Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1910-12-09
OPPOSED TO INTERSTATE LITER
AIRY ASSOCIATION PRONE
MADE.

To the Delegates and visitors to tn
Interstate Literary Association o
Kansas and the West. Ladies an
Gentlemen:
We the members of the Ministries
Alliance of Des Moines and Vicinit.
make to you the following communica
tion, to which we request your earnes
attention. Invitations are out whicl
read as follows:
"You are cordially invited to attend
the Musical Entertainment and Recep
ton given in honor of the delegates
and visitors to the Interstate Literar!
Association of Kansas and the West al
Shrine Temple, Corner Ninth anC
Pleasant Streets, Tuesday evening, De
cember the Twenty-Seventh at nine
forty.fve O'Clock. Admission one
dollar per couple
Then follows program of four mum
bers, and then "Music by Graham S
Orchestral
This entertainment is to be in reality
a Ball. 1t it were an ordinary musical
entertainment and reception, it would
be given free Of all charge to the dele
gates and visitors. And if it were not
a Ball, there would be much more than
four musical numbers offered for the
price of admission.
The very fact that the name of the
Interstate Literary Association is used
in the invitation, is evidence to us that
the Association would we'll express it.
self as to its approval of disapproval
of this method of entertainment.
We understand that among the dele.
gates TO this great meeting are clergy
men of all denominations, professors in
Christian Colleges, Missionary workers,
and many members of Christian church.
es. BY general consent among the most
devout of Christian people, the Ball IS
regarded as demoralizing in its tenden-
eies and therefore harmful in its in
fuence. 1t appears to us that this
method of entertainment is an offense
to large number of your members who
are leaders in the Christian world,
whether they are invited or not invited.
We are aware that the Interstate AS
ISOLATION is powerless to prevent per
sons from giving Balls co-incident with
it's meetings, but we feel that it is able
to request that its name be not used on
invitations, to dissaprove this method Of
entertainment, and to request commit
tees who are responsible for their en-
tertainment to see to it that parties in
treested in their entertainment should
not include a Ball among the social
features. Otherwise it appears to us
that the Ball has semi official ap-
prevail
And there is in this matter a feature
,.b ,,nfpr{npata Tho bn
sessions of the Interstate Association
will be held in the Des Moines Coli
scum. The business men have given the
use of the Coliseum free Of charge. The
Ball will be held in the Shrine Temple
from which large rent must be paid.
For this occasion an orchestra Is en-
ployed. These sums must be met by the
delegates and visitors and people Of
Des Moines. It is needless to say, that
the parties giving it hope to realize
profit for themselves. Is it proper and
fair that persons in private capacity be
privileged to reap profit in questionable
amusement by the use Of the name of
the Interstate Literary Association?
Does it not connect the name of the
Association with the lowering of the
moral standard in the community.
We call attention to the fact that
the Shrine Temple is on old church. 1t
until very recently the meeting house of
the First Methodist Church (white),
and was sold by them to the Shriners.
The Shriners have turned part Of this
building into a dance hall. We con-
fess that this looks to US like deserc-
ration.
We assure you that we are ready to
cooperate to the full extent to make
your stay pleasant while you are in our
city. We are opposed to this Ball, but
we are in heartily accord with the liter
airy advancement for which you stand,
and we bid you Godspeed in the great
work. But we sincerely pray that you
dissaprove this form of entertainment
in the name of the morality for which
we stand, and in the name of the Christ
whom we serve.
Rev. s. Bates, President, Pastor Ma
pie St. Baptist Church.
Leroy Woolrich, Secretary, Pastor
Burns NJ. z. Church.
I. N. Daniels, Pastor st. Paul A. NJ.
f. Church.
N. B. Jones, Pastor Grants A. M. E.
Church.
T. L. Griffith, Pastor Corinthian
Baptist Church.
J. P. Sims, Pastor Union Congrega.
tional Church.
F. burden, Des Moines, Dec. 5, 1910.