The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-11-08
MARINERS, AND MECHANICS ADVOCATE
IcoMMUNlc ATEp.1

a IcW Se1tOuS Veou,"ss "sS'S J"' 'sSe>
rho ,ciH take The trouble 10 think.
Tha, the influence which Theatrical perform
ances Of almost every description, especially as
they are now conducted exert upon society is car
nal. sensual and deviish, must be so apparent to
every rejecting christian, and in such exact ac-
cordance with the scriptures Of divine truth. which
should at all times be the man ofhs counsel, that
i, is impossible to conceive how one, who has the
cause Of his redeemer at heart, can justify himself
in approaching and encouraging exhibitions, which
are in themselves the very essence OF corruption,
AID ain, fatal blow, alike to civil and religious
principles, and which would If carried to there ut
most extent, inevitably end in the destruction oil
all moral sensibity. We are creatures OF habit
and such scenes have tendency TO destroy our
moral ssnsbiity and strengthen our taste for things
that are low and Gar beneath US (; inasmuch as
whatever we are in habi. of seeing or hearing, we
become accustomed to until we are far esranged
from the path Of moral rectude. that however the
scenes through which We daily delight to pass
,nay disgust the finer feelings Of those whs never
lad witnessed such. we, like the deluded moth
.er who had just delivered her offspring into the
psred 10 stand and behold sights Of the most ap-
rpalng nature unccncerned and unmoved. The
savage may murder his fellow-man, and ent his
flesh without the least compunctons ofconscienee,
because he has in his education become accustom-
ed to blood and .habtusted to commit such afro
-cious deeds The force Of habit has been the same
in all ages and among all people, and remains the
hpt mi
pretences, (for the greater our pretence the more
dangerous is our example) have the power and do
exer, it, (though the time rs coming when 1t VIII
he TO our shame and confusion. to allure ourselves
and others into practices Of the most injurious and
evil nature and this in the vain and deusive hope
of finding happiness in the cup which contains the
yormwood and the gall Of human misery. The
Jevs,ee of pleasure may 1is, the gambling house,
theatre or any other place of amusement, to which
his erroneous notions may direct him yet nothing
satisfactory is to be obtained. He has forgotten
If he ever realized, that he has an immortal mind
and the very circumstarce that he Is not satisfied,
bceets new and stronger desire TO revisit the
samo places and his tastefor such trifling enter
tainmens continues to increase in proportion as he
,indulges this perncious habit
II is not at oil strange that those who are living
without the fear of God before them. should take
the advantage Of every occasion which presents
itself to crafty their taste, passions and desires !;
but it does appear strange both to the believer IN
Christ and the unbeliever, to see those who pro-
fess and call themselves christians, on any occa-
.son minglng with the thoughtess crowd and gaz-
ing with intense curiosity and eagerness upon
scenes of the most grovelling kind. which should
instead Of winning their attention and finding place
in their hearts, be turned from with disgust and
should be looked upon with the utmost contempt
by every well wsher to truth and religion
Every one that studies his bible, must be aware
that such performance as was witnessed in this
town last week stood, in point Of moral effect, liz
direct opposition to the whole spirit and tenure OF
the gospel. Suppose all the evils both ofa spirit
nal and temporal nature, which connected with
,hat demorazing scourge, (the circus) which lately
passed through this place, and no doubt drew from
many pockets tho money which did not in reality
belong to them, and should have been spent
to better purpose, were enumerated and set
forth in all their bearings upon society, meth'nks
the professor would have no excuse to render for
being secn al such place.
have observed that people are generally reaay
SO paw the cash at suoh times but how different
il is on some other occasions How frequently 1t
is the case when they are asked to gvo little,
perhaps quarter Of the sum which would be rcadi-
" thrown away for some tr1ing thing like the cir
cue, towards some charitable object, that they are
very poor--not able to givo even one penny
Now il the professors Of Christ continue to give
countonance to such things, what reason have they
10 expect moral improvement IL n not giving
the sceptick and unbeliever license to doubt the
vcracity Of the bible When, they may reasona-
by ask. will the time como that the lion shall lie
down with the lnmb What signs there oft ,
1t IL truly lamentabls that men and women who
are born and educated in christian land, will m
aduge taste for so low and we may say barba-
rous amusement as sho circus. But how much
more shocking does it appear when looking over
the crowd Of attentive spectators, here and there is
seen scattered amongst them one and another that
profess to be the followers Of the meek md lowly
Jesus who said while upon earth, 70 his disciples,
80 come out from among them and be eye separate. +"
There are three great evils connected with the
circus, VIZ Incidence, Ignorance and Immorali-
~. The greatest OF those three rs immortality,
hecauso il partakes Of the nature and Is the off
sprng ofthe former two. Incidence is always
ready to devise such plan as will suit her own
convenience to procure livelihood, and ignorance
never fails TO accede to il, however wicked ond
dishonorable il may be and immortality is the
inevitable result Of their lsbov. II may seem
rather harsh, but Il is nevertheless true, to say that
those who would patrouize such clans Of ignorant,
iodolent fellows, who 60 about spungins the pub