davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Amusement Question

question that causes stir in the church
every four years because it is brought up at each
conference is the so-called Amusement question.
In the general conference of 1872 a drastic rule
for church membership was passed, forbdding.
among other things. a member dancing, playing
at games Of chance attending heaters horse races.
circuses, dancing parties or patronizng dancing
schools. etc" Tver since the rule was added to
the Methodist discipline there have been people in
the church opposed to it. In recent years there
has been a growing tendency. to the dismay OF
the strict disciplinarian, to disregard the rule in
whole or in some particulars. So strong has
grown the party that desires TO see the rule re-
moved that every hand in the church may be
heard prophecies that at the coming general con
ference It will go. Those who strongly advise its
maintenance are prepared to make bitter fight
for the rule as it stands. Those who want
the rule abrogated urge that the matter now
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Mentioned for Promotion

Some of the prominent church leaders being
mentioned for the episcopacy are DIR. Homer C.
Stuntz, assistant secretary of the board OF foreign
missions, New York City; DR.. Henry C. Jennings of
the Western Methodist Book Concern, Cincinnati
o.; DR.. David G. Downey, secretary of the board of
Sunday schools, Chicago ILL.,; President w. H.
Crawford Allegheny college, Meadville Pa, who
is brother of DR.. E b Crawford. pastor of Hans
com Park church, this city. President F. J. McCon-
nell of De Paw university. Greencastle, Ind; Dr.
Matthew S. Hughes Pasadena, Cal; DIR. F. D. Bo-
ward, editor California Christian Advocate. San
Francisco, Cal: DR.. Clandius B. Spencer. editor
Central Christian Advocate, Kansas City, Mo-; DIR.
r. J. Cooke, book editor New York City; DR.
Frank Mason North, Nnw York City; Dr. w o.
Shepard district superintendent, Chicago, Ill; DR..
Charles Bayard Mitchell Chicago. ILL.,, and Dr.
Andrew GiIlies, Minneapolis. Mimi.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Organization Of Conference

The real work of general conference. as in most
deli0erative bodies, is done in committees There
seventeen standing committees, though for prac
tcal working purposes some of these are CONSOLE
dated The most important of these is the COM
mittee episcopacy 1t is not in literal fact The
most important, but being in the public eye be-
of certain work it has to do, has come to be
looked upon as most important. This committee
receives and discusses complaints or criticisms OF
the bishops their work, reviews and passes upon
the character of each one 1t is the duty oil TINS
committee to decide who of the bishops because OF
infrmities of age and other reasons are no longer
able to be retained in the effective relation II some
are found Of this class they recommended to the
general conference for approximation or retire
ment II retired they then longer travel through
the church, do not have, can they express
episcopal authority. They receive half pay for the
remainder OF their lives and retain the title OF
bishop. Sometimes because of age bishop asks
the general conference to retire superannuate
him 1t is always trying situation If the super
annuating time has arrived and the man himself
has not discovered it. 1t is rumored that several
bishops will be superannuated at Minneapolis. 1t
Is also the duty Of the episcopal committee to az
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Change in Discipline

One of the questions that will be up at the
general conference is the plan of episcopal super
vision. At the present time no bishop Of the MethO-
dist church is restricted any given territory
cept the bishops appointed to foreign fields A
bishops residence may be- in Nebraska and he may
be assigned to oversee certain work in New York
state. His home may be in Chicago and much OF
his work scattered along The Pacific coast This Is
in line with the early traditions of Methodism
which established rule that the bishops are to
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
RET C.N DAWSON ID. Mini-
stetia1 Delegate e General Can.
ference Ero27 Omaha, Uedp.

