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VICTORIA UNIVERSITY 
 .LIBRARY 
 
 i; 
 
 POPULA R AMUSEMENTS : 
 
 THK DUTY OF THK OFFICEKS AND MEMUKR> OK THE 
 METHODIST CHURCH IN RELATION THEKETO. 
 
 AN ESSAY 
 
 I 
 
 UKAD BEFORK THE MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION OF THE COBOURG ; 
 
 DISTRICT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH OF CANADA, ASSEMBLED 
 
 IN THE METHODIST CHURCH, COLBOHNE, MAY 'i.mii, 
 
 1382, AND PUBLISHED AT THE REt^UEST 
 
 OF THAT ASSOCIATION. 
 
 :' 
 
 By the Rev. H. KENNER. 
 
 TORONTO : 
 WILLIAM BRIGGS, 
 
 78 & 80 Kino Strbrt East. 
 
 MONTREAL: C. W. COATES. 
 
 HALIFAX : S F. HUESTLS 
 
 1882. 
 
^^ .... 
 
 I 
 
 
 \A 
 
POPULAR AMUSEMENTS; 
 
 THE DUTY OF THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE 
 METHODIST CHURCH IN RELATION THERETO. 
 
 AN ESSAY 
 
 HEAD BEFORE THE MINHTERIAL ASSOCUTION OP TUB COBOURG 
 
 DISTRICT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH OF CANADA, ASSEMBLED 
 
 IN THE METHODIST CHURCH, COLBORNE, MAY 23RD, 
 
 1882, AND PUBLISHED AT THE REQUEST 
 
 OP THAT ASSOCIATION. 
 
 By the Rev. H. KENNER. 
 
 TORONTO : 
 WILLIAM BRIGGS, 
 
 78 & 80 Kino Strbrt East. 
 
 MONTREAL: C. W. COATES. 
 
 HALIFAX : S F. HUESTIS. 
 
 1882. 
 
p 
 
 \' 
 
 am 
 
 
POPULAR AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 Mr. Chairman and Brethren of this Ministerial 
 Association — 
 
 There was but little need among Methodist Societies 
 one hundred years ago ot* an Esasy on Popular Amuse- 
 ments. An essay to strengthen courage to bear up 
 against the peltings of rotten eggs and brickbats, to 
 endure mockery and scorn, was much more called for 
 then. The agents of Methodism went among the 
 masses in their struggles, their poverty, and their 
 wretchedness, and expounded the Word which offers 
 Christ and His salvation, the Word which enjoins 
 thrift and economy. The acceptance of Christ and 
 the adoption of these principles has led to wealth and 
 honour: "The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich." 
 The sons and daughters of Methodism are now filling 
 many of the high places of trust in the nations. It 
 would be a blessing if they all, like McArthur, ex- 
 Mayor of London, and ex-President Hayes, of Wash- 
 ington, carried their principles up into the higher 
 circles of life. Her present high social prestige 
 
POPULAR AMUSEMKNTS. 
 
 exposes her to very great danger. Wealfcli creates 
 power, independence, and a capability to gratify every 
 wish, rational or irrational; wealtli is imperious in 
 its bearing, and impatient of all restiaint. Its power 
 to feed ease, luxury, indulgence, and vanity, threatens 
 the true progress of the soul. Wealth is the offspring 
 of piety, but it is the ungrateful child that seeks to 
 wound and slay its parent. (])eut. 8th.) The call 
 from many quarters tor definition of the harmful and 
 harmless amusements, the desire for connexional sanc- 
 tion of amusements of some kind, we take as a sign 
 of departing spiritual life. So do not souls enquire 
 who experience " the joy unspeakable and full of 
 glory." So do not spirits long who anxiously ask, 
 " Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" 
 
