The Detroit times., 1912-05-06
PASTOR ANTRIM
FAVORS LIFTING
AMUSEMENT BAN
Thinks Elimination of Penal
Paragraph" AS Urged Be
fore Conference, Wise
HAS TENDENCY TO KEEP
PEOPLE OUT OF CHURCH
Says Enlightened Conscience
Should Be Guide To Mem
bers in Pleasure Seeking

In cases of neglect of duties of
any kind; imprudent conduct; In
dulging sinful tempers or words;
the buying, selling or using in
toxicating liquors as beverage;
'ssigning petitions in favor Of
granting licenses for the sale or
intoxicating liquors; becoming
bendsmen for persons engaged Ia
such traffic, or renting property
Jas place In or on which TO man
ufacture or sell intoxicating
liquor; dancing; playing at games
or chance; attending theaters.
horse races, circuses, dancing
parties or patronizing dancing
schools; or taking such other
amusements as are obviously OF
misleading or questionable moral
tendency or disobedient to the
order and discipline Of the
church.
On the first offense, let riyate
reproof be given by the pastor
or leader, and IL there be an &C
Acknowledgement OF the fault, and
proper humiliation, the person
may be borne with. On the sec
'ond offense, the pastor or leader
may take with him one or two
discreet members of the church.
On the third 7offense. let him be
brought to trial, and, IL found
guilty and there be no sign OF
real humiliation. he shall be ex-
PEELED.
This Is the penal paragraph,
which Is captioned "Imprudent un'
Christian conduct" In the rules gov
erning the members of the Methodist
Episcopal church, and is the portion
OF the discipline recommended for
elimination by the general conference
of the church, now In session In Min
neapolis. At first glance, and to
those unfamiliar with the law OF
the Methodist church. one might re-
gard the abolition of the paragraph
as tantamount to the letting down OF
the discipline bars OF the church, but
such is not the case, according to
the Rev. Eugene M. Antrim, pastor
of the North Woodward Methodist
church. In an interview with The
Times, Saturday, Mr.. Antrim said
that the elimination of the paragraph
would simply leave the discipline OF
the church about where It Is at the
present time, inasmuch as the para
graph, has never been enforced.
For the regulation OF the members
OF the church in regard to amuse
mehts, there Is In the rules what Is
known as special advice" This
clause, after referring to the sinful
tendencies of certain forms Of amuse.
ment, says in part:
We affectioIately admonish our
people to make careful thought
and frequent praper to study the
subject of amusements in the
light of their tendencies and to
be scrupulously careful In the
matter to set no injurious ex-
ample. We adjure them to re-
member that the question for
Christian must be often not
whether a certain course OF ac-
ton Is positively immoral, but
whether IL will dull the spiritual
life and be an unwise example.
And we affectionately adj
wise and beseech every man OF
the church absolutely to avoid
the taking of such diversions as
cannot be used In the name OF
the Lord Jesus.
1T am In favor of the elimination
of the penal paragraph" said Mr.,
Antrim. because 1t has a tendency
to keep people out of the church
Anyway, II has. never been enforced
and is a sort OF dead letter. 1t was
incorporated in the rules of the
church in 1872. | am sure that II
any attempt had ever been made to
enforce 1t, there would have been a
revolution In the church. | am In
favor of its elimination, because be-
lieve that the question Of participa
ton In amusements should be left to
the enlightened conscience OF the
members. / am sure, however, that
IL the penal paragraph be eliminat
ed. the special advice for the regu.
lation OF the members In regard to
amusements will be kept as II Is now,
PERSONALLY, | do not regard amuse'
ments as totally harmful, but there
are certain sinful tendencies In most
of them. There is immoral display
in theaters that not even men should
see and hear, and there Is much
harm in certain kinds of dancing.
don't know just what the turkey
trot' or the bear and bunny hug
are but the names are enough to
uggest something bad. | deplore
that dancing is considered essential
for girl to be popular in high
schools. Nor do think that Metho-
dists in the laity should indulge In
amusements which the pastor taboos.
The pastor, suppose, Is expected to
set an example, but there should not
be two standards Of morality In the
nhurch -