The Rev. B.F. Miller delivered a stirring sermon at Chariton's First Methodist Church, looking then much as it does now some 115 years later, on the final Sunday in November, 1904. So stirring in fact that one of his parishioners, Sam Greene, editor and publisher of The Chariton Herald, devoted a column and a quarter on the front page of his edition of Dec. 4 to it.
The Rev. Mr. Miller's principal concern was gambling and we don't know what set him off --- causing him to compare businesses operating on the city square to the "hell holes and tough saloons of the vile sections of Muscatine" as he called his congregation to repentance and right living.
But Methodists then as now were an unruly lot who, in Chariton at least, were served at the turn of the 20th century by a string of preachers intensely interested in the personal piety of their charges --- and everyone else. Dancing, card playing, theatrical productions and, of course, drinking alcoholic beverages (no "Wine-down Wednesdays" for Methodist ladies back then) were their hot-button issues of the day.
Here's the text of Sam Greene's report. It's only fair to add that John Wesley, after whom the Wesleyan approach to faith and life is named, had concerns other than the hot-button issues of 1904. Also, few Methodist preachers ascended to their pulpits to deliver rousing sermons on another of Wesley's favorite topics --- the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle.
GAMBLING IN CHARITON
Rev. Miller of the M.E. Church Preached Straight Gospel Last Sunday
A large congregation was present at the M.E. Church last Sunday morning, and they heard one of the strongest and best sermons ever delivered there. It was from the lips of the pastor, Rev. B.F. Miller, from the text, "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." It was a sermon on the harmful amusements of society today, particularly card playing and gambling, but it was not addressed to the non-church members, commonly known as the "world," but to the members of the church who are slowly being dawn into the maelstrom of gambling by the influence of outside society.
The Methodist discipline and the rules of the Epworth League both specially prohibit such harmful amusements as dancing, card playing, horse racing, etc., because from the experience the founders and leaders in the church have found that such practices have an evil effect, and in no way add to the progress of Christianity. There may be no inherent sin in drinking a glass of wine, yet no one questions that its tendency is toward damnation and ruin.
Methodism was originated in the midst of horse racing, and gambling, and drunkenness, and dancing, in order that a check might be put upon these growing evils which tend to lead away from Christ rather than toward him. The real test of whether amusements are harmful or not is whether they will aid one in making the most of himself and doing the greatest good he can in the world, or will have an opposite tendency. The making the most of ourselves and helping others to do the same, and not merely obeying the letter of the law, is the highest aim in life. If we can partake of dancing, gambling, etc., and still grow in grace and serve God acceptably, and yet our example leads others to sin, we are committing wrong just the same. But Evangelist (Billy) Sunday sums up the truth when he says that he never in all his life knew a dancing, card playing church member who ever led souls to Christ. "By their fruits ye shall know them," say the Scriptures.
The aim of the sermon, said Rev. Miller, is not to convince the card playing public that card playing and gambling are wrong. That would be foolish, for they do not pretend to believe otherwise. Neither is it claimed that gambling church members will go to hell. The question is, how will these things affect the real aims of life. We are not here to seek pleasure for ourselves merely, but to do the most good we can, and if we do not do that, we will surely be held to account.
The city of Chariton has no conscience whatever in the matter of gambling. It is carried on openly and secretly in every part of the city, and yet nothing is done to stop it. Poker dens are not the only gambling places in town. Slot machines are found in nearly every place where cigars are sold, and neither officers nor citizens seem to care. It is an open and shameful violation of the state law, in addition to the terrible gambling spirit that it inculcates in all who patronize the machines. Yet nothing is done. The officers do nothing, and the people do not ask or urge them to.
The conditions here, where craps and gambling of every device are run for cigars openly, all around the square, is the worst, said the preacher, that he has ever seen since he saw the interiors of the hell holes and tough saloons in the vile sections of Muscatine --- a river town and considered a tough place.
Everyone knows where poker dens and gambling places are in Chariton and where liquor can be had, yet not a move is made to stop it. The city's conscience is dead in the matter.
Afternoon parties have cards, as a rule, though some hostesses are kind enough to invite the card players and the non-card players on different afternoons. Those who wish to belong to a commercial club for the upbuilding of the city must confront the problem of whether they will play cands and dance and play billiards at the receptions held by the club. And so it goes through all of business and social life, and it is indeed a sacrifice for many to omit these things. It is indeed a real martyrdom, yet there are some questions that should be considered:
Will we lose anything by not playing cards, etc.?
Will we gain anything by indulging in these amusements?
Those who have the best interests of the community and of their fellow men at heart are those who are strenuously opposed to the amusements in question. Even the churches that permit them contradict themselves by setting apart forty days of the year in which the amusements are to be abstained from, in order that the members may grow in grace.
We Methodists, who want to grow in grace 365 days of the year, cannot compromise in any way with the prohibited evils if we hope to do the most good we can in the world for ourselves and others.
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