Popular Amusements

An immense congregation gathered last evening in the M. E. cliurch to hear Dr. Cobern weigh popular amusenwnts in the "Iron Balances of Comí i Sense." The lecture was no tirada against amusements, but was a b;j..d and rational exposition of the principies by which recreation or amusement ought to be tested. The audienoe was in full sympathy with the speaker p.nd consequently manifested it. Sorae of the expressions used were so unique, coming from a Methodist pulpit, that we will try and quote a few of ihem. " 'A merry heart doeth good like a medicine' (Prov. xvii, 22). God believes in the merry heart and in all the sport that naturally and innocently flows out of it. lt needs no Bible eommand to make it right for the lambs to skip and dance and the boys to shout ?.nd frolic; they can't help doing it unless they are sick. It is a law of nature and God is as truly the author of nature's decalogue as of the Mosaic decalogue. It is religious to have a merry heart and the way a bos' plays is a test of his religión. Did you ever see a cross or angry or conscious smitten boy or man play well? I pity the man who when he was a boy did not jump and dance in the exuberance of life - if you did not do this, probably jou were made to dance by your father occasionally ïor other causes. The boy that doesn't love to play needs to be watched; he is probably serious misehief. "It is not incompatible with the purest religión to be cheery and jolly in word and act; nor is it contrary to theBible. 'Samson made a feast for so used the young men to do' (Jddges xiv, 10). There is no condemnation of it and Jesus often went to those dinner parties, and more than Jesus not only watched the sports of the children, but found fault with those peevish simpletons that couldn't be suited in the sames, but always wanted to play tbing else than the thing proposed (Matt. xi, 16). There is another passage which some of you older people wi.ll not like. I ought to be afraid of nothing tïiat is in the Bible. 'Then shall the virgins rejoice in the dance and the young men and the old together: for I will tuin their mourning into joy.' (Jer. 31:13) There! I want it distinctly understood that I have from this pulpit spoken favorably of dancing and I do it because the lïible does it. Do not quote me as condemning dancing. I believe in it. I approve of it - the Bible kind f dancing. We bigoted Methodists believe in the Bible and we find no fault with the young men and the old men dancing together. We believe in dancing just as much as the Bible does, every bit. "A young lady said to me not long ago (you know she had got it into her head that I disapproved of dancing) 'You know David danced.' Yes,' I said, 'yes, and I have nothing against David's style of dances nothing in the world. The record says 'David danced before the Lord with all his might.' Ah, those religious leapings of praise before the Lord, as David leaped vhen the Ark came home, as Miriam danced when the Red Sea was crossd, as the Prodigal Son when he ran into his father's arms. I wish we had more of this. Mark you, I have not said ene word against any other kind of dancing either yet, and may not, you will see later, but I do say now that the Bible kind of dances all sensible Methodists believe in and the 'Discipline' does not condemn them. One thing I will say further, I solemnly believe that indiscriminate condemnation of all amusements is almost as bad in its inflience as indiscriminate approval of all. Unless the church is reasonable in this matter it cannot sustain itself in the forum of the conscience and commmon sense." Finally, the speaker laid down the following proposition and elaborated upon it: "In order to be an innocent amusement or a true recreation it must be benefleial to the body or to the mind or to the social nature, without any overbalancing disadvantages, for example it must help and not hinder our aim in life." His conclusión was that every sensible person will condemn all amusements by which the body is injured; late hours, straining and dangerous exercise, indiscreet dressing, etc. He will condemn any by which the mind is harmed by producing over excitement, whieh is followed by reaction. He will condemn everything which leads to evil eompany or to distorted views of life and which makes domestic and ordinary life hiimdrum and tedious. He will also give up anything which steals f rom him time or money which is needed elsewhere. Finally, "our socalled amusement must not be allowed to interfere with our aim in life as citizens or business men or Christians. According to the rule luid down ti night every innocent amusement must be pure, clean and manly, oud the place, time, eompany and manner of enjoyment must be such that it will be a help to a merry heart and not inrerfere with the purpose of life for which God gave us existence."