Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-26
For The .aeaandria Gazette.

For The .aeaandria Gazette.
NO. II.
Z. lis greatly wise to talk with our past
hours;
And ask them, what report they bore to
heaven;
And how they mighthave borne more vel
come news" YOUNG,
!. WERE it necessary to support what
has been already said upon the false SEN
timent and ticentioNs practice of theatrl
cal exhibitions, by particular reference to
some Of the n,nst popular plays, it would
mot. be difficult to select tit Subjects for,
and to derive the same, and still strong
Ter results from such an alysis.' But for
the sake of brevity. shall rest the re.
maiader of this part of the subjectppon
the authorities hereafter to be quoted.
The second question which relates to
I the criminal caste of time aad money is
l,till more un,leniable than the former
This argument may indeed be thought
destitute of force, by those, who never
consider the purpose Tor which they were
sent into the world, or lay to heart the
lshortness and the infinite value of time,
land their accountability to future tribu-
nal. But to the man, who remembers
That life is short that much is to be done
that he has never yet done, either for
ICED or his generation, tenth part OF
what he might 4 ought to have perform
led and that for the manner ~ which
1--we spend our talents, whether oil time,
|of fortune, or genius, we must speedily
give an account before the judgment seat
|of Christ to every one who remembers
these things, the argument viii carry
with il irresistible force.
The design ofrecreatieD, in the view
OF the Christian, or even the sober mind
ed 'voery Of natural religion, is not to
kill time; but to refresh the body and
mind, and to prepare them for tile more
and comfortable performance OF
duty. Recrcations are lawful only SO far
as they are accessory and ssitabte to this
purpose; Of course, when they are either
carried to such a length, as to consume
more time than we need to employ In
this manner; or when they are OF such a
nature as to have no tendency to prepare
either the body or the mind for the more
easy and active discharge OF the duties OF
lie, they become wholly unjustha5le.-
They are criminal waste Of time; aud
to indulge them is utterly unsuitable to
the character OF rational aud accountable
beings.
Apply these principles to an attend
ance on the theatre as al amusement
Can any of the patrons of this amusement
lay Their hands on their hearts, and say,
in TIE presence Of God, that they attend
upon ii merely, or even CHIEFLY, for the
purpose of p eparing their minds aud bo-
dies for more suitable discharge of their
duties as moral and accountable beings ]?
Can hey say that it rs better calculated,
than any other within their reach, TO pre-
pare them for the conscientious discharge
at their duties ? And can they appeal to
the Searchcr of hearts, and declare, that,
four or five hours in an evening, devoted
to preparation for This amusement, and
attendance upon it, is no more tine than
is necessary to refresh and inyigorate
them for the sober and al! important work
for which they were sentinto the world !?
The most determined advocates Of
the theatre will not dare to answer
these questions in the affirmative. Eli
Their then the scriptural precept to re.
deem time, and the scriptural rules for
dlspoSisg of it, must be abandoned; or
theatrica! amusements must be pronounc-
ed criminal. Either raen arc not account
able for the manner in which they spend
their time F.; or it is sin to squander pre-
cious hours in amusements. OF which the
highest eensure that can be passed upoM|
them is, that they are Improbable andI
vain.
Nor is the argument less forcible whenl
applied to the waste Of money required
by these amuseuients. We are appoint
ed trustees & stewards of The good thingsI
He enjoy, and must render strict ac
count of the manner in whieh we haycI
discharged the trust. Can he be pref
pared to meet his account with ioy,l
who has sguandered away money whichI
misht have been eyes to the bind, feet tsI
the lame, clothes to the naked, and
food to the hHngry-to spend that