 Is not the call for amusements for purposes of recrea- 
 tion areHection upon Divine wisdom and goodness ? Eacli 
 night was designed to recreate from the exhaustion of 
 the preceding day. Each Sabl)atli recreates from the 
 waste and wear of the preceding week. Besides this, 
 change of employment, mental or physical, material or 
 spiritual, is recreative. The superintendence of a 
 garden, an orchard, a herd, a liock, a poultry-yard, an 
 apiary, might occupy a life creditably and profitably. 
 fJladstone, Premier of England, amuses himself in 
 pruning the trees of his lawn with his axe, and thus 
 recreates his jaded powers for the onerous parliamen- 
 tary duties of the coming day. The poet Cowper's 
 three hares no doubt formed means of his recreation. 
 As mentally the turning from prose to poetry, and 
 
POI'lTLAU AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 from poetry to prose is recreative, so in the Church ot 
 God the all but endless variety of eniployinents is both 
 restful and restorative. While there are hungry to be 
 fed, destitute to be clothed, sick to be visited, ignorant 
 to be instructed, a hundred and one benevolent and 
 religious societies to be sustained, is there any justifi- 
 cation of the thirst for amusements in religious circles? 
 Let us now look at a few of the employments in 
 which the votaries of pleasure seek amusement. That 
 which is most popular, because it has the greatest 
 power to charm, is the promiscuous pleasure dance. 
 As I consider this the most dangerous, it demands the 
 greatest notice. As the word fire is expressive of the 
 love of God, and the torments of perdition ; as the 
 word wine stands for an intoxicating beverage, and 
 for the choicest Gospel blessings ; so in the Bible the 
 word dance stands in connection with principles and 
 conduct which are directly opposite — as opposite as 
 sin is from holiness. The pleasure dance is no more 
 justified from the use of the word dance in the Scrip- 
 tures, than is modern drunkenness from the use of the 
 
 word wine. 
 
 What is claimed for this diversion by its advocates 
 
 and patrons? 
 
 1. That it is not worse than other evils. It is 
 acknowledged that theft is not so bad as murder; that 
 adultery is not so bad as manslaughter. Are we will- 
 ing to be found among evil-doers? 
 
 2. That it is only a little thing. Millions are made 
 of units, mountains of atoms. A match is a little thing, 
 
6 
 
 POPULAR AMIJSEMKNTS. 
 
 yot Imtli it set many a village, a town, a city aflame. 
 Bankruptcy — social, financial, mental, and moral, re- 
 sult Itoim (lisrcfjard to iittle things. 
 
 3. That youth must have amu.sements, and are 
 incapahlc of lational intei'course and entertainment. 
 It is no flattery to the youth of our day and country 
 to plead that tliey have no capaljility r'or rational 
 entertainment, but must, therefore, take to tlieir lieels. 
 
 \. That it is an accomplishment! As to its being an 
 accomj)lislnnent, it has been recorded by a writer on 
 this subject that a " negro boy, seven years of age, 
 without the first rudiments of an education, could put 
 to blush the brightest star, and that a school-boy can 
 whittle a dancer out of a pine stick that will perform 
 scientifically l)y pulling a string ; and further, that in 
 the external grace of jumping about, the most accom- 
 plished can be surpassed by an Hottentot or an ape." 
 
 o. That it contributes to health. Our physicians do 
 not put it among their prescriptions as a health- 
 restorer. 
 
 6. That man was formed for society. That man 
 was formed for society is a fact ; but that social 
 relations formed in the ball-room are not well formed, is 
 also an historical fact well worth pondering. 
 
 While the best arguments that the lovers of carnal 
 pleasure can plead are not entitled to serious respect^ 
 we have heavy charges against this diversion. Let 
 me now look at a few reasons why this Popular 
 amusement should be impeached. Let me begin with 
 the lower: 1. Divine precept exhorts us not only to 
 
POITLAH AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 avoid the substance but also tlie shadow Dancing has 
 the appearance of evil, and sliould he sluinned. (1 Thes. 
 5: 22.) 2. It is a worMly (livcrsion, "'. a moral rluasifi- 
 catloi: t has to be placed somewhere. It i net of God, 
 it must be of Satan. It it were of Divine origin it 
 would be as apjn'opriate for " Bishops and Deacons " as 
 for Church members. But tlui astonishment that their 
 participation would give to the patrons of the dance, 
 ' proves that they do not consider it Christian either in 
 origin or character. *?. I impeach it as the destroyer 
 of health and life. 
 