rive at some conclusions to how many new
bishops the general conference will need to elect
At present there fourteen active bishops in the
home field and nine in the foreign. 1t is argued
that at least twenty needed in the home field
and not less than eleven in the foreign. This would
mean the election of eight new bishops provided
none were retired If three retired. as rumored,
it would mean the election of eleven all told
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28

travel at large through the connection" The
fathers decided that on no account should Metho-
dism have anything approaching diocese or u do
cesar episcopacy. The arguments used chiefly in
support of the tradition of the fathers which is now
part OF the constitution OF the church. is that the
bishops should be men of nation and worldwide
range Of vision. They must not be provincial or
insular, To avoid such they must be bishops OF all
the church and not part OF It.
Opposed to this. however. there has grown up
idea that for term OF years at least each bishop
should be stationed and find his work in con-
tiguous and restricted territory. This plan is
known "districting the bishops" Its advocates
aver that 1t breaks item OF the church constitu-
ton and fits in vastly better with the work needed
to be done by bishop at this time The question
will undoubtedly be live wire at the general
conference and will need to be handled with no
little care to avoid shock"
Negroes in the Church
me question of the negro in the church will be
up and there are more than 800, 900 of them men,
bers of the Methodist Episcopal church For years
the colored people have clamored for one of their
own number to be elected a bishop This has been
refused except to elect a negro to 20 as mission
airy bishop to Africa. portion OF the colored
they have proposed to their brethren the plan Of
Withdrawing and forming separate church In
connection with that plan II has been suggested
that all colored Naturalization there are several
branches of the coIored Methodist family-shalI
be gathered into one great colored Methodist
church with their own bishops and leaders. The
coored people are by no means agreed upon this
plan Others think that at this conference the
eolored members will be granted the boon of hav-
ing one Of their own coior elected a bishop over
them Such President r. s. LovInggood
of Samuel Huston college. Austin Tex, a recog-
nized colored leader, is urging this. However,
there is not much sentiment for the election Of a
colored bishop with full episcopal authority, so
that he might preside over white conferences.
Much lively discussion will ensue and possibly
some very radical changes may be made. for the
negro problem in the church. as I'm the nation is
live one.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Other Questions Arise

There are number of other questions to come
before the general conference in May some of
which may affect the church very much. move
ment is on foot to give the laity larger place in
local and conference affairs, even perhaps a seat
in annual conference now composed entirely of
ministers. supreme court is advocated for the
church. to pass upon matters final court of
appeals above the general conference. Enlarging
of conference boundaries and district superin-
tendents' districts is to be discussed. In ad-
diton to this. before 1t adiourns the general con-
ference must elect editors for some or eight
official church papers and the Sunday school lit
erature of the church. 1t must elect the heads Of
the various national boards such as the Board Of
Foreign Missions and the Board OF Home Mis-
sions Sunday schools. Freedmens' Aid Conferences
Claimants. Education, etc. Various committees
will be to select and the scope Of their work out
lined for the next four years Thus it viii be
that the 500 more Methodist ministers and lay
men that meet in Minneapolis in May have some
thing to engage their waking hours, while great
church awaits the results Of the meeting with
hopeful antIciPations and some little anxiety,
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28

stands the church occupies hypocrincai positions
Thousands OF members breaking the rule
are virtual law-breakers. though never brought %
trial or punishment. To enforce the rule is an
impossibility at the present stage Of church and
Z secular life They claim the emphasis in church
life has entirely shifted In the last quarter century
away from negatons and prohibitions to positive
duties and service. Believing that more wrong
will be INDUCED in without a rule specifying the
forbidden amusements. they urge Its repeal
Basis OF Opposition
On the other hand, those who contend for the
rule do so largely upon the basis that to revoke
1t would be a step backward. They say 1t would
seem to be throwing down the bars to every sort
OF amusement and would be a positive temptation
to the younger members to cast aside all restraint.
They admit frankly that they fear the newspaper
notoriety the revoklng Of the law would give the
church. Having been known as a church standing
against so-ealled worldly amusements" for so
many years. the strict disciplnarians feel that to
revoke such an outstanding law of the church
would make the denomination "a kissing and by
word" among the sister churches.
There are, however, among the sober-minded
rank and file Of the membership not inconsid-
cradle number that regret exceedingly the promi-
hence given to the whole amusement matter. They
feel that by so frequently bringing this question
before the church 1t is given prominence out of
all proportion to its real Importance. BY being so
frequently and SO loudly discussed II has to
be looked upon one Of the salient features OF
Methodist doctrine. Many who know nothing else
about the Methodist church know about the amuse-
ment rule. Because OF the exploitation OF this
really minor matter the great truths of faith and
doctrine that brought Methodsm into being under
the Wesleys entirely lost sight Of To John
Wesley, who was engaged in the work of building
a spiritual empire. 1t would seem like senseless
IuIbbng to be forever arguing whether Meth
'dist should or should not attend a circus.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Episcopal Church.
BY REV. EDWARD HISLOP
District Superintendent Omaha District Methodist
EnsconaI Church

