The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-03
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

Rev Chas. &. Harris.
A ssxmon on the above subject was delivered last
evsnps m the Norfolk street Methodist Episcopal
church in presence OF densely crowded congregation
After the usual formal exercises Of the Sunday evening
,.rvoe the preacher, Rev. Chas r. Harris proceeded
A. once 70 the subject Of the evening He said he ad
dressed himself particularly 70 the young men and
Young women Of the city, and the equenters Of operas
and theatres this city He had dniculy in finding
plain and applicable text, Absain from all appear
ance OF OWL wrote st. Paul Correct morals aud
religion repudste all appearance OF evn. Religion In
always active, never passive. She defines where she
meets the world and whore they separate Religion 10
never neutral but always associated with right truth
and virtue II buried In the dungeon, II gives us tho
Pilgrims Progress Of Bunyan. She Is the embodiment
OF sound. The religion Of tho Bible must be always
true for that 10 infable, not always her followers for
they failible. The effect Of religion il TO purify
the heart rather than perfect the head.
True religion holiness. The opposite is sin To those
who would embrace her abe says be ye holy: TO those
who would remain within her fold she exclams abstain
from all appearance OF evil IL is better TO deny ones
self passing qualification than TO encourage what
might be q stumbling block for a weak brother. The
highway Of holiness Is sufficiently wide 10 walk
IN without mourning the risk OF umbng into the DEVILS
dichss There il much in favor and much against
amusemonts There amusements which
gious man to pursue The true Christian always leans
on that side which Is right. No command or God, no
violation OF morality Is caused by absaiDing from the
theatre tho OPERA whereas the mind sckens to
template that they have led often 10 the ruin of honor
virtue and 81 the good qualities Of the mind would
give the wdes, latitude but this Is only
whore they not suspicious, and where
the frowns OF the moral world not npon
10 your rulD. / love TO contemplate the laws or
God In natcre and mana world without and q
world within You have not an eye merely 10 look upon
the stones of broadway, but contemplate the beauties
Of nature eVsrywhsre; and so with hearing aud the
paiate,hey are also TO be pleased with what God has
na.r
suspicious criminal The first only should no induged
in Let see them to which these classes the thea
and the opera belongs Al first the drama only repre-
the performance OF religious ceremonies then Il
became and II s significant that tho first OF thcss
Greece prohibited by law and after passed into
Rome they converted - into sink OF mqnity and led TO
TO their downfall Iacitus says the German
guarded, and have their virine preserved by
having tleatses among them, Aristotle and
Ovid condemn thsm immoral in the strongest
language. When the Pnri,ans shut the theatres,
under Cromwell. that was The pnrest and most
vrtuous period in English history Shakspere, does
not require the restoring play house TO immortaiZe
writings delight his readers. Every age rolls up
ITS testimony against the theatre Every age hos
demned ii by The testimony of its most enlightened
minds Rousseau, who GOT his living by writing tor tho
stage, condemned IL and opposed the establishment oi
theatre In Genoa the American Congress- shortly after
the Revolution passed resolution suppress theatre
cal anusetneuts, gambling and horse racing, by re-
commendaon 10 that effect 10 the States. The Church
offers the best Of men and minds to the world but
mainly Can you nd me play actors among the moral
society OF tho community? Is the theatre. then.
pciois or guilty. viii not speak Of It's conncc-
lion with the rum hole and her who stops there
unblus.ngiy but have taken IL on lis merits and
ird il both suspicious and guilty. Will speak Of
the opera IL the invention of the Senetaus; then
IL passed 10 the Germans then TO the French the Eng
lisn aud te Americans first German opera was
the Devil Let INosc-sue think he has never
been caught since iaugh,er, You have il in a for
eign language You applaud are enrapturod, enleht.
enedj a, nothing tor yoa do not understand whether
thov are calling you names not (.anghterl We
transported with anything foreign-itaiian. German,
French OF Dltsh-end your ears carried away. you
may not be- ~ gopd musicians, Americans Italians,
bat yom hsve far better aiInseinente. far more n
nnbng sninsemenis that American. When
music Is prostitutcd 30 enchsnt the uub.us.nc
Roauesses on the slsge OF on tue gallery, yet
among tho blaze the dazzle and applause there comes
up TO the young men and young women OF sens ise
minds nervous OF wrong that carries horror and
terror with il. Young and young women, avoid
the opera and the theatre; their very breath Is poison
GUS 10 morality and virtue. do not speak against
music; there IL music IN the stream the rain, the than
der clap; Ia The lark the trees God has invested all
with the power Of utterng pleasing sounds. There is
power tor immense good music. Many iretfnl.
pceylsh could break the spell by singing the praise
" his Creator sing II Won are in sorrow-sing 10 Joy.
would have all sing would say with the psainis,
In heaven aud earih 'et all that Is within you sing
praises 10 God" Teach Your children The enchanting
art Of mnsc. II yon cannot afford piano
get drum, whistle FISH horn tIangh,cr.)
eau picture youna girl of seventeen at piano and
young man OF twcni, three with violin playing with
her. When l came 10 strange country ! saw that
sese, and i recalled to former happy scenes when
VAS stranger The mnsic Of The church often s the
means y attracting people TO the church and TO jesus
who, when He had almost finished His earth,
NehL ohl INTO ths earuen oi neinscinanc ana sung
hymn. Aitsic nj hoiu" keeps many young man amt
woman from tle dissipation of the opera You need
religion to govern ron. you might as well TO the
RIM hois 70 nnd o what y - as 10 The opera Or the
ws y n van hav, ,he low, a. a,od in you VIA, GOOD
you tor yourself and Others Listen TO the saviour
calling upon you 10 DC biz Listen 70 ms dylns quaser
tne olrions sound si, s., \, h..vsn Tha,e !" ,nnsIr
IN all this God hikes tlse hymns lhsl arc led
Heaven on tie ip' of human mclc''y; lie ike the
vce # thc de'riscd pcni'ent as he sings nooicr,
sweeer SONG
III spg his save,
Wneu thi~ poor ,-ias. stafn,nrrihg Tongue
La. sh"n, ~ ne gave
MY men who g~-s 20 tho opers ~ the theatre -
h,r.siiter. could not shut out The bawdy talk thai
have heard ~ thn theatre, aud the sensual exhibitions
have seer there. and God 1nY has saved me from ang
INTO the pt :" "rh Try and bruF y"W children 10 God
tna Tod nay -fNe tfi"iu The reverend gentleman then
'Nnored hs consresatou TO devote themselves 20 ihe
t'r,ce - God and drew hs DISCOURSE p e1nfsusion
IL eloquent aud Hrgumsntaifvp throughout