 Let us pau.se to reflect on the lateness of the hour. 
 On the intense and prolonged exertion. On the 
 sumptuous diet at an unnatural hour. On the return 
 home amid a changeful atmo.sphere, and that all the.se 
 combine to push into an early grave the devotees of 
 the ball room, 4. I impeach it for its ruinou'< <lrain 
 upon the purse. There is the expense of the banquet 
 The expense of the wardrobe, and the expense of 
 tinie, which taken together have first mortgaged, and 
 then completely alienated many estates. 
 
 5. I impeach it for its immoral tendencies. It leads 
 to embezzlement, to carnal company, to the wine cup, 
 to jealousy, to prostitution upon a large scale, to 
 suicides, and murders. C. 1 impeach it because it 
 is destructive to Christian reverence. It destroys 
 communion with God. It destroys a love for Christian 
 ordinances. It weakens )ublic confidence, and thus 
 destroys Christian usefulness. It destroys a love 
 for Christian literature. It is destructive of a happy 
 
8 
 
 POPULAR AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 Christian destiny. These are only a part of the 
 natural fruits of the mixed dance; as what is termed 
 the innocent private parlour dance, leads as surely to 
 the popular dance as that spring leads to summer, the 
 clear duty of the Christian Church is to make a clean 
 sweep of the whole concern. 
 
 As we cannot treat so fully each popular amusement 
 as we have treated the dance, we will weisrh them in 
 the Scripture balance, or test them by Scripture 
 principle. We will submit the following proposition : 
 
 A voluntary union of regenerate and un regenerate 
 persons, is forbidden in the Bible. '■ The friendship 
 of the world is enmity with God." " Be ye separate, 
 saith the Lord." The frequent objection that we 
 must go out of the world, to go from the ungodly, is 
 nothing to the point. 
 
 Necessary travel on land or sea, necessary residence 
 in country or city, necessary business compelling co- 
 operation in the material pursuits of life, do not con- 
 stitute moral companionships. The union of godly 
 and ungodly persons in playing dominoes, dice, 
 checkers, croquet, billiards, baseball, brass band, or 
 attendance at circus or theatre is a very different 
 matter because voluntarily engaged in. 
 
 To a brass band composed of godly persons, playing 
 none but moral or religious tunes, no reasonable 
 objection could be raised. But to one meeting in a 
 tavern playing lewd songs and dancing jigs, every 
 Christian should raise a protest, and of it form no 
 part. 
 
 { 
 
POPULAR AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 9 
 
 ( 
 
 The growing youth, whether at home, near tlieir 
 father's house, or students at college, who run and 
 skip in the play-ground, should not be intefered with 
 in their innocent gambol. But of competitive base- 
 ball clubs, formed in rum-shops, taking up challenges 
 in distant parts of the country, requiring time and 
 money to fulfil ; now flushed witl victory, and then 
 mortified by defeat ; and finally drinking the prize in 
 intoxicants. From this popular amusement turn away. 
 Let not Methodists take any part in it. 
 
 Boat-racing and horse-racing in their dangerous 
 strain on physical life. In tlieir betting and drinking 
 are immoral in their character and fruits, and with 
 the circus and theatre all too vile to require serious 
 argument from me. 
 
 If Cod hath ;^;'ven to man tirne with no profitable 
 duty to fill it up, then the mere shufi[ling of little 
 blocks of wood called checkers from place to place 
 cannot be strongly objected to. 
 
 But if no such time be given, and if checker -playing 
 be so fascinating as to interfere with the divinely-ap- 
 pointed duties of business and of the home circle, or more 
 charming than iove for religious literature and religious 
 ordinances, then the anr jement had better never be 
 learned. If a professing Christian father play checkers 
 to wile away an hour, and trains his family to be 
 expert at that game, is that parent prepared to reprove 
 those who gamble at that play, and should his own 
 sons join those who play for money or wine, could he 
 reflect and credit himself wuth having trained them 
 
10 
 
 POPULAR AMUSEMI^NTS. 
 
