The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-05-03
"a BISHOPS TODAY :
ADVISE ACTION TO-
LAYMEN OF CHURCH
American People, the Pre-
lates Say, Are Too Far Ad-
vanced to Be Restricted in
Amusements.
| WOULD EVEN RAISE
BAN UPON GAMBLING
Cannot Draw Distinction Be-.
tween Turf and Wall
Street Taft Administers
tion Given Rap.
tNational News A..oeiation)

(National News sAssociation)
MINNEAPOLIS. May s.-The board
of bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
church today reported to the general
conference of the church here in favor
of lifting the church ban on dancing.
card playing. gambling and attendance
at horse races. theaters and circuses
ton the twenty-four active bishops.
who formulated the report. declared
that the American people are too far
advanced to be longer restricted by
church rules as to what their amusel
ments shall be. II is suggested sthat
each individual member Of the church
follow the dictates of his own con.
|, science.
The bishops declared that the church
reiterated it's opposition to theater
going and gambling. but the ecclesias-
tical rule, enforced since 1874, could
not fix the point between the turf and
the stock market.
This report. which was supplement-
ed to the one read yesterday by Bish-
op Earl Cranston, of washington. IN
part said:
Up to the individual.
I'VE would joyfully acclaim the day
when every Christian would obstain
from the amusements which have been
prohibited. but We cannot repress our
conviction that John Wesley dealt
more wisely with the danger
| AS church we cannot approve OF
dancing and theater-going. They are
questionable amusements. To us, as 10
several Of our sister churches. they
who justify these amusements as con-
sistent with the spiritual life seem to
manifest a deplorable lack of spiritual
conception.
The Bishops. therefore. recommend
a return to- the consistent treatment
of this subject by Wesley. and the
more earnestly because we are dealing
with American people and the inteiii-
gence Of the twentieth century.
I'm our absolute helplessness before
this question we must continue to II
low the world to suspect that the lar.
ger the stake and the more reckless
! Of public veal and gain. the less vicf.
GUS the crime, provided the winner
pays tithes to religion or benevolence
Again we stand unitedly against
gambling and we recognize clearly II
lis the same sin in Wall street that
IL is in the lowest resort. but we have
never ventured legislatively to AZ the
point where the race track gambler.
passing from the turf to the stock mar
ket. becomes a respectable business
man. eligible to church membership
and the chairmanship of the board Of
trustees" :
censure Secretary Wilson. =
resolution condemning Secretary
OF Agriculture James g. Wilson and
virtually threatening to vote against
the Taft administration was adopted
by vote of 544 10 241 after a sharp
fight on the floor of the convention
An effort was made to have II referred
to a special committee and there was q
spirited debate before IL passed The
Resolution was the outgrowth Of the
Brewers Congress. of which Wilson
was made honorary chairman.
The resolution was introduced By
the Rev. ]. W. Anderson Of Missouri
II read: Whereas In the preparation
OF the program for the International
Brewers congress held In Chicago. In
October. 1911. those in charge made
James Wilson. secretary Of agrfcur
iture.. the honorary chairman OF said
congress. and.
Whereas. the president of the Unit
red States. the secretary of agriculture
and the secretary of state. his author
lied representative. were petitioned by
1.-THE millions of Christian popIe of the
nation. individually and through their
Irrespective representatives 20 desfst
from all national indorsement of said
Brewers' Congress. and that the secre-
tary of agriculture decline said posi-
tion az honorary chairman because Of
1.-THE fndorsement such position would
give to the business represented. and
the evident purpose in view By said
meeting. namely to increase and ex-
ltend the sales of beer and thus encour-
tage and increase drunkenness, and.
Whereas. the said United States an
Ithorfties utterly disregArded the En-
tpressed wishes and prayer Of Christian
manhood and womanhood of the na-
sion with the exception that the sscree
itary Of agriculture sent out In reply
f(-ontIuued On pare Teol =.