Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-09-13
~ IOWA. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1911

'iO hiooI III oldlc VI Jul OillCclS AL
ter leaving the service it appears
that he had been converted and al
once became a Jealous soldier of the
cross.
With me it has for many years
been problem hard to solve, why
so many good men in other ways,
should be unchaste or profane in
their conversation, a habit, which,
correctly or not, is charged to the
soldier, who is said to be particular
ly given to it. | can understand why
a person under strong temptation
may utter a falsehood, man may be
driven into theft to save himself
from some impending calamity, may
even commit murder under strong
provocation, but / cannot see any
reasonable excuse for the vile habit
of profane swearing. 1t certainly
adds nothing either to the beauty or
strength of language, but it detracts
from both. Moreover, it is a confes-
sion of weakness, and puts the user
on the defensive; he places himself
in the attitude of one who fears he
will not be believed if he simply ex-
presses himself in pure, plain Eng
lish. SO he thoughtlessly, if not de-
liberately, lowers himself from the
dignified manliness of unsullied
speech into the gutter, where he
rakes up the muck and the slime and
the filth, with which he befouls his
utterances. Nevertheless, there are
people who seem to regard profanity
and obscenity as real accomplish
ments, as though it were a manly
thing to be able to swear shockingly,
to boast and swagger in the foul and
vicious mouthings of the slums. How
ever, decent people generally shun
this vice as a thing unworthy of
them, and in their hearts unsparing-
ly condemn it,
AS the fact that | had been a SOL
dier opened the way for me among
the old veterans, so, also, to some
extent, the fact that / had been a
member of the legislature the pre-
ceding winter and had taken some
part in it's work in behalf of temper
ance was in my favor, especially
among the prohibitionists who have
always been found in large numbers
in the Methodist Episcopal church.
| had, therefore, no reason to COM
plain of my field of labor / found
the district we'll manned with an ex-
cellent corps of preachers, some of
whom afterward reached distinction
in the conference.
In the spring we organized a Dis
trict Conference, which was new
departure for the district, for before
that time the semi-annual gatherings
were simply Ministerial Associations,
whose functions were purely literary.
At the first session of the newly or
ganized body, which was held at In
dependence, there were siXty-fiye
members present, and it was voted a
success, for it was a profitable ses-
sion and gave great satisfaction. This
organization known as the District
Conference, had been authorized by
the General Conference, few years
previous, and was by that body in
vested with certain privileges and
clothed with certain powers, which
were designed to aid in the admins
tration of the discipline of the
church. 1t is composed of all the
travelling and local preachers within
the bounds of the district, together
with the District Stewards, one Glass
Leader, one President of an Epworth
League chapter, and one Sunday
School superintendent from each
pastoral charge. The literary feat
ures of the old Ministerial AssOcia-
tion are still retained. but the more
important functions of the District
Conference are to license local
preachers, examine them in the
course of study, and recommend such
as are believed to be suitable candi-
dates for the Travelling Connection,
for Admission on Trial, in an Annual
Conference. The body meets semi
annually and usually it's sessions
cover two or three days.