 " in the way they should go ; " are not those who play 
 to murder time, and those who play for whisky until 
 they reel and stagger to their homes in some degree 
 morally related ? 
 
 How will an evening's sport at home at checkers 
 harmonize with Scripture sentiment and religious 
 devotion ^ Let us ascertain by bringing them into 
 proximity. We will suppose the evening has been 
 occupied by the father and his children at this game. 
 Nine o'clock is come. The Bible is called for. 1 Cor. 
 7. 29, is read. The reading is, " Brethren, the time is 
 short." After this the father announces Charles 
 Wesley's hymn, No. 3)7, and, before they kneel for 
 prayer, the whole family join in singing — 
 
 " How happy, gracious Lord, are wc, 
 Divinely draAvn to follow theo ; 
 Whose liours divided are 
 Betwixt the mount and multitude ; 
 Our day is spent in doing good, 
 Our night in praise and prayer. 
 
 With us no melancholy void. 
 No period lingers unemployed 
 Or unimproved below ; 
 f )ur weariness of life is gone, 
 Who live to serve our God alone, 
 And only thee to know. 
 
 The winter's night and summer's day, 
 Glide imperceptibly away, 
 Too short to sing thy praise, 
 Too few we lind the happy hours, 
 And haste to join the heavenly powers, 
 In everlasting lays." 
 
POPULAR AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 11 
 
 Is there not a strong contradiction between tlie 
 evening's entertainment and the evening's devotions ? 
 Would not that father be strongly inclined to pass 
 exercises so condemnatory to his course ? Would he 
 come to the light that reproved his deeds ? 
 
 We will assume that moral philosophy and church 
 history say he would note warnings from the voice of 
 history. Churches, like individuals, are upon a state 
 
 of moral trial. 
 
 The Pharisees or Separatists, as their name implies, 
 were, about one hundred and fifty years before Christ, 
 supposed to be a most holy people. They originated 
 as ecclesiastical reformers. Matt. 23, tells their sad 
 character in the time of Christ. Churches formed by 
 the Apostles, favoured with Apostolic doctrine and dis- 
 cipline, we learn from the New Testament and early 
 Church history, soon fell into decay. The Lutheran 
 Church, with its glorious doctrine of "justification by 
 faith," had about the time of the Wesley's lost most 
 of its spiritual life. Has Methodism any guarantee of 
 continued vitality, witheld from the Churches whose 
 graves lie along the line of history ? 
 
 EARLY METHODIST PROTEST. 
 
 The early Methodists raised a strong protest against 
 indulgence in carnal amusements as the enemy of God 
 and of His Church ; God approved their protestation. 
 From the gay circles of carnal worldlings, and from 
 the wide doixiain of card playing and dancing religion- 
 ists, there have come to our Church vast thousands 
 
12 
 
 POl'ULAIl AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 who, in tlie pastui-e ol' true Methodists, liave found 
 food more satisfying and inspiring than the husks 
 which the whole catalogue of popular amusements 
 could give. 
 
 Shall we cast aside this God-given lesson of our 
 history, and at a time when we have put to blush the 
 worldly fashionable, and more than half reformed the 
 vain indulgence of many religious bodies shall we 
 J ield to the specious pleading in behalf of " our young 
 people V Let us not thus throw away the lessons of 
 our history, and dishonor our traditions. 
 
 MINISTERIAL POSITION. 
 
 The position of ministers is, perhaps, the most im- 
 portant in relation to popular amusements. That 
 their protests may be effective, it will be requisite that 
 they shall have no complicity. If they shall fear the 
 loss of a subscription to their support from some one 
 who indulges in these games, then the example of 
 the rich will be followed by the poor. The conduct 
 of Church olHcers will be copied by private members. 
 Shall the denominational tree that, in the last hundred 
 and fifty years, has spread out its branches and become 
 the wonder and admiration of the nations — shall it 
 go on to grow in future centuries until the vast 
 millions of heatliendom bow in loyalty to our King ? 
 The true answer to this question largely depends upon 
 the attitude of her ministers in relation to carnal 
 amusements. May her ministers and office-bearers 
 never be reeds .«haken with the wind. Exodus 32, con- 
 
POPULAR AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 i:J 
 
 tains a record of two brother ministers. Tlie pliability 
 of one led him to help in making a heathen God, and of 
 silently looking on while the people danced around it. 
 The courage and righteous indignation of the other 
 led him to grind their golden god to powder, and 
 turned their dancing into mourning. May there never 
 arise a race of ministers as pliable and coiv irdly as 
 Aaron. 
 
