Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-03
People Too Far Advanced
to be Restricted,
Says Report
TO M. E. CONFERENCE
Communicates to Be Allowed to
Judge for Themselves Be-
tween Right and Wrong.

Minneapolis, MINI, May 3.-"The
American people are too far advanced
longer To be restricted by church rules
as TO what their amusemeuts shall be.
The rule prohibiting dancing. card
playing. gambling and going TO thea
tres, circuses and horse races there
fore should be abolished"
MUST JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES.
This is the gist Of q report present
ed today TO the general conference of
the Methodist Episcopal church by the
board Of bishops. In recommending a
radical change in discipline, "a active
bishops stipulated the church. how.
ever, should not be Indifferent on these
subjects. but that the people should
be left TO Judge for themselves what
is right and wrong in selecting their
amusements. having before them only
the injunction Of John Wesley, which
forbids the taking Of such diversions
as cannot be taken in the name of the
Lord Jesus
CANNOT FIX POINT.
The bishops declared the church re-
iteraJed its opposition to theatre-going
and gambling, but the rule in force
since 1872 could not fix the point be-
tween the turf and the stock mar
ket."
The bishops report was delivered by
Bishop Cranston and it formed the
second section of the Episcopal ad
dress, the first part OF which was CIV
en- yesterday.
CONSISTENT TREATMENT.
We would joyfully acclaim the day
when every Christian would abstain
from amusements which have been
prohibited says the report. But we
can not repress our conviction that
Wesley dealt more wisely with danger.
The bishops therefore recommend
a return to the consistent treatment of
this subject by Wesley, and more
earnestly, because we are dealing with
American people and the intelligence
OF the Goth century.
QUESTIONABLE AMUSEMENTs.
"As a church We cannot approve of
dancing and theatre-going. No sane
person expects us TO do that hey
are questionable amusements. To US
as 10 several OF our sister churches
they who justify these amusements as
consistent with spiritual life, seem tc
manifest a deplorable lack of spiritual
PERCEPTION.
GAMBLING Is GAMBLING.
Again We stand unitedly against
gambling, and We recognize clearly
that IT is the same sin in Wall street
that il is in the lowest resort, but We
never ventured legislatively TO fix {
point where the race track gambler
passing from the turf TO the stock mar
ket, becomes a respectable business
man eligible 10 church membership
and chairman OF a board OF trustees.
TITHEs FROM THE WINNER.
''In our absolute helplessness befor,
this question We must continue to a.
low the world 10 suspect that the larg
er and more reckless the public wealth
the less vicious the crime. provided
the winner pays his uthes to religion
or benevolence.'
RULE INEFFECTIVE.
The report stated 1856 out OF 2.05
district superintendents had declare,
the amusement paragraph in tn
church discipline ineffective. Tn
bishops further recommended that tn
church. instead Of having two temper
ance societies, as represented in tn
Ant-Saloon league and by the churc
temperance society. have only one
suggesting expediency by abolish
ing the church society. II is recon
mended that the church return TO tn
limit OF FIVE years for pastorates. Tn
report indorsed President Tafts a
tempts to promote internations
peace.