Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-19

of the Church, first Of all, to make men
pure in heart and correct in grace; to take
| the youth and not turn upon them; to take
the youth and not turn the face OF the
| Church against them; to take the youth
and not throw these irrational limitations
about them, but take them into the green
fields Of life by the de of its still way, and
say 'God is our good shepherd. These
are the good things he has given us; ss
you love Him, and az you fear Him, and
as you are grateful to Him, never abuse a
privilege, never deprave your manhood,
never ignore His providence, but walk ia
the way OF righteousness, learn wisdom,
and God will honor you, and humanity
will bless you, and the memories that you
carry with you shall be filed, even as q
picture gallery, with the things that are Of
good intent-pure, gentle, sweet, nooie,
long-sntferiug, patient aud kind"
NAKED OR CLoTHED'-CONUIENT CT THE
CHICAGO POST.
We beg the Tribune and Rev. Robert
Laird Collier to know, in connection with
the question Of the imml-a iiy OF { ell pc.
as proved by The presentation # such
spectacles as the BLACK Crook" the
White Fawn" and the like, that uutil
degree removed from stark nakedness are
tolerated on the stage and in private par
ties, it will be in vain TO apology s for or
excuse the theatres defiance Of the can
mons Of deceLcy which govern all civilized
people. While we have contempt as keen
as that which most people can feel for the
morbid goOdishness which is not content
without It IA picking Il avs in the conduct
lfI tia naInh hnr1 and y.h Il
10 defend theatrical representations "a
among the highest and most instructive
FIRMS of amusement, we know az sell "a
chat two and two make four, that the main
Inject of all pieces like those to which we
refer, is to fill the benches aud boxes BY the
promise Of infl4ming the Imagination and
stirring up the sensuality of those who
witness, We cannot say hear, them. To
accomplish this object, none Of the aces
series are omitted. Just "a far az the Ia
decency can go without exciting disya-s, "a
Indecency pushed. Ia the dramatic actor,
in the ballet, and in the dresses and posi-
tons, everything IL directed to the sccOmP-
lishment of the one purpose.
We fully appreciate the twadlle which
defends these exhibitions, by the use Of old
old maxims, evil to him who evilthinks;"
ITO the pure all things are pure; "Oid
sinners cry shame first" and the like. Il
is tWaddle and nothing else. We know
100 just how to value the trick that makes
art the cover of the brazen immortality to
which our young people are invited. OF
course, art Is invoked, "a in places viler
still. Music bushes the conscience while
it quckens the Imagination. Painting,
such "a it Is, does ia share. The decOra-
tive art il freely employed. But all are
subsidiary to the purpose that we
have named, which Is inherently and un-
luestionably unworthy. Admit that Me-.
Collier is correct when he says that all
dress is conventional, and We have yet to
know that defiance, for waRtOn purpose,
IF that in the necessity and decency of
which the whole civilized world agrees, il
not OF itself a rank offence. There Is in
bis matter one iniSilible test, and that is
his: If the dresses, the posturing, and
he lasciViOus motions of the ballet are in
themselves innocent and praiseworthy,
here can be no objection to the pc OF
hem in any place where the Amusement Of
lancing is going on; hence we ssk-where
: the man, not bred to the stage, wh)
.ould, by any possibility, give his consent
D have the ladies Of ais family become the
mita, ors at home, o. anywhere else, Of the
" which is far too common on the stage?
When Mr.. Robert l.. Collier will recon-
mend his female hearers to adopt the COS
ume Of the ballet, a the Sunday fashion &,
or summer weather, at the Church of the
4 sssiIh, we shall believe that he thinks
ia position ia defe1sible. Until then, We
hall not give up the opinion We express.
OF course, the remedy for all this, urged
pom the public by the Chicago Ministerial
Union, Is simply absurd The law, if one
ould be enacted, would be pOWerless.
he spectacles prescribed by the statute
-ould obtain a new lease Of popularity,
nd managers would ill their pockets to
veGliowiug. The corrective Of the evil,
mich has become serious, Is in public
opinion, to the formation of which the
forts Of the Union should be directed.