Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-05-27
DANCING, THEATERS,
CARDS FAVORED BY
SMALL M. E. GROUP
MINORITY REPORT OF CONFER.
ENcE SHOWS SOME CLERGY
MEN O. x. LOOSENiNG OF
STRICT BAN AGAINST AMUSE-
REsBYTERiAkS RE
pUcE EXPENSES OF INTER
CHURCH WORK.

Des Modnes, Ia, May 27.--A resolu-
ttlon favoring acceptance Of mandate
over Armenia by the United States
was passed this afternoon by the
Methodist Episcopal general confer
ence. Instructions were given Off
GERS of the conference to telegraph
to President Wilson and the chairman
Of the committee on foreign relations
of the senate, the substance Of the
resolution, and send full copies by
mail.
Attacks on the course of study for
the ministers of the Methodist Epis
copal church were made at the gen
eral conference today by II. P. Sloan
of New Jersey Mr. Sloan alleged
some of the books used for instruction
contained statements which were not
in accord with the church doctrine.
The conference officials in charge OF
the course Of study were instructed
to watch carefully and eliminate any
statements found to be contrary to
the church teachings
A distinct division Of opinion re-
gardifg the amusement paragraph in
the discipline Of the Methodist Epis-
copal church is evidenced by the filing
with the general conference of a mi
nority report which recommends that
the. paragraph be removed. The ma
iority report asks that the paragraph
be retained and that the conference
vote upon II without debate.
The majority report calls attention
to the fact that paragraph So Of the
discipline advises very strongly
against dancing, card playing. theater |
going. horse racing and certain other |,
amusements, and recommends that !
this stand as the announcement of |
the attitude of the church on this mat |
ter. 1t is the opinion of a minority !
of the committee that paragraph 50 |
sufficiently defines the attitude OF
the church as being against such di-
versions.
Regarding paragraph $50 of the dis
cipline, which provides what course is
to be pursued toward members of the
church alleged to have violated the
amusement restrictions, the minority
report says
I'VE recommend that paragraph $50
be amended by striking out the words
dancing, playing at games OF chance,
attending theaters, horse races, cir
cuses dancing parties or patroni2ing |
dancing schools"
The special committee on overhead
expense Of the church appointed sew
eral weeks ago, reported today that
I'VE find no extravagant adminstra-
ton expenses and no unreasonable al.
lowances for travel" The committee
was appointed with Instructions to in.
yestigate the expense of various kinds
especially that in charge Of the cen
tenary movement.
Criticises New Era.
Philadelphia, May 27.-Willam j
Bryan, speaking before the general
assembly of the Presbyterian church
today advocated the equivalent of
house Of bishops for the church and
urged single standard of morals.
the 500 commissioners
are in a fever heat to hear the report
OF the executive committee, to whom
last evening was recomnFitted the
resolution that the Presbyterian
church divorce itself from the inter
church movement, but it is probable
no report will be made before tomor-
row.
So drastic were the changes recon-
mended for the new era movement
the authorized Presbyterian agency
for benevolences and evangelism.
is report presented by the Rev DR. .
John B. Laird. chairman of the com.
on bills and overtures, that
for time a session as lively as those
of yesterday. when the interchurch
was discussed, loomed Just as with
the interchurch, the complaints were
mainly against the high cost OF ad-
ministration.
Amid the shouts the assembly voted
to send the report back to Dr. Laird's
committee instructing him to have his ,
printed and dstrib-
uted among the commissioners so they
could study the proposed "clipping of
the wings Of the new era.