New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-18
SERMON ON THE THEATER.
BY the REV. DR.. CUTLER.

The Rev Dr. CUTLiR delivered discourse upon
the influence of the Theater at st. AIMS Church.
WashiIrtcn street Brooklyn, yesterday morning, OF
which the following is q brief outline:
He took for his text the 18th verse of the Sd chap
ter Of Malachi: And now call the proud happy;
yea they that work welcomes set up.
After introducing the subject, he said that among
recent productions OF the literary world was an ad-
dress in favor of theatrical amusements. Had thus
address emanated from any irresponsible individual,
no matter how high his Tank as writer--and It well
might have come from one very hight would GER
tainy have been noticed from this place Mt this
time We have always considered literature An open
field a most attractive and honorable one, and in
this land rcmuneratve one, for whose luscious
fruit we confess To have a taste; aud there
fore for who had become devotee to that de-
mand r. put forth bis thoughts TO make the worse ap
pear the better and revive ard recuperate an anti
quated and exhausted species of amusement was not
surprising. But it so happens that this sun oil
science is by profession teacher ot moralty-nay
more by name and by public recognition minister
Of religion and the acknowledged head OF congre-
CATION of professedy Christian people Or the partiGu-
lar denomination TO which the writer belonged, the
speaker DIR. Cutler did not wish TO say word, but
entered his protest against the author of that produc
ton rs being considered in sense of the term and
in that Of any evangelical churches as minister OF
the Gospel ard here he thought the great evil lay
The Gospel is good news; and he did not think that
any man who preached the Gospel would ever
speak of the world and worldly amusements
aud particularly of theatrical enter ainments, with
apprUlaiiCn, recommend them 10 the young Ills
duty is 10 call men cvcrywhere to repentance-to
roint out where they will be safe, and, when safe
happy No one who read the address alluded to
would dream That il came from minister OF tue
Gospel and the idea should not be entertained. lie
stands al0no and separate from the body Of religion
lSts which he 10 attached in this matter. The pro-
ducton il nothing more than Nigh be expected from
a man Of the world and should be considered by
members Of the church and their children. His re-
marks he said were intended more particularly for
vouth Of both sexes and he referred TO the action Of
different regiou bodies throug bout the country which
had condemned the practice OF attending heatcrs and
held that no devout church member should patronize
them by their presence. He also alluded to the char
acter Of the plays presented. 1.-THE Beggar's
Opera" which he had read, portrayed thieves
and highwaymen from beginning to end, and
was composed If tissue of vicious, prOtigate
ard impure sentiments and acts. The =" Serious
Family he designated as mOckery OF religion, but
It's literary merits were SO miserable that there was
hardly any danger that it could be the cause of much
harm. He quoted several writers against theatrical
entertainments among them Rousseau the inhdel who
designated it Us dangerous to the morals of the CON-
munity. lie did not speak against rational amuse-
ment and felt confident that the American youth
would always have enough of that and I'm conclusion he
thought thatin time like the present. when diversion
indulgence, extravaganza and Sabbath-breaking were
threatening to swallow up all honesty in the community
il became all who wished well to the Commonwealth
and to themselves to abide by religion, temperance and
Sabbatlkeepng. 1t certainly ought not TO be hard
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