The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-28
DISCIPLINE STANDS.
Methodist General Conference De-
cIined to Amend Section.

Los Angeles, May 2S.-By the de-
cisive yea and nay vote of AL to 1873
/ the Methodist general conference de-
cided not to make any change in the
church discipline in the matter Of
1 prohibited amESementS. The question
/ is one which has agitated the minds
of the delegates to the present gem
/ eral conference perhaps more than
any other single problem that has
been before it. The church at large
took a wide interest in the subject of
the proposed striking out of the speci-
| fed prohibited amusements from the
discipline, and many memorials and
| petitions from all parts of the coun-
try reflected popular opinion IN the
church on the matter. In all So have
been received, So of which opposed
point, and 10 favOring various
changes. A single petition from Bing-
hamton, ~ Y, bearing 1000 sigma
lures, was one of the protests against
any change being made.
The question came before the con-
ference in the report of the committee
ION the state of the church on this sub
ject. There were two reports. The
majority report recommended as fol-
lows: your committee decline to
recommend the striking out of the
specified amusements from paragraph
PAS of the discipline. It recommends
that the following paragraph be in
serted in the discipline under the
chapter on special advice:
Amusement - Improper amuse-
ments and excessive indulgence in in
nocent amusements are serious bar
riers to the beginning of the religious
life and fruitful causes of spiritual
decline
some amusements in common use
are also positively demoraIizing and
FURNISH the first easy steps to the total
| loss of character. We therefore look
with deep concern on the great in
crease of amusement and on the gen
/ eral prevalence of harmfl amuSe-
ments, and lift up a solemn note of
warning and entreaty particularly
| against theater-gOing. dancing, and
such games of chance as are fire.
quentIy associated with gambling, all
! OF which have been found to be an
tagonistic to vital piety, prOmotive of
WorldlIneSS, especially perilOus to
youth. We affectionately admOnish all
other people to make their amuse-
ments the subject of careful thought
and frequent prayer, to study the sub
! Ject of amusements in the light of
their tendency, and to be scrupulously
careful IN the matter to not set inju-
rlOuS examples. We adjura them to
remember that the question for a
Christian must often be, not whether
certain course of action is positively
immoral, but whether it will dull the
spiritual life and be an unWiSe ex-
ample. We deem it our bounden dutv
TO sum mon the whole church to apDIv
a thoughtful and instructed con
science to amusements and not to
leave them to accident or passion and
we affectionately advise and beseech
every member of the church abso-
lutely to avoid the taking of such di-
version as can not be used in the
name of the Lord
The conference limited the speecbes
upon this proposition to five minutes
Nearly a score of speeches were made
on poth sides. Upon the order of the
previous question, a nav and yea vote
was demanded, for the first time dur
ing the present conference. This
same subject was the only question
precipitating yea and nay vote in
the general conference of four Yea re
ago at Chicago. The calling of the
roll occupied the remainder of the
afternoon session.
Prior to the disposition of the
amusement question, DR.. F. d. Bovard
was elected editor of the California
/ Christian Advocate 10
The conference voted to extend aid
to seven partially seIf-supportino .
church papers, the amounts voted
ranging from $4,000 to $4,000 each
!