The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-04
MANY MEMBERS
F E A R RESULTS
Bishops and Their Supporters
Say Laws Against Dancing,
Card Playing, Gambling,
Theatres and Circuses Not
Observed Anyway. and
Cause Dissatisfaction.

Church appeared to nc equally divid-
ed tonight On the question OF whether
the church law prohibiting dancing
card playing, gambling ana going to
theatres. ciicuses ana horse races.
should be abolished as recommended
| 10y The board OF bishops
On the ground that their investiga-
ton showed that two-thirds Of the
100000 members of the church cithe~
danced or went to circuses ana
theatres without regarding 1t as be-
ing sinful. the bishops declared tina,
thc church law against these diver
sions in force for forty years, hal
become obsolete. They asserted that
while the church would continue to
protest against these forms OF aiauss
ment, still it WAS better not To have
any srccial law Oh tn subject than
to have a law which was ineffective.
John Wesley's injunction leaving the
amusement question to the conscience
OF individuals. the twcnty-four sctive
bishops declared, was the wisest regu-
lation for Americans OF the twentieth
century,
Lively Debate Indicated.
y demonstration which greeted
Bishop Earl Cranston's reading or
the recommendation was taken as in
dicating lively debate on the uues-
ton when IL comes up for Il vote of
the $50 delegates. y motion dcclar-
ing that the rule always had been
a source OF constant irritation and
unrest in the church" and asking
that 1t be referred to a committee.
was promptly voted down
Arguments against continuing the
Embarrassment rule as presented were:
That the majority Of churchgoers
FRI Inc a
theatres because Of tin. church. and the
violation OF this rule has tended to
bring all ch1rrh discipline into con-
tempt: that many people regard
shakespeare on the stage as beng
as good q S Shakespeare in a book: tina
many people refuse to condemn all
plays because of some of them, just as
much as they would refuse to condemn
all novels because some novels are not
proper that gambling is fundamentally
wrong and does not need a rule to
prohibit it,
Arguments for continuing the rule
wera that its adjustment would give
the impression that the church was
tending toward Iaxity and was indors-
ing the things which 1t formerly OPP
posed; that adjustment of the rule
would remove restrictions which held
people from those forms OF amusement.
Taft Is Condemned.
In adopting a resolution offered by
James w. Anderson. Of Keokuk. Iowa.
denouncing Secretary Of Agricultul a
Wilson for accepting the honorarY
Craftsmanship of "a brewers congress
In Chicago last October. the confer-
ence declared that President Taft Sec
rotary Wilson and Secretary NJ State
Knox have forfeited all claims on the
future franchise Of the Christian and
sober manhood of the nation" because
they had ignored appeals that no goi--
eminent official attend the congress
Secretary Wilson's explanation that he
attended the congress because he was
interested in the growth of hops ami
barley was described as IAN Insult and
frivolous"
The conference appointed a commits
sion of thirty delegates to consider the
demand OF some of the negro delegates
that they be given a negro blshop to
supervise the affairs of $4,000 Nom.
bers OF their church in Southern States.
Plnn of Visitation.
Nashville. Tenn. May 3-The plan
OF visitation OF the Methodist Episco-
pal Church. South. was announced this
afternoon after the meeting OF the
! board of missions. which Is now in ses-
sion TN Nashville. The plan in part
follows:
Bishop y. W. Wilson-virginin,
Lynchbrrg, Va. Novtmbe. u.
Bishop Collins Denny-Tenne ssee.
Nashville. Tenn. October Q: Western
North Carolina. Hish Point. y. c.. No
vember 20; North Caso!ina. Fayette-
willie. y. G.. November 81: North
Georgia. Carrollton. Ga. December Ii.
Bishop John c. Kilgo-Hoisto3.
| Abingdon. Va, October .: South Caro-
| lima. Anderson. : =. November q;
Baltimore, March &c, 1919
| Bishop w. 3. Murrah--Ja.pa Mis-
sion, Arma. Japan September >: 10
rcan Mission. songdo, Korea. October
! II: China Mission, 500 Chow. China.
December =.
Bishop w. s, Lamaeth-Brazil. sac
| PaoIc. Brazil, July IL: South Brazil
| Porte Allegro. Brazil. August II: Afri-
| can Mission.
Bishop ]. II. McCoy-Western vir-
ginia. sutton. W. Va. August %
| Fail meeting College of Bishops.
| Greenwood. S. G.. October 81