THE first day of May there opens in
Minneapolis, Mimi, to continue dur
ing the entire month, the quadrennial
meeting of the Methodist Episcopal
church. The meeting, known as the
general conference, is the law-making
body for a denomination numbering
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Omaha's Bishop

Bishop John L. Nuesen, LII. D. resident bishop
of the Methodist church in Omaha, though not
deegate-for the reason that bishops are not nl-
lowed to be delegates-will in a sense represent
Omaha in the conference. During part Of the
sion Bishop Nuesen will preside over the deliber-
atoms of the, body for the bishops act in turn
presidents of the conference 1t is safe to say that
by will the gavel be welded with finer dignity
with better understanding of the nice points of
parliamentary procedure than by Bishop Nuesen.
Rev. John L. Nuelsen, IL D., was elected to the
eplscopacy at the general conference in Baltimore
four years ago. from a chair in theological sem
mary in Berea, o. He was appointed to Omaha,
where he has wrought faithfully and well. It was
feared by some that being college and theological
school professor DR.. Nuelsen would bring too much
of the academic and too little of the practical into
the administrative office Such fears soon proved
groundless. He has shown a mastery grasp Of af-
fairs and administrator has in four years made
a reputation second to none on the entire board OF
bishops. Coupled with this his scholarship-for
Bishop Nuesen is a scholar in two languages. Eng
lish and German-has brought to the Episcopal
office weight of authority and dignity most be-
fitting to the position. While the episcopacy OF
the Methodist church is peculiar being general and
not diocesan requiring the bishops to travel widely
through the connection and administer affairs in
various parts of the country, Bishop Nuelsen has
touched Omaha and Nebraska church life with an
influential hand 1t is safe to say that no resident
Methodist leader has ever made himself more
strongly felt in Nebraska. Whether or not Bishop
Nuelsen will be returned to Omaha is uncertain
Certainly his many friends in Omaha and Nebraska
desire him to return.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28

later Walnut Hill. then First church, South Omaha
and at Seward Street in the days when It was one
of the strong and influential churches of the city.
In addition to these churches in the city. DR., Daw-
son has held a number of important pastorates out
in the state For several years prior to last Sep
TENDER DIR. Dawson the travelling field agent
for the Nebraska Methodist hospital. During that
time he visited every part Of the state and raised
a fund of over $25 900 to enlarge the hospital
building. At the opening of the Nebraska Wes-
leyan endowment campaign DR.. Dawson was Sc
cured by Mr.. Strader, manager o fthe campaign. as
an assistant in that work. He is serving the church
in that capacity at the present time. BY his genial
manner and various activities through the state Dr.
Dawson has made host of friends who congratu-
late him on being chosen to represent the church in
the important gathering at Minneapolis.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28

approximately 1000 900 members and adherents. 1t
is a delegated body composed Of an equal number
of ministers and laymen, about 500 in all This is
g large company for delberative purposes and eff
! forts will be made after this year to change the
Rbasis OF representation to reduce the size OF
he conference to about 500. II will be recalled by
many that this conference met in Omaha In May
BIZ 1892.
Every part OF the church will be represented
both at home and abroad. Brown men from India,
Malaysia and the Philippines will sit with black
men from Africa yellow men from China and the
fair skinned Caucasian of Europe and the United
States. Every profession and walk in life will be
represented. Editors. farmers merchants, lawyers,
teachers. doctors, college presidents. philanthro-
pists, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, wise
and foolish-all will be gathered at this meeting.
The conservative and radical will probably sit side
by side There will be elect women in the gather
Ing for since the quadrennal meeting Of 1900
women have been allowed a seat in the conference
if elected delegates and the word "layman" in the
Methodist church is interpreted to mean either man
or woman.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Really an Omaha Man

