The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-06
The Fall Season mt the Churches and
Theatres.

Sunny days and cool nights betoken the ad-
vent OF the fall season. The gay summer OF
1868, with its foles, frivolities and fun, is fast
drawing to close. The butterflies OF fashion
and the hummingbirds of pleasure are winging
their fight homeward from seashore and noun
tain side; the watering places and summer
resorts begin to- wear the drear aspect which
follows the departure of their festive company;
carriages loaded with trunks rattle away from
the steamboat landings and railroad depots.
Broadway is alive with the brilliant hues of
fall fashions and the ruddy faces of summer
tourists. On all sides is sounding the note of
the hustle that ensues in the interval between
the season of pleasure and the season of bust
ness, when people settle themselves down from
the illusions of the one to the realities of the
other. The signs of an active fall trