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IO THE PRESBYTERI
judgment as adverse to the prize feature in the game
of "42," or other kindred games, believing that the
prize feature tends to make the indulgence more exciting
and more excessive and may be construed by
many as the appearance of evil, and as too closely related
to the game of cards. We would make a distinction
between prizes in these games and prizes offered
for physical, mental and moral development. The element
of pure chance enters largely into these games
and the main motive cannot be helpful development of
any kind, while the prizes mentioned for the purposes
above have as their main motive the encouragement of
the contestants to commendable and desirable attain
Our Christian judgment is also adverse to the distribution
of tickets contingent on stipulated amounts
of purchase, looking to the award of a prize to the
person who holds a ticket corresponding with the ticket
number designating the winner of the prize. This
we believe a species of lottery that ought not to.be
sanctioned.
Secondly?The Dance.
Against this amusement our church has always earnestly
warned her members. Certainly it is not elevating.
It admits of features in public, in the assoriatinn
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men auu women, which in private would not
be permissible.
By the testimony of participants themselves, it has
encouraged immoral tendencies and has made its contribution
to the deplorable and irretrievable loss of
virtue. Nothing worthy of Christian consideration
can be said in favor of this indulgence.
Thirdly?The Theatre.
The theatre as an institution is not elevating. If we
grant that there may be plays comparatively free from
valid objection, it cannot be denied that, In lamentable
measure, the theatre of today makes an urgent and sue-.
ccasiui pica to tiie lower nature, and tends to encourage
those inclinations that it is necessary to bring into constant
subjection. Many of these plays are pronouncedly
immoral, detrimental to character, and especially so
to the young.
Fourthly?Intoxicants at Social Gatherings.
We are our brother's keeper. No man can live, no
man can die unto himself. With an enlightened Christian
conscience we should face this declaration Nof
God's word, "It is good neither to drink wine, nor anything
whereby thy brother stumbleth."
We believe that those "who open their homes to a
social gathering, especially of young people, and then
deliberately set intoxicants before them," are putting
a double premium on the KUcrVit
?/? ot.iv/iig VII III K.
"They are dispensing the intoxicant under the glamour
of respectability and removing the obstacle of remuneration?offering
'the wine when it is red' without
money and without price." The effort to crown evil
with respectability does not diminish, but augments
its baneful influence. A great man has said: "Society
by its customs has gyeased the slope to perdition."
Fifthly?Sabbath Observance.
The Presbyterian chifrch has always stood for Sabbath
observance. This slie has done in the conviction
\
AN OF THE SOUTH. ' March 31, 1909.
that tliQ commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy" is just as binding as the other commandments,
"Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not
kill," etc.
The Ten Commandments stand or fall together?
hence we are sure that this day is to be kept holy unto
the Lord.
"The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all
that day even from such worldly employments and
recreations as are lawful on other days and spending
the whole time in the public and private exercises of
God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in
the works of necessity and mercv."
We believe that the day is violated by the secular
newspaper; by buying or selling anything that is not
a proven necessity; by traveling for pleasure, either
by private conveyance, or on the train, or on the street
car, or in any other way; by conversation on secular
subjects; by idleness; by absence, not providential,
from the house of, God.
We believe, if it can be demonstrated, that any, or
all of these things are lawful; that human experience
and observation disclose that participation in them
for the Christian is not expedient.
Whatever may be our personal opinion on the subjects
to which allusion is made in these observations,
this ^rrintiiro Jc in.-ftt-oJ *?
1..VURSU i*ji yuur prayeriui consideration:
I. Cor. 8:9-13, "But take heed lest by any
means this liberty of yours become a stumbling- block
to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which
hast knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall
not the conscience of him, which is weak, be emboldened
to eat those thingS which are offered to idols;
and through thy knowledge, shall the weak brother
perish, for whom Christ died?
"But when ye sin so against the brethren and
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conscience, ye sin against Christ
wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will
eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my
brother to offend."
The subjects in this paper are frequently discussed.
That they are so earnestly considered, proves at least
one thing, namely: Indulgence in them admits of a
reasonable doubt, and the only safe course to pursue is
to give God the benefit of the doubt. To surrender
pleasures that are questionable may cost some personal
sacrifice, but the fundamental principle of Christianity
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is scu-aatriucing. 10 please ourselves is not the Chris-*
tian standard, but rather the standard of Christ is 'declared
in this language: "I do always the things that
please Him." To adopt this standard and to conscientiously
adhere to it means a useful and therefore a
happy, Christian life.
These are some of the subjects to which we feel constrained
to call the attention of our people. This we
do with tender solicitude, with affectionate interest,
and with recognized fidelity to the obligations conferred*
upon us by your choice, by our vows, and by
U/v T /V.J T_ *
n.w luiu jcsus jurist, wnose we are and Whom we
serve."
May we all magnify our calling, and may officers
and members of this church delight to "avoid the appearance
of evil."
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