Year: 1866

mate as to that or amusement. Again,
the statement is not borne out in the or
dinary religious life Of individuals. Ma
ny, very many of the best, most efficient,
and most steadily growing Christians III
the church exhibit habitually a keen rel
ish for amuscments, and for some which
are most sternly condemned, and partici-
pate in them most heartily. And once
more: while at revival seasons in individ-
ual churches, temporary decrease of
amusements may be seen, the more i'm
portant fact is that the aggregate of
Christian society has been for many years
past developing steadily increasing in
terest in the subject, and correspond
ing liberality of sentiment respecting it.
Scores of christian men have billiard ta-
bles in their houses. Colleges, from
which in years past students would
have been summarily expelled for rolling
ten pins, have now bowling alleys of
their own. Even in the corridors of
staid old Williams the sound of the balls
may be heard and the revival record of
the college does not indicate that even
this stupendous Innovation has wrought
to the Punishment of the spirit of God.
The assertcrs of this inverse ratio be-
tween piety and amusement must, in
short, dispose as best they can, of the fact
that along with the growth of Christian
intelligence, Christian bcnevolence, and
Christian activity, there has been de-
veloped in the church itself q growing
sympathy with many of the very forms
of amusement most condemned by the
religious sentiment of an earlier age"


To more prevalent but more absurd
style of argument, which consists in
asking questions like these;


"Think of Paul dancing or Peter play
ing billiards Do you think we shall
have cheeker-boards in Heaven ?Mr Vim
cent makes this lively rcjoinder:- -


"Now this is not argument. 1t is
sheer nonsense; and most unworthy tri-
fling over a serious subject. The reason
ing, if it be worthy the name, is simply
this: certain things appear incongruous
with our ideas of the character and work
of certain men; therefore these things
are sinful. 1t is the easiest thing in the
world to invent situations of this kind.
Such men as Paul and Peter are associa-
ted in our minds with but one set ofideas;





and their association with any inferior
matter affects us unpleasantly at first
Even when we think of Paul making tents
there is at first view something that clash
es in our mind with the speech on Mars
Hill, and the healing of the cripple of
Lystra. But who thinks of disputing
from this the propriety of Paul's own
hands ministcring to his own necessities
After all, if there is no sin in rolling ten
pins, know not why Peter should not
have participated in that very excellent
and healthfnl recreation with as much
propriety as any of the numerous minis
ters of the present day who "roll'' with
SO much zest and assiduity at our fash
ionable watering places. Think Of Paul
dancing Well, think of him Think of
Paul wearing blue swallow-tailed coat
with brass buttons How he would have
looked under the shadow of the Acropo-
lis, the winds of the Kgean gentlys,way-
ing his cerulean skirts, and the. eager IA
ces of Stole and .-Epicurean reflected in
the bright buttons Think ofPeter skat-
ing cutting figures of eight and perform
ing "outer edge backwards! Think of
John in white cravat or of Bartholo-
NEW putting up scdlitz powders; or of
Timothy running with fireengine How
would they have looked? Therefore
hasten ye trim gentlemen, to doff your
guilty blue and brass, and don the toga.
Lay aside your skates, boys; Peter would
have looked very strangely skating,
therefore it is sinful to skate. Tear off
your white chokers, ye reverends, and
throw away your pestles, ye apotheca-
ries, and be like the apostles. Shall we
have chccker-boaris in heaven n G, broth
er, Ipresume not. Neither shall we mar
ry or be given in marriage; but pray
don't cord.mn us to celibacy on that
ground while we remain on earth.-
''Would you play chess on your death
bed ? Probably not, my friend. Neither
would | put on my boots or do great
many other very innocent things. Death
stands out in startling contrast to all our
employments to business and study as
well as to recreation and you would find
it vastly inconvenient to act upon the
principle that nothing must be done
which you would not do upon your death
bed"


Having given an account of excellent
results OF the introduction OF amuSementS
at the rooms of the Christian association
in Troy, the essay closes with this elo-
quent appeal;


81 want for our youth Christianity
that shall not relax one iota of its obliga-
tion to God or to man; that shall bate
not one jot from an entire conservation of
heart and life to God that shall walk
closely with God, and feel as deeply as
human weakness can feel, the necessity
of watchfulness and of Divine care to
keep it from temptation. challenge
any man to draw undue license from the
principles | have asserted. But | want
more joy brought out of the world by
Christians. i want the gospel carried
boldly into some things from which it has
been kept aloof want Christian life
to be in the spirit more than in the letter.
/ do not plead for less but for more con-
formity to the spirit and teachings of
Christ. Not for lower but for higher
Christian life; for wider application of
gospel principles, a more implicit trust in
the leayening power of truth; a more