The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-04-04
GREAT PROBLEMS
FACE METHOBISTS
REV. II. G. LEONARD, FORMERLY
PASTOR or FARGO CHURCH,
SAYS AMUSEMENT QUESTION
WILL BE ONE or SERIOUS ToP-
les FOR CONFERENCE.

Rev. FL. G.. Leonard, formerly pastor
of the First Methodist CHURCH of Far
go, now pastor OF Simpson Methodist
church of Minneapolis. has the follow
ing in The Minneapolis Journal as one
Of a series of articles The Journal is
publishing outlining the most serious
problems which are to come up before
the general conference in May:
One of the live issues before the
Methodist church is the so-called
amusement question" 1t is being
debated in all church papers and in
every gathering of persons interested
in the affairs of Methodism. 1t will be
one of the Invest issues in the great
general conference in May.
1t is the purpose of this article to
state in a judicial way the historical
and present status of that problem.
For the historic attitude of Meth
odism We must go back to the general
rules of the church. These rules
were drawn up by John Wesley and
were intended for the guidance of the
people called Methodists.
The peculiar genius of Methodism is
to be found in the general rules. The
rules are expressed, first negatively,
things a Methodist should avoid. Then
affirmatively things a Methodist should
do. Negatively the rules are stated in
twelve sentences.
The ethical purpose and practical
common sense of these rules commend
them to men generally, Each rule
is as binding as any other. but for
some reason general attention has
fastened upon three sentences-the
advice against:
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 Of those songs, or
reading of those books, which do not
e to the knowledge or love of God"
The Three Chief Rules.
All the other twenty four sentences
of advice. or rules, go for nothing,
while attention is fastened almost ex-
clusively on these three sentences.
This was the only legislation on
amusements up to 1872. The general
conference of that year., alarmed at the
rising tide Of worldliness in the church,
put into the discipline the celebrated
paragraph 24S, specifying certain
amusements, and certain matters of
conduct, for which a member might be
brought to trial and expelled.
This additional legislation has been
a matter Of debate ever since. The
paragraph reads as follows:
Tn ~ yaaoInaN nF l,,k,y - a-~,
kind, imprudent conduct; indulging
sinful tempers or words; the buying,
selling or using intoxicating liquors
as a beverage; signing petitions in fav-
or of granting licenses for the sale of
intoxicating liquors; becoming bonds
men for persons engaged in such traf-
fic, or renting property as a place in
or on which to manufacture or sell in
toxicating liquors; dancing; playing at
games of chance; attending theatres,
horse races, c~ircuses, dancing parties,
or patronizing dancing schools, or TAX
ing such other amusements as are OBJ
viously of misleading or questionable
moral tendency; or disobedience to the
order and discipline Of the church-on
the first offense let private reproof be
given by the pastor or leader, and If
there be an acknowledgement of the
fault and proper humiliation the per-
son may be borne with. On the second
offense the pastor or leader may take
with him one or two discreet members
of the church. On the third offense
let him be brought to trial, and If
found guilty and there be no sign of
real humiliation, he shall be expelled.
At a subsequent general conference
a section on amusements was placed in
the chapter of Special Advices-the
chapter having to do with such ques-
tions as slavery, dress, marriage. d.
vorce, temperance and tithing. What
vas known as paragraph 24s is now
paragraph $50.
So much for history. There has
been trouble in the church ever since
paragraph 24S was placed in the dis
cipline and more or less agitation for
its removal on the grounds that:
lit is. contrary 10 the principle of
christian freedom.
2.-It is a source of irritation in the
church.
S.-That it violated sound pedagog-
icai principles.
4.-That it puts men and women
who violated its specifications into the
attitude of disloyalty toward the
chur~h.
5.-That It is not and cannot be en-
forced, and so brings all discipline in
to disrepute.
6.-That it keeps many conscien-
tious people out Of the church.
Publicity because Of repeal
would soon cease and leave the church
on a true basis.
S.-That 1t encourgeas deceit and
hypocrisy on the part of church mem
bers, for as a matter of fact there are
several church members who do, now
and then, dance, or play cards, or &c
to the theatre, the state fair or the
circus. All who do any of these
lay themselves open to censure and
trial.
s.-And because it is not clear tina
this legislation has contributed t
spirituality or to evangelistic zeal.
On the other hand those who will
vote to retain paragraph ECO viii do s.
because:
lit voices Methodism's protes
against worldliness.
2.-Because some people will abstain
from these things when told to do SC
Appetite utterances are necessar.
at times.
4.-Because they fear il the para
graph should be stricken out our posi-
ton on these matters would be mis-
understood az indicating spiritual de
cline.
SIT gives a means or legal pro