Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-05-24
VERM ONT TELEGR APH.

demonstrates this. 1t arose in Greece,
in Bacchanaliau orgies. Transferred to
Rome, it yielded to Christianity. 1t came
up in the middle ages, in the form ofsacred
dramas; and in this form, crept into
general favor. In the French Revolu-
ton, the number of theatres in Paris in
creased from to Is. Was it the thea
tire which produced the RIGHTEOUSNESS of
that period, or was it the RIGHTEOUSNESS
that produced the increase of theatres
Whichever way the question is answered,
there will be no gain to the theatre. The
general design of the theatre is to draw
the form of Ioveliness over every thing
that is hateful
g. No amusement can be right, which
units for the enjoyment Of the highest
happiness Mans highest happiness is
derived from his spiritual nature. The
theatre units man for the enjoyment Of
spiritual things. PIayacters have always
been proverbially vicious. They were
deemed infamous in Pagan Rome
Julian, the Apostle, forbade oil Pagan
priests to be seen in company with play
acters
4. No amusement can be right which
is always a stumbling block The thea
tire has caused many to fall Its annals
are written in blood. "Where is my son?'
said father, who went from this city to
Bostsn. "He has left home, assumed
false name, and taken to the stage 1--WE
traced him to the house ad joining the
, fremont tn atre, where We found his
room in confusion, but he had gone out.
{ He had drank free was unsuccessful
in acting his part-was Missed. He went
away mortified, and probably plunged into
; the cold stream. All its history is writ
ten in blood.
= But if any one still doubts, remember
the princi pie, "He that doubteth is damned
? if he eat" Where there is any doubt as
v to the correctness Of any course Of con-
! duct, we are bound to abstain from it, I'M
E less it is more doubtful whether abstin-
2 ence would not be sin. No one thinks it
q, sin to stay away from the theatre.
t He was followed by Rev Mr.. Sprague,
: Corresponding Secretary of the Society
: who gave general statement of the OBJ
n ects Of the Society. And the first OBJ ect
e he said, was to throw proper guardian
: ship around the domestic constitution
# The Committee do not think the families
e of the American community are secure
}. ifthis state of things is suffered to 60 on
e Vices which aim at this institution are
t hardly ever touched bv the ordinary
. means Of grace. The gospel has not been
0 brought fully in contact with these evils
# Another object Of the Society is, to af
It feet an entire change in the moral charac
e ter of our great Christian cities Look
d at the influence of these cities. They are
O the seat of our great benevolent institu
e tions. But, almost from under the very
e eyes of the American Bible Society,"
e house, there goes forth a polIuting infu
= be once asked sea captain, If something
e more could not BE- done for the elevation
= Of the character Of our seamen. He re
t. piled, that if we would change the char
st acter of our cities, we might easily efec
J; a change in our seamen. But our cite
it exert most unhappy influence, at home a
well as abroad. Young men who COM
e, here from the country are placed unde
p no moral restraint whatever; and tn
d character of our cities exposes them tt
.e ruin, as a multitude of facts will testify.
s. 3. Another design is, to trace thos
lie effects to their causes, and if possible, re
2, move the causes. Among these, he emu
n merPted the character of the secular press
10 the light reading of the day-no mora
,r character attached to the bookselling bu
g siness-religious houses engage in tn,
n circulation Of pernicious works; the thea
c tire, and the general character of our pub
J. lie amusements; by common consent, oul
Of cities are made the receptacle Of the vice:
!. Of the whole country.
l. A. They design to carry this matter be-
E. fore our legislatures, to induce them tc
E. take suitable measures for the suppression
d of those places Of amusement which cor
lie rupt public morals. Some small cite.
Y have passed laws, that no theatre shall
h stop, even for one night, within their lin
Q its. A large number of villages has tax
E. en- the same stand. We ask only to be
a sustained, as one ofthe benevolent institu
,e tons Of the day.
From the Neu.Vork WaolI, Mo..o,~o-