shows that this
number is considerable, The question Is
whether or not the church should put It's
ban upon amusements. which are harm
less in themselves whether the church
should prohibit its members from 1rdulg-
ing at all in such amusements. or pro-
nibit them from INDUCING in a way that
Is harmful and sinful. There can sure
~ be no harm In itself In genteel dance
among friends. or in game of whist
for amusement. or in seeing clean play,
ana tnere are tHOSe WHO Colllcllu tHdS ~
belittles religion to mako indulgence in
such amusements test Of piety and
that an iron-cad, prohibitory rule tends
to make harm out of that which Is In It.
self innocent and to set up a false stand
ard, Others however, contend that as
as these amusements are some-
times indulged to excess and abused in
SUCH a way as to make them both sim
full and harmful. and that the tendency
Of SUCH indulgence Is toward worldliness
and away from spirituality, the only safe
rule is to avoid them altogether.
1t is apparent, however, that many
Methodists claim the right to determine
for themselves whether or not such
amusements are harmful. and hence the
division in the ranks. Now that tho
question has been raised, 1t is too much
to expect that this decision against mod
ification will be- final. The question Is
sure to come up again in the councils
of the church.
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