The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-17

| ABUSING IL, WnlCn IL the glBt OF Lne WhOle
cha pter, is not more applicable to anything
than TO this very matter of theatrical amuse-
ments. Mr.. Collier states the case plainly and
understandiDgly in the following paragraphs
II "Ii6cogDize as universal ia the race the dra-
| matte instinct. have traced In this pulpit the
entire history. in brief, in summary, of the
origin and history or the drama. There Is no
need of that TO. night. The drama is as ancient
as the Isce. Furthermore, muoh OF the bIOllcai
| Literature, In itsspirtt aud In it's form. is dra-
me,io, mat om nov quite sure ont that the very
! quite hure that JOB Is dramatic: hat Ruin Is
that Esther is dramatic. Shakespeare, the
! peerless poet o. centuries. had no function la
| the world, and no name left TO history, had IL
not been for the dramatic instinct and apti
! tude. SO with Milton. The grandest poets
that God has given 10 the world have been its
dramatic poets. Aud. Furthermore. human
character has Its highest Iepresen ntations In the
drama"
And, after speaking of the profound impress
sion made upon him by Mr.. Jeferson's exqui-
site persOnation of Grip Van Winkle," he
says:--
81 wonder who among the Ministerial Union
ever Jefferson In Rip Van WinkleP Let
us give TO these friends the advantage of our
judgment Of their Ignorance. Ristori, Rachel,
BoOih. Murdoch, especially Davenport aud
], tlt rson, are all Gods gifts TO man. 50 say
is an educator. 1t is in no wise TO be apologlzel
for. And In regard TO the opera, need only,
think, say that SO far as the legitimate opera In
concerned, any one who objecs to IL, on moral
GROUNDS, must either be Ignorant of tt-I think,
for the most part, that those who object to tue
opera are-or there certainly must be "a moral
weakness in the nature of such obiectors To
say that the opera is corrupting is to say
that a man must be- ignorant of what the
opera is; must have been wholly without the
knowledge OF it, or else brought to Its hearing
lsscvious nature to begin with, admit that
opera. Not only excellent people morally, but
cultivated people intellectually, do not enjoy
the opera Many OF our finest minds go to the
time. and We who can enjoy IL in any wise, be
IT ever SO little, ought to feel profound sorrow
for such people, because they DO not know tue
infinite delights and joys OF which, by their
lack Of musical culture, they deprived. But
II is a sorry religion that rel jects IL on the sour
grape principle; because they cannot they won't
let any BODY else."
religion iii the followiDg:-
at is no logic with which TO meet q young
man starting out in life, who has ideas of his
own and wants reasons for everything that he
does, that he is to refrain from amusements
because they are liable to be abused. Let us
meet him right, and say:-'Sir. you are TO use
the drama, you are to uss the opera, you are to
use the cards you are to use dancing. you are TO
use everything; but you are to abuse nothing.
Because you can go 10 the legitimate drama 1t
vuigarities any where; and because YOU can play
caros In your house, II is no reason that you
have license 10 go to the gaming table, and
play for other peoples money without return.
Ing values enywtere.' This IL the lesson. Let
us leach our youth that these Things can be
used, and when abused the penalties of sin will
just as surely follow them as God has said,
.Whatsoeyer man soweth that shall he also
reap. Ii he SOW to the spirit, OF the spirit he
shall reap everlasting life; and II he sow to the
flesh, of the flesh he shall reap damnation.'"
Mr.. Caller disapproves of what he styles
the Sensation" and 'illegitimste" drama,
and his opinions on this point are entitled
to respectful consideration, although we are
inclined to think that he has, in great mea-
sure at least, allowed his individual tastes to
influence his judgment.
That there is never anything said or done
on the boards Of our theatres of an objection
able character We do not pretend to say, but
if the theatres had the countenance and sup
port Of the religious portion of the community
all cause for complaint would soon be done
away with; and it is because this oountenance
is withheld, and because the actors as we'll as
the theatres are put under a ban and social
ostracism, that an improper license is some
times permitted. We say sometimes, because
the causes for complaint on this score are not
by any means as frequent as is commonly
assumed by persons who know nothing at all
about the matter.
This subject is worthy of the attentive con-
sideration of all persons who have at heart
the promotion of the cause of morality and re-
ligiop, and we have alluded to it not so much
for the purpose of defending the theatres as
to excite the attention of those who we think
ought to use their influence for the purpose
OF elevating the character of the most popular
entertainments Of the day rather than for
denouncing them, bringing them into discre-
dit, and consequently degrading them. The
Ministerial Union Of Chicago would be en-
gagged in much worthier work, and
one much more likely to be successful,
if they would initiate Mr.. Golfers example,
and inform themselves by personal observa-
tion, and by discussion OF the question with
intelligent theatre-goers, what there is really
good or bad in the drama and opera, and then
exert themselves to do away with any objec-
tionable features that might be brought to
their notice, and to raise the standard of ope-
ratio and dramatic entertainments instead of
denouncing them wholesale.
We wish particularly to impress upon the
minds OF any persons who may read this arti-
Gle that We have no intention of sneering at
the efforts of the Chicago ministers in what
they believe to be the cause of virtue,
morality, and religion; but we think sincerely
that they have gone the wrong way to work,
and we wish TO present the subject in what
we consider a proper light to the religious