Las Vegas optic., 1912-05-03
LET LAYMEN DECIDE QUESTION
HEADS OF DENOMINATION REC
oMMEND RETURN TO TEACH
INes OF WESLEY
WHAT ABOUT WALL STREET3
III. is DECLARED STOCK GAM
BLING is AS BAD AS ANY
OTHER FORM

Minneapolis, Mimi, May 3.-"The
American people are too far advanced
longer to be restricted by church
rules as to what their amusements
shall be. The rules prohibiting dan
cling, card playing, gambling and go
ing to theaters, circuses and horse
races, therefore, should be abolished"
This is the gist of report pre-
sented today to the general confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal
church by the board of bishops. In
recommending this radical change,
the "a active bishops stipulated that
the church, however, should not be in
different on these subjects but that
the people should be left to judge for
themselves Nhiehis right or wrong
in amusements, having before them
only the injunction of John Wesley
which forbid sthe taking of such di-
versions as cannot be taken in the
name Of the Lord Jesus"
The bishops declared the church
reiterated its opposition to theater-
gong and gambling, but the rule in
force since 1872, could not fix point
between 'the turf and the stock mar
ket."
The bishops, report was delivered
by Bishop Earl Cranston of Washing.
ton, D. O., and it formed section
of the episcopal address, the first half
which had been given the day before.
1--WE would joyfully acclaim the
day when every Christian would abb
stain from the amusements which
have beer prohibited, but we can't
repress our conviction that Wesley
dealt more wisely with the danger.
The bishops. therefore, recommend
a return to the consistent treatment
of this subject by Wesley and the
more earnestly because we are deal
ing with the American people and the
injustice of the twentieth century.
"As church we cannot approve
dancing and theater going. They are
questionable amusements. To us, Us
to several of our sister churches, they
who justify these amusements as con-
sistent with the spiritual life seem to
manifest deplorable lack of spirit.
uaI perception.
again we stand unitedly against
gambling and we recognize clearly
that it is the same sin in Wall street
that it is in the lowest resort. but
we have never ventured legislatively
to fix the point where the race track
gambler passing from the turf to the
stock market. becomes a respectable
business man eligible to church mem
bership and the chairman of the board
of trustees.
In our absolute helplessness before
this question we must continue to al
low the world to suspect that the larg-
er the stake and the more reckless
Of public wealth the gain. the less vi
cious the crime. provided the winner
pays tithes to religion or henevol-
ence."
The conference adopted a resolu-
tion condemning James Wilson, secre-
tary of agriculture, for attending ths
International Brewers congress last
October
After naming President Taft IS
having been asked to prevent secre-
tary Wilson's presence at the con-
gress, the resolution declares that
those in authority have forfeited
all claim on the future franchise OF
the Christian and sober manhood of
the nation. Secretary Wilson's ex-
PLANTATION of his action was described
as "a most frivolous, fallacious and
! stereotyped excuse"