The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-05-04
'METHODISTS CENSURE
| WILSON, TAFT AND KNOX
Conference Finds Fault With
Secretary Acting as Brewers
Chairman.
ADJUSTMENTS UP AGAIN
Bishops Would Withdraw Oppo-
sitiOn as a Church and
Leave It to Members.

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi. May 3.-President
Taft. Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson
and Secretary Of State Knox were roundly
scored In a resolution adopted by the
Methodist Conference to-day as a protest
against the acceptance by MIR. Wilson
Of the honorary craftsmanship Of the
international brewers congress last Oc-
tober
The resolution was presented by DR..
J. ". Anderson Of Keohuk. Ia. and was
also signed by ". +. Burvis and W. b.
Christy. The resolution declared that the
petitions Of millions Of Christian people
praying that Secretary Wilson decline
the position Of honorary chairman Of
the congress- were not needed with the
exception that the Secretary Of Agricul-
ture sent out in reply a most frivolous.
fallacious and stereotyped exc use.
The resolution closed by dec laring
that Those in authority have forfeited
all claim Oh the future franchise OF the
Christian and sober manhood Of the ma
ton
Heated debate followed the introduce
resolution be laid on the table was lost
~ IuOLtOu tIlsft " UV' ItteLi cu W JHc COIi-
mittee on temperance and prohibition
was lost on a substitute motion asking
that the resolution be Immediately
adopted by the conference. II was oar
ried by q majority OF VI, :41 votes beng
cast for and lii against the motion.
A resolution was offered by DR.. j. |. Bar.
tholomew and DIR. D. II. Newiai,d asking
that the amusement section number 40
OF the discipline be referred to the COM
mittee OH Judiciary with instructions that
1t report ON the constitutionality OF the
section. The resolution set forth that the
enumeration of amusements was in addi
ton to the general rule against Inc
taking such diversions as cannot lie used
in tine name Of the Lor d Jesus Christ AID
in violation Of the provisions OF the con-
stitution that -the general conference
shall not revoke nor change the general
rules Of our church" The motion tnat the
resolution be referred n the committee
on judiciary was laid ON the table and the
amusement section it is said will be taken
in for direct action by the conference.
The second section II the Episcopal
address was read to-day by Bishop Far
transton Of Washington. The announce
ment Of the new attitude OF the church
toward airusements was listened to with
great interest. The adtlre, aaid that the
American people were too I.r advanced
longer to he restricted by church rules at
to hat their ain,iseinents should he. The
rule prohibiting dancing. card playing
gambling and goin: to theatres. circuses
and horse races. therefore, ought to be
abolished
The bishops declared. however. that the
church should not be Indifferent ON these
subjects. but that the members should
decide for themselves what was right and
what was wrong. having in mind the in
taking of such diversions as cannot he
taken in she name Of the Lord Jesus
Tho address continued:
1--WE would joyfully acclaim tho day
when every Christian would abstain FROM
! the a.lusements which have been pro-
| ton that Wesley Gcat more wisely with
| the danger.
! The bishops therefore recommend a
! return to the consistent treatment of
this subject by Wesley. and tho more
earnestly because we are dealing with
the American people and the intelligence
! OF the twentieth century.
As church We cannot approve dane
ing and theatregoing. They are Ques-
tionable amusements. To ua. as TO sew
eral Of our sister churches. they who jus
tify these a.n,isemcnts as consistent with
the spiritual life seem to manifest de-
plorable lack Of spiritual perception.
Again we stand unitedly against
gambling. and we recognize clearly that
1t is the same sin in Wall Street that il
is in the lowest resort. but We have never
ventured legislatively to fix the poin,
where the racetrack gambler. passing
from the turf TO the stock market be.
comes a respectable business man eligi
BILE to church membership and the chair
manship If the board Of trustees.
In our absolute he!plessness before
this question We must continue to allow
the, world to suspect that the larger the
stake and the moro reckless of public
weal the gain. the less vicious the crime
provided the winner rays tithes to Ie-
ligion or benevolcnoe.'