Rev. Charles N. Dawson. D. D, has been so long
identified with the Methodism of Omaha that he is
looked upon as an Omaha man. Having been pastor
ut old Tenth Street. now Dietz Memorial, years ago;
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Father in the Church

As will be seen two Of the delegates, minister
and a layman, are from Omaha. John Dale is one
of our well known citizens. Though past 80 years
of age he has the springy step and the buoyant air
of man of thirty. For years he has been identi-
fled with the insurance business in Omaha, coming
here some thirty years ago from Kankakee Ill.
native OF England, Mr.. Dale is thoroughly re-
constructed American citizen. His life is the
chapters of an open book before his fellows
stanch Methodist from early childhood. ordained
deacon and local preacher, Mr.. Dale has probably
preached as many sermons the average minister
and has assisted in many church building enter
prises that he has earned the title father Of
churches" Hanscom Park church, one OF the larg-
est and most prosperous Methodist churches in
Omaha, was organized twenty-five years ago in the
home of Mr. and Mrs. John Dale. Persistently
through the years Mr. Dale has guided the destinies
Of this body and with little qualification has
It come to its present size and Importance. Alert
and well informed on all questions pertaining to
the local and general church, Mr.. Dale will be a
valuable representative in the general conference
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-28
Nebraska's Delegation

The state of Nebraska will be represented by
twenty delegates. ten of them ministers and ten
laymen. The ministers are: Rev. James R. Gettys,
David City; Rev. n. A. Martin, University Place;
Rev. R. N. DRILL, Fairbury; Rev. C. NJ. Shepard,
Lincoln; Rev. C. n. Dawson, Omaha; Rev. William
Espln, Arlington; Rev. E. T. George, Neigh; Rev
ALLEN Chamberlain, North Platte; Rev. j. w. Nor
ris, Holdrege, and Rev. A. R. Julian, Gordon. The
laymen are: C. A. Fulmer chancellor Nebraska
Wesleyan university, University Place; G. NJ. Spur
lock, attorney, York; G. E. Tobey, publisher, Lin
coin; R. B. Windham, attorney, Plattsmouth; John
Dale, general agent Aetna Insurance company,
Omaha; C. II. Gray. banker. Central City; o. o.
Snyder, merchant, o'Neill; W. R. Akers. farmer,
SCOTS Bluff; E. A Cook. attorney, Lexington, and
s. X. Warrick banker, Alliance.
Charlevoix county herald., 1912-01-06

on tobo2gars to be secured and, for those bent
on adventure, there is the most exciting pas
time of skiing
Many of the hgh-placed villages in the noun.
tains of Switzerland become colonies of British
people. These do the proper thing by going to
the little church on Christmas morning But
they come back in hurry, and are soon in their
sweaters and have donned their heavy boots,
have affixed their skates and are off for pleasure
long before luncheon time. The dining rooms
are decorated for the great event of the evening
the Christmas dinner. Curious it is to think
that these punches of happy folk, who week
ago were scattered in all parts of the British
Isles, congregate in the well-lighted rooms
of a Swiss hotel and eating their Christmas
dinner COO 700 miles away from home. Maybe
there is carnival the ice at night. The air
is dead still. The moon is like great lantern
in the heavens. Fancy dresses are the proper
thing Every carries multicoored Chinese
lantern swinging at the end of a cane. The
local Swiss band plays popular airs. There is
the swish and rumble Of innumerabe skates
over the crisp and well-swept ice
Think of the manner in which the day is spent
in the distant treaty ports of the Far East There
comes back to my memory a Christmas day I
once spent in Shanghai. In that great CONNER
cial Chinese city is considerable gathering of
British people, chiefly engaged in trade, kindly
hospitable, giving the hand of friendship to the
traveller and seeing that he has good time with
the rest. There are Christmas morning calls to
be made Callers travel from house to house in
jinrickshaws hauled by bronzeskinned Chinese
coolies Maybe there are steeplechase races on
the outskirts of the town. c3d the entire Brit
ish colony to go off to their countrymen
adopts in horsemanship, scamper for the prizes
Then come luncheon parties. TO be followed at
night by the customary Christmas gathering
One might almost forget that one was thousands
of miles away from home. except maybe for the
fact that the servants are slit-eyed Cinnamon
Another Christmas day to memory as I
write. It was in Teheran. the capital of Persia
There, OF course is the British legation; but
most Of the British residents. fifty or sixty In
number, engaged in connection with the tec-
graph service Teheran is a great transmission
station the telegraph route between England
and India. On Christmas morning there is gen.
orally q football match on the MADAM a big
open space where most of the Persian military
displays take place. In the afternoon there is
polo The Persians stard round with wide-eyed
wonder. quito incapable Of undt rstanding why Il
is that English people are putting themselves TO
such exertons in the search Of what they con.
slider pleasure The Persian does not appreciate
the western habit Of violent exercise He re.
CARDS those who take part In Il as rather mad
It is the practice Of most British ministers to
give dinner party Christmas night to the
leading british and American residents in tie
fire legation dining room. The two flags. the
Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes are hung
Charlevoix county herald., 1912-01-06

