Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-05-03
Report Of Board Of Bishops
Recommends Annulment Of
Edict Against Dancing, Cir
Gus, Theater and Horse
Race.
Condemnation Of Amusements
Reiterated but Belief Is Ex-
pressed That Matter Should
Be One Of Individual Con-
science.

NNANAkS~s
coz EvsnIaa tIernIa a. r. I.saHea wirsl
Minneapolis, MINI, May s.-"The
American people are TOO far advanced
lonser to oe restricted BY church
rules as 10 what their amusements
shall be. The rules prohibiting dane
ing, card playing. gambling and going
20 thoaters. circuees and horse races
therefore shouid be abollshed.''
This II the Rist OF a report present-
cd ,odag al the general conferences Of
tise Methodist Episcopal church hy the
board of bishops. In recommending
this radical change the twenty.four
aclive bishops stipulated that the
church, however. should not be indif-
ferent on these subjects but that the
people should be left TO judge Tor
themselves what d right or wrong IN
ainusemenis. having before them only
the injunction Of John Wesley which
FORBID the taking Of such diversions
~ cannot be- taken in the name of
the tAsrd Jesus,
the bishops DECLARED the church
reiterated It's opposition 10 thoater ro-
ing and gambiing but the rule Ia
force ~ 1872. could not fix q point hes
tween "the turf and the stock mar.
ket"
The bishops report was delivered
BY Bishop Earl Cranston OF Washlng-
ION, ID. g., and u formed the second
section % the Episcopal address. the
first half Of which had been given
the day before.
We would ioyfully acclaim the day
when every Christian would abstain
from the amusemcnts which have
been pfohiblted but we can not re-
press our conviction that Wesley
dealt more wisely with the danger.
The bishops therefore recommend
return 10 the consistent treatment
Of the subject by Wesley and the
more earnestly because we are deal
ing with tina American people and
the injuetice of the twentieth century
LAS a church We cannct approve
dancing and theator going They are
questionable amusements. TO as az
TO sevoral OF our sister churches they
who justify these nmusenaents as con-
siatent with the spiritual llfe seem 10
manifest deplorabie lack OK spirit
uai perception.
Again, wo stand unitedly against
gambling and wo recognize clearly
that Il - the same sin Ia Wall street
that Il o. Ia the lowest resort but We
have never ventured iegislatively 60
fix the point where the race track
gambler passing from the turf 10 the
stock mufket becomes respectable
business man eligible 10 church mem.
bership End tho chairman OF the
board Of trustees
'ln our absolute helplessaess be.
fore tAis question we mus4 continue
"a allow the world 10 suspect that
.the iarger the stake and the more
reckless of public wealth and gain.
the less vicious the vice So ions as the
winner pays ,lthes 20 religion or be-
ney0lenee."
The conference adopted d resolution
oondomning James Wilson, secretary
OF agriculture, for attending the In
tcrnauounl Brewers congress IN Chi-
cago last October.
After naming President Taft az hav-
ing been asked 90 prevent Secretary
wilson's presence az the congress the
resolution declares that those In au-
thority have forfeited all claim on
hte future Franchise OF the Christian
and eobef manhood OF the nation"
secretary Wilson's explanation OF
hia action was described as "a most
frieolous. tallaeloua and stereo,yped
excuse"
The bishops report stated that
1855 Of 1901 district suporlntondonts
had pronounced ineffective tho amuso-
meht parnafapn In the church dis
oipline. The bishops further recon-
mcndod
That instead OF having two temper
ancc societies as represented in tho
Anti-aaloon league ana the Methodist
churca Temperance society. the
church have only one. suggesting the
abolition nf tlfe latter.
That ihe church return 90 the limit
~ FIVE years tor pastorntes as was In
force prior iO 1900
child lahor and boyco,ilng IN dis
pules between capital and labor we're
denounced ana President TAFT was
endorsed for hla attempts 10 promote
International peace
Attempta by any religious body "a
Interfere With ihe civii status oN mar
rlaRoa Of their members when per-
fa.l4a1 Ia. aI.natf..n nI .fh.. "a.