New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-04-29

@hsfe Ne sesess3y o. ssppsynS men ~. 80.
n, fCr Aber, bat - NE Csest9s bsnevusent sesre
10 sSDg sDssste happiness II the love al Pie~ssro,
engeress asit II, were taken from humanity preAe
are fbek we're destroyed, Consequences would eDsae
vatuy more S<mcrsb1mg and fatal than any now pro
essdiss frsi ns sbuse And when dwelling
eIeIuAiysiy upon the evs Of pleasure in any OF ,s
forms would correct some Of extravaganza ~
r.p and mediate while upon s origin, is uses, and
ito necessity.
The s,trsetveness Of the thea,er even 70 vice and
fny il nothing against it, until i BE- proved that
they are attracted there by what bad and depraving
1t not enough TO show that they carry there what
bad ard deprsvng shat they are not KEEP. away by
what bad and depravng there but that they are a.
uscted by what bad and depraying. suppose them
TO be attracted precisely by what would attract me or
you any innocent weI-intenionsd person-oy the
love q pleasure spectacle, society, talent, beauty,
light architecture ard suppose them TO be very m
ntecr so far a. the enjoyment OF these things - con-
cern.d. That, knowing their presence, and coarse
ness or unscrupAousness. the stage shoud cater 70
u . monstrous evil; that folly and weakness should
fnd ho.e waiting for them there 20 practice on their
propensites that they should carry their wees and
tast'- to the theater with them, is dreadful aud
und,niabe misfortune to society: But .hs an YET
30 see how, because the wicked aud the care
less ike what the good aus the careful also
like-nsnely, peasure-it makes pleasure wrong
and how, because the hea.er, N MS character oi
an Amusement. attracts the vicious and the depra'ed'
il proves il TO be vicious and depnve' anus men';
Have the vicious and depraved no human universal
tastes left Are they not still men and women Are
not some Of their dongs and feelings such as the goed
and the innocent share! For NY own part believe
the thester has in every age, exhi9d the wees ana
fOes Of society rather than created them ana mat IL
has owed its reputation for evil manly ~ the isct ths
il ha. been the only place in which The decency or
virtue or proprety Of society has met tho ndecency
the vice and dsreputabl.nts., Now, if the theater
had induced this ndtcency, vice or disrepu'aoie-
ness or encouraged it, We should utterly condemn H.
hut ! believe. the contrary, notwithstanding
MS imperfect administration, it has done something
Bprhaps the innocent hours OF the
yicous have been those in which they Were publicly
all used under the protection OF society For the III.
nccent pleasure which even vice and folly get out OF
their existence is the only part of their career We can
ok Of with any sasfaciUn all else is loss and ruin
But. whatever the effect of the theater is, or hss
been, having nothing essentially wrong IN us primer
pie and having proved itself to be- In tact Wnat IN
theory il has already shown itself 70 be, the most at.
tractiye and permanent of amusemepts liked and
iDdestrucbe fact, il seems TO me that aHowed NOR
alists and Christian leaders and guides have commit
ted grave and hurtul error IN their mode OF dealing
with H. They have made the drama and the stage
apsyerable for all the vices and folies which have
gathered round them-a course as unjust as TO make
the market responsible for the dogs and rats, the
thieves and knayes sure to ind alsfes' ID lha most
freouented and necessary place.
know il will be replied, that patience with evils
CONNECTED with what is necessary, does mol JUSTIFY
patience with evils associated with what not neces-
sary that because commerce makes dangerous NE
for sailors not to place the dangerous LIE tor
of a great social necessity that the wees and ollies
Of trade Of religion of domestic life, all OF which are
cardinal and necessary and natural interests " hu-
nanity do not stand al al upon the same ground OF
absolute discountenance which the vices and foies oil
an artificial, unproductve and unnecessary anuse-
ment occupy. But there are various forms oil necee'
sty, and am not sure that the necessity oi oeihg
amused is not fixed and fatal necessity as that VI
being fed and warmed 1t is not necessary IN TIE same
sense and yet il may be equally necessity We 10
not commonly place leisure laughter love- among the
necessaries Of life alongside Of bread end water nre
and shelter Yet in broad view Of social interests
and human requirements they would be found to rank
with hem not in the same class, but under the same
nnne Of actual necessaries Of true, healthful and
vigorous social life That may well be said TO be
necessary which age after age and in precise pro.
portion TO the influence Of civilization and even Of
Christianity, is found supported and sustained in the
very face OF the church and under the formal ban oil
religious society That the theater has survived the
usage has received from the pulpit and the moralt
exhibits at leastits wonderful vitality; and when we
perceive that general censure and encouragement
have not the slightest effect either in putting II down
or in improving it, why do We not begin to inquire
what might be done BY treating It with candor and
sympathy, to save it, uses and correct ITS abuses to
turn i,s to the account OF human happi-
ne.s, and detack il from the artificial associations
which the real objects Of suspicion and dislike,
When consider that eight theeters are open IN this
city for Fix nghts OF every week that they are con-
santly frequented, though in vy different degrees
BY all classes Of the community, except portion OF
those technically styled professors OF religion that
the tnses morals, manners, happiness OF hundreds OF
thousands OF people are affected by them Tor good or
evil 10 a degree which almost renders the theater
rya Of the church. confess that the vsstness OF this
metropolitan interest IL too serious an element IN our
whole civic character and human prospects, to make
ue willing 10 ignors it. the hope q crushing IL be-
ing preposterous, to allow to at easy while it re-
mains hostile to morality or III open competition with
religion must, for my peace sake, what OF good
il that gives life ~ this sturdy tree, which has been
10 long stricken with the lighiDgs Of the church and
still i must do what to
direct the efforts Of pety and morality against what Ia
vulnerable in the thcater, that their arrows may no
longer be wasted upon it, adamantine portions. l
must strive rs obtain truce between the theater and
the church. the dramatic world and the religious world
long enough for candid consideration Of teir mutual
causee Of jealousy and suspicion their seated oppos
ton and alienation and endeavor after all our efforts
10 crush the theater have failed to get the public and
the dramatic profession to unite with the moral and
serious portions Of the community, or, what more
difficult the moral and serious portions with them, TO
reform the theaer 10 reduce it to it, theoretic nno
cent and benefcent Office to make it Legitimate In
net and honest charm Of society, under the smle VI
virtue and the protection OF religion.
Yox viii not suppose mo ignorant Of the alarm or
misgivipg with which such hope and effort are sure
To lie received by the class with whom am arguing
They will say that instead Of reforming the theater
We shall defOm the church; that religion loses fts
power men the moment it shows any sympathy
with their sefndngent tastes and that an absolute
dtrust and discounteualce Of the theater complete
and thorough separation from it, from plague and
pollution the only way TO escape its pencious in
tuepce. This, aware, Is the almost universal
method Of dealing with the subject among serious per-
sons and il is because d-.rust the general principle
which keeps the world and the church at arms length
that embroidered to oppose it in .he strongest and
mos marked form which this opposition or distinction
has ever taken. | speak q: a frend and humble dis
ciple Of the church; full believer in historical or
gnnized Christianity -orowfu observer OF the de-
dine OF worship, Of faith and of reverence in our
American society. But think the weakness OF the
Ill a tIlfin dns day In it,