 The duty of the minister is the intelligent educa- 
 tion of the Church on the character and fruits of 
 popular amusements. 
 
 THE SOUL NOT SATISFIED. 
 
 As surely as that the cravings of liunger imply an 
 unsatisfied nature, so the cry for popular amusements 
 proclaims a lack of satisfaction. To laugh at a man 
 will not satisfy his hunger. To threaten or to pounce 
 upon him with civil law will not satisfy his craving. 
 Give him a sufficiency of pure nutritious food, and his 
 voracious hunger will cease. When a profession of 
 religion does not satisfy, pernicious amusements will be 
 sought after, and the mere application of Church discip- 
 line cannot quench that thirst. In the early history of 
 Methodism the public services of religion had a great 
 degree of animation and spiritual life. Then popular 
 amusements were but little sought after. The pray- 
 ing, the singing, and the preaching, must be animated 
 with a greater degree of intoHigence, and true spiritual 
 life, and the cry for amusements will give place to the 
 rational, the pure, the substantial, and the lasting "joy 
 
POPULAR AMITSKMENT8. 
 
 unspeakable and full of glory." " I shall be satisfied 
 when I awake with Thy likeness." Psa. 17. 15. Dur- 
 ing a special season of revival interest, popular amuse- 
 ments stand adjourned. Nor could they be made to 
 mix and mingle. Give popular amusements free 
 course and they will kill out spiritual religion. I )t 
 the entire membership of the Church be " filled with 
 all the fulness of God," and popular amusements will 
 die, as far as the Church is concerned. 
 
 CHRISTIAN PARENTS. 
 
 It is requisite that Christian parents should copy 
 the firmness of Abraham, and not the laxity of Eli in 
 the government of home. Then will the blessinsj of 
 the Lord be upon your families instead of being cut 
 otf in the flower of their age. If you would not have 
 the thistles grow% you must early scatter the wheat. 
 Let the voice of Christian melody, instrumental and- 
 vocal, be early and fully cultivated in your homes 
 Liberally furnish your circles with pure healthful 
 literature. The burden of news contained in the 
 Gu'irdiaii, Magazine, Sunheara, and Pleasant Hours 
 will prevent your life from being wearisome. Keep 
 your minds well informed on the state of the civil 
 and the religious world. Let the respite from physical 
 toil be filled up with efforts of mental and moral im- 
 provement. That will prepare you for usefulness in 
 God's Church, and a mansion in our Father's house. 
 Let the voice of a consecrated Church in its ministers, 
 its officers, and its members, be heard saying to ' 
 
 
POPULAR AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 15 
 
 pleasure-loving world, " Come thou with us and we 
 will do thee good, for the Lord hath spoken good con- 
 cerning; Israel." But never let the Church join the 
 world as is mostly the case in'popular amusements. 
 
 Take my life ami let it be 
 Consecrated, Lord, to Thee : 
 Take my moments and my days 
 Let them bow in ceaseless praise. 
 
 Take my hands and let them move 
 At the imimlse of Thy love : 
 Take my feet and let them be 
 Swift and beautiful for Thee. 
 
 Take my voice and let me sing 
 Always, only for my King : 
 Take my lips and let them be' 
 Filled with messages from Thee. 
 
 Take my love, my Lord, I pour 
 At thy feet its treasure store : 
 Take myself, and 1 will be. 
 Ever, only, all for Thee. 
 
 >>««- 
 
 Printed at the Guardian Office, 15 Court Street, Toronto. 
 
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