Nothing indicates more surely the
general commercialism Of literature
than the interviews with authors and
descriptions Of their methods OF
work" as they call them. that fire.
Quently find their way into print The
author of a recently published novel
tells with glee how she pounded it
out on a typewriter" at the rate OF a
thousand words day, and plumes her
self on her achievement as pretty
good for beginner" As a matter OF
fact it would be difficult to imagine
worse beginning than this thousand
word-a-day effort. says the New York
Herald The fact that she reckoned
her daily stunt in words rather than
In ideas shows only too plainly her
attitude toward the profession Of writ
Ing.
Charlevoix county herald., 1912-01-06

tramp ship. a commcdious, roomy old boat, but
slow in pace plowing her way through storm III
the Raw Of Riscay We ought to have been home
before christmas but the weather. had buffeted us
and we we're nearly week behind our time. Christ
mas morning came drearily as the old vessel
bumped her way over the angry waters we mad
no Christmas cheer, no turkey, no plum pudding
no wine but we had timed rabbit and some bottles
of stout on board While the ship pitched and
rolled the captain and his men and myself guIped
our poor Christmas cheer and toasted each other
in stout. Then the men went out to their WORK IN
the gale. stood the bridge together with the
officer in charge while the wind howled and the
seet sashed and we pressed on slowly into the
gloom. Not a very merry Christmas! But still
the kind of Christmas that will be spent by many
thousands of good British sailors in far seas.
For a contrast where better could you go to spend
Christmas day than in Jerusalem and attend serv.
ice at the Church of the Holy Sepuchre. Jerusa
lem is not quite the it was in Biblical
times, though a good deal of it has not altered
through many generations. 1t seems out of place
to go to Jerusalem by railway and. outside the
station, to be met by horde Of shrieking cab driv
seeking the job of conveying you to one OF the
big hotels.
Christmas day this year is on a Saturday. the
Jewish Sabbath, when thousands OF Jews. con-
scious of what the day means to Christians. will
lament that the Messiah they expect has not come.
Christians Jews Mohammedans. all jostle In the
narrow streets of Jerusalem. On Christmas Eve
the Mohammedans VINO. curiously enough. have
charge of the Church or the Holy Sepulchre. TO
prevent quarrelsome Christians doing injury to
another, will be keeping the Mohammedan Sab
bath and from the minarets of the mosques will
sound the muezzin of the Mullahs crying: There
is only one God and Allah is his prophet; all
We faithful and pray" Then, the begins
to drop Christmas Eve, you may go to all that
remains of the old walls Of Jerusalem and come
across crowds of Jews. hooded women and
ringleted many OF them from distant shores. kiss
ing the stones which once surrounded the city Of
their forefathers.
On Christmas morning, with the slouching Turk
ish soldiers at the door Of the church. many Chris
tans will enter to attend service, crouch through
the low and narrow doorway. and have the privi-
lege of kissing the stone which tradition says
the body Of Christ laid after the Crucifxon.
See that group of tourists mounted on shaggy and
ill-fed ponies! They are full of ghtheartedness
as they scamper along he rugged paths beyond
the gates of Jerusalenl They off to Bethlehem
TO visit the Church of the Natvity-dark and sol
enn and rather eerie with many subdued lights
Christmas day brings many and varied recollec-
tions to the who has wandered much about
this old world.