The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-23
Tho worship of God in Dramatic
Inc sETemple."

HTemple'"
WE notice that movement has Oeen started
for tbe purpose of attempting series OF meet
- Gov ,voysbip. in one of the theatres of our
- rho first of the series came off last night,
- .s attended by large audience of
a,.U;o,,s sneotators. AS il is not unlikely that
This system will be a feature in the religious
world during the winter, we feel it our duty
% frankly. and with all charity, state
orr views on the innovation. In doing so, we
are compelled to stand in opposition to any
suob arrangement as that contem-
plated, and we regret this the more
because of the piety and evident sincerity o
those who have undertaken the plan. We
well understand the motives of the originators,
and we honor them for their objects, but at
the same time we differ with them most radi-
oally in regard to the result to be achieved.
They argue to themselves that all lawful
means should be taken to bring the irreli-
gious within the soulld Of the gospel; that
there are many who will not frequent church,
but who will 90 to the theatre, and that by
selecting the theatre, the Word of God can be
preached to many who would not otherwise
attend. This, we think, is the substance OF the
excuse given by church members who favor
the new idea. But the question arises, Is not
more harm than good done by this attempt to
amalgamate the world and the ChurchH Is it
safe to mix opposing elements or, rather, can
oil and water be mixed at all We think not.
Instead of the gospel being preached to new
class, who are struck with its truth and turned
into the fold of the Church, we fear that the
barriers which separate the protesting Chris
tian and the irreligious are weakened, and that
instead of fresh converts coming in, there is
much more danger, in this throwing down of
the dividing line, of the old converts going
out. The church members who find their
minister on a theatrical STAGE their elders in
proscenium boxes, and their choir sitting
inside the groves where ''Romeo' sighed and
"Katherine" stormed, are much more likely to
have their ideas of the separation between
them and the world overturned, than are the
worldlings who are present of having therideas
of religion associated with the scenes at
the theatre. We appeal to common sense, is
1t not much more probable that the sight of
the minister in the place of the actor, sur
rounded with all the paraphernalia of the
drama, should carry the thoughts to the
theatre, rather than he would elevate their
thoughts from it up to his sacred oficel Can
the crowd who frequent the place during the
week, and see it entirely dedicated to playing,
dsassociate their previous ideas, and, forgetting
the plays seen the night before, listen with
reverence to the word OF God3 The truth is,
that in the mind of all such is curious mixture
Ofwhat is and what has been. Shakespeare and
st. Matthew run in paragraphs, Boucicault and
jeremiah respond to each other, and the sing
ing of the hymn cannot but recall the last
time they heard music in that place, and that
was to the tune of ''Then you'll remember
me-" Is such an association OF ideas calcu-
lated to degrade the religion of the Almighty,
or ia it likely to elevate the soul of the listener
and improve his moral perceptions3 We
leave it to any one, even the advocates of the
policy of such meetings. Yet such an associ.
alton of ideas is unavoidable to those who fire.
.ouent the place during the week, and it is fol
them that these meetings are held. So far as the
regular churchgoers are concerned, they have
no right to be away from their own place
worship, and gaping at the forbidden beauties
of a building which they dare not visit OF
secular days. We therefore cannot but be
lieve that the sanctity of the Church is en-
dangered by its mingling of the carnal and tn
spiritual, and that the well-meaning ministe
who tries to bring his listeners within the inhu
Anoe of the Church, is really presenting re
upion to them in light so wanting in tina
sanotity which is its greatest charm, that tn
audience are much more likely to look dow
upon rather than hasten to enter the member
shin of the Christian Church.
That such a meeting was out of place wa
recognized by the divine who held forth las
evening, and who attempted to reconcile tn
slaring inoongruity of his office and the SUI
roundings by ''dedicating the temple to tn
worship of Almighty God" But of wha
avail is such dedication when for six even
iugs out of seven the ''temple'' is given up t
the Muses. and the Dramal This is no dedics
ton. 1t is an idle and ridiculous form, an
one which is more calculated to throw con
tempt on the Church than if nothing had bee
said. We may have peculiar notions on tn
subject of religion but we have alway
believed that whatever savored
claptrap Eve can use no more expressly
word) lies in opposition to the true prime