Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-19
THE CHURCH AND THE
THEATER.
Rev. Robert l.. Collier, of chicago,
breaches IL Sermon I'm Favor of the
LPGtfgmafa Droyuo

Rev. Robert L. Collier, of Chicago
breaches u Sermon I'm FaYOr of tn
Legitimate Drama.
Rev. Robert Laird Collier, pastor of tn
Church Of the Messiah (Unitarian), deliv
cred Sunday night, the 9Th inst, wha
might be called Sensational" sermon Oh
the subject, "The Theater, the Opera, anC
the Church or, the Relations of the Church
to Popular Amusement" BE announced
his text to be in Cor. /, vii 81: "Use thi.
world as not abusing it," and proceeded to
take the ground which probably has never
before been assumed in the pulpit, that the
drama and the opera are harmless and
proper amusements for Christians as well
as for others. The reverend speaker ia
said to be an occasional visitor to the higher
places Of dramatic amusement. The Chi
cago Post furnishes the following report of
sermon:
After first referring to the fact that the
theatre is generally denounced by the
evangelical sects-although they did not,
he claimed, show why they we're sinful,
and then dwelling upon the promise that
the American people are overworked and
need more amusement, the speaker pro
| ceeded to speak of the drama and the
| opera. The following are extracts from
| his remarks: Il recognize az universal 10
| the race the dramatic instinct have
traced, in this pulpit, the entire history, in
brief, in summary, of the origin and his
tory of the drama There is no need Of
that tonight. The drama is az ancient as
the race. Furthermore, much of the fin
ished literature, in its spirit and in its form,
is dramatic. am not quite sure bat that
the very first chapters in Genesis are dra-
matte; | am quite sure that JOB is dra-
matte; that Ruth is; that Esther is dra-
matte. Shakespeare, the peerless poet of
centuries, had no function in the worldand
no name left to history, had it not been for
the dramatic instinct and aptitude So
with Milton. The grandest poets that God
has given to the world have been its dra-
matte poets. And, furthermore, human
character has its highest representations In
the drama. | confess that I never saw
such power; never remarked such nature
in any Christian pulpit that it was ever
my privilege tosit under, as in Joseph JEFF
ferson's Rip Van Wiakls. 1t is nature,
not art So simple; 80 true; so beautiful;
80 moral. No sermon scarcely written in
the world, except that of Christ, when he
stood with the adulterOus woman, ever
illustrated the power of love to conquer
evil, aud to win the wanderer, as that
beautiful little piece, so perfectly rendered
by this genius which God has given "a to
illustrate in the drama, the power of love
over the sins of the race.
| wonder who among the Ministerial
Union ever saw Jefferson iu Rip Hdn
WinkLe. Let Va give to these friends the
advantage of our judgment Of their igno
rance Ristori, Rachel, Booth, Murdoch,
especially, Davenport aud Jefferson, are
all Gods gift to man. So I say that the |
legitimate drama is to be Endorsed. 1t is |
an educator. 1t is in no wise to be apollo |
gizad for And in regard to the opera, l |
need only, think, say, that 90 far as the
legitimate opera ia concerned, any one who !
objects 10 it, on moral grounds, must either |
be ignorant Of til think for the most |
part, that those who object to the opera are |
or there certainly must be moral weak !
negs in tie nature of such objections. To |
az tina: the opera is corrupt, Is to say the /
most irrational and foolish thing that hui
man lips are capable of. | say that a man
mdst be ignorant Of what the opera il;
must have wholly been without the
knowledge Of it, or else brought to its hear
ing a lascivious nature to begin with. |
admit that very many excellent persons
do not enjoy the opera. Many of our finest |
minds 60 10 the opera and come away, |
feeling IT was waste of time; and We who |
eau enjoy it anywise, be 1t ever so little, |
ought 10 feel 4 profound sorrow for such
people, because they do not know the in
finite delights and joys Of which, by their
lack of musical culture, they are deprived.
But it Is their duty simply to say they do
not like IT, IL i a sorry religion that re-
jsct5 it on the sour grape principle; be-
cause they cannot, they won't let anybody
else. The music Of the opera is the Prin- |
cipal thing with people that attend. The !
score is nothing, with many II Is ALSO !
lutely nothing, if they Cau catch the pas
sion Of the music And as to the dress in |
the drama and in the opera, let me say,
once Tor all, that all dressing is conyeu- |
tiouaI. Fit had the sanction of long usage, |
the dress Of the EXTREMIST dancer would in |
no wise be considered indecent; or if the !
gown had beeG the fashion for men, the |
present attire would be considered vulgar. |
And then we are not to cOnfOund the incl |
dental with the fundamental. This Is IN !
cidental, and | do not always feel myself !
that the management of our theatres and |
operas mean to catch the low and vul- |
gar by this dancing of women, for whose |
moral character | have not a word Of IN
dOrsemeHt, "a | have no sort Of personal
fellowship and 40 sort of respect for them
who, if you take the conventional opinion
of men and women who consent to II, are
not companions for our sons and daughters.
But let M say what the gentlem iuly
manager of Woods Museum said to me
within the past six months: "S!r, l never
bring piece upOn my stage that do not
use my pencil very freely upon" Speak
ing OF the depraviDg tendency and the
downward tendency of the tragedy and
the comedy, he said Il could not bring
upon the stage a single piece that was
pIsyed before the elite Of London fly aud
sixty years ago. l could not bring to my
place an audience that would not hiss It of
The stage" and, tell you, furthermore,
what YOU may always remark, that what
ever Is proper, and high, and elevating,
wherever there is a moral sentiment that
Is Iof y and noble, it informally receives
the approval of the audience; and 1t has
not been my misfortune to be in a tbeater
for several years past where anything low,
and mean, and depraviug was not Kissed.
OF course l attend only the better sort. l
then wish to say that the music of the
opera would be lost to The world, as it could
take no other possible form. lt eleVales
and refues the taste and spirit. L really
don't know but that ii would be a very SEN
sible thing if our congregations would
make IL stipulation, when they engage
their ministers, that they would accept
season ticket once year to the opera, to
cultivate their taste in musical matters
The speaker then went on to speak OF the
abuse of pleasures, saying that it might be
argued that we ought to refrain from all
amusements because they were liable to
be abused, but replying 10 this: at Is no
| logic with which TO meet a young man
starting in life, who has ideas Of his own
aud wants reasons for everything that he
does. Let Us meet him right, and say,
Sir. YOU are to use the drama, you are 10
use the opera, YOU are TO use the cards, you
are TO use dancing, you are 70 use every
| thing; but you are 10 abuse nothing. 10
cause YOU can 90 the legitimate drama, i;
| il no license for you to feast your eyes upon
| yuIgarities anywhere; and because you can
uIay cards in the hOHse, il Is no reason that
| YOU have license to go TO the gaming
| liable, and to play for other peoples money
| without returning values anywhere
This is the lesson. Let US teach our
youth that these things can be used, and
when abused the penalty of sin will just
as sure follow them-as God has said,
| .aNNh ntunnrar a man snTefh that sh4n be