The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-28


ing Of your conduct upon these performers.
Whatever your friends may a''ege a. " toe
he rdcad IN comprchensive survey Of its tendencies
10 extend letter. it would be easy 70 suggest
variety of hings pertaining 10 the usual surroundings Of
,rch an establishment which might convey moral to
vour mind But have no thought OF entering into
General discussion OF the subject win direct your ..en
tom only TO single fact, viz.:rhat wherever opera
mousse Is erected the whole nehborhooI presently teens
With drinking sSOon5 Ian ybGr rsnas sxp s 's pa
Do drunkards and gamblers flock around an institution
which reproves their vices9
But let pass to another aspect Of this question
We have glanced at the plays aud the performers suppose
we little nearer home.
You protesting Christian What does this meant
Does simply that yon believe tho Bible ~ be an
inspired book that you acknowledge jesus OF Nazare'h
as the Messiah, and that you are bound 10 lead moral
hfe2 ~
"why do you mock me, you ready to excaim, 'by
asking question like thsy or course Know that pro
fessiOn of religion includes great deal more than you
have stated.n Yes, does include great deal more
And embraces something besides sermons aud sacra
ments When you united with the church you renoancei
the world In terms least you babe adeu to its "pomp5
aud vanes, and engaged TO follow Him whom the world
deemed with sufficient accuracy by expressions
Ike these, from an authority you will not iinpugn:-
'Be not conforned to this world.n
are not Of g, the World but have chosen you out OF
.Thc friendship Of the world Is snmity with God"
ifany VIII siisS let him deny himself and
AXE a SrIss fss ans ss s" Of he or
"Let with patience the that set before look
sNsteyery that saith unto LORD Lord shall enter
into the kingdom Of heaven but he that doeh the will Of my
Father which Is in heaven
Here is Christianity. viii you apply the measuring limo
70 that style of life into which gay friends would en-
tice your need not detan you with verbal criticisms,
inquire minutey into the import Of such phrases as
"the world, akng up the cross" and denying ones
sef Dilute these expressions down 10 the lowest point
OF significance which they will possibly bear they mean
something. And they have any meaning, they must de-
note that there s wide and rreconcabe difference be-
tWep ~
tiona with you to into the church not You
at liberty on your own responsibility to Cod to refrain
from ''confessng Christi But you choose to take this
step. You voluntarily assumed the vows Of n Christian
profession And in SO doing you promised, before hea
and earth that God should enable you you would
deny yourself, give up the world, and to follow the Sa
vi0ur.
IT, now, you still TO frequent the Opera, will you
do yourself the justice to inquire what you have gven hp
for Christ wherein you differ, except In formal and
Meless attendance upon the Lords table from the word
The line between the church and the world needs be
drawn somewhere AS regards the subject OF aasements
You would in candor admit that there must be things
from which professors Of religion ought to abstain. But
what they? The reasoning which satisfies you
that you may properly frequent Opera will justify you
in attending the heatre-at least where the theatre has
not sunk into the depths debauchery And these
allowable it woudbe peurc to object to public balls any
other species Of countenanced by the gay
world In other Words the pronunciation Of the worid'
which person makes on uniting with the church, be-
hollow, ostentatous pretence, sanctimonious
faschood opprobrum to the gospel and insult to
God II this the case will you the aliacy
IN the argument? viii you show what one indulgence
relinqush by reason Of your profession of religion?
Leaving 70 answer this question ~ your leisure let
me remind you that would be no justification Of your
conduct though you allege might attend the
Opera "without being injured by it," There may be
room for difference of opinion on this point 1t would
be 10 resolving it, to consider the time
ed only ut the play but i'll the preparation for IT, the
incidental and often large expense in the way Of dress
and equppage the emotions and brought
ercse the associations involved the effect upon your de-
votonal habits and its whole influence upon your charac
ter and life faithful scrutiny might reveal the fact
wac doing you serious and lasting injury.
But if were otherwise, the decision must be the same
You cannot elude the responsibility which attaches to
your example. Your going these amusements will be
encouragement TO others to Nor will they stop to
ask whether pick and Gull among the pieces to select
those only which without the faint of cissolueness
Enough that you, professor Of religion "attend the
Opera ms WIN DC (to tne wnoe extent Oh your phu
ence their license for going to see any and everything
which may be brought forward under that name. Nor
this alone While encouraging one class OF people-per
haps among them other church members-to visit the
Opera, you deeply woundng and growing many OF
your fellow Christians with whom religion is something
than name. Beyond question, the feeling OF the
great sincere, Christians, Of whatever
Sect against you They do not regard the OPERA con-
Quoted as it usually is, innocent amusement They
watch with anxiety its encroachmens upon the church.
They panied and BUNDLED that many who bear the
Of Christ should yield TO the seduction and so wound
the Saviour the house OF his friends Even they
mistaken, might become you TO concede something TO
their scrupes But when you perceive-as you will you
examnehat this class comprises most OF those in every
church who eminent for their peiy and usefulness
you will not lightly assume that they wrong this
as likely to be right the throng worldly minded pro-
fessors who plead for the very minimum of religion and
the maximum Of sendugence which they suppose to be
compatible with their ever getting to heaven.
have leisure to pursue the subject further Indeed,
was my purpose merely to suggest few thoughts, suf
acenty obvious, which might aid you in resolving the
question of duty as personal matter
Should you happen 10 show this letter to any Of Your
opera going friends can well imagine what they will
think Of it, The love Of music is pure sentiment,
refining and opuient OF enjoyment that they
will derde the whole thing as an ebuion Of "Puritan-
tavvrs Not np thew may
hearsal Of Shakespere's memorable anathema against
The man that hath music In himself
The motions Of his spirit dull l as night
Very well expect them to the subject as
gee it, Their point of view is widely different one They
profess TO have any sympathy with what you and
understand by evangelical religion.
They have conception Of such rule Of duty the
gospel prescrbes-a rule minute, comprehensive spiri-
tnal the whole range of lite,
the very thoughts and nens of the heart
Their notions of the church, make it institution by
nself-a very eligible and praseworthy institution but
one, nevertheless which, having It's own appointed dav
and ordinances must not presume to arrogate any con-
troll mems secuarities
Looking at the question the position they occupy,t
quite that they should regard the views
ed in this letter savorng of asceticism. But beg to
ask you, this the quarter TO which protested follower
OF Christ should look for counsel question of Christian
duty? Are you to go TO the world to ascertain what
Christianity demands Of your Is the world TO be allowed
expoud the scriptures for yoaP Is the world to inter-
pre you the you made entering into covenant
with God? If what that piety be worth which
thus dscards the only authorized rule of faith and duty
and substitutes for the loose, uctuatng, partial and
preiudiced dicta Of fashionable society?
For consstency's sake be thing the other 'If
the Lord be God, follow him; but # Ball. then follow
him." Ether resign your Christianity or renounce
those things with which Christianity Can have no fell
lowship
il 10 no of that religion should be stg
azed as frgd and ascetic. Worse things said of
our Master. And know that the charge is calum-
ny. We know that the religion profess-uot the
wretched carcaurc which is sometime setup 10 be jeered
ais friendly TO all rational and innocent pleasurcs and
tina. there are no people in the world who enjoy tthc of
the happiness of those who live according 70 It's preceps
From these people, who not only Chrsts livery, but
Chrsts image you scverng yourself by adopting the
maxms and usages OF the world respecting the
ment discussed this letter The purport OF your
Die is that the opera is legitimate entertainment for
members Of the church Fit be proper for you it pro-
per for all other Christian professors Not only but
IL be proper for the aty, Is equally suitable for the
clergy There code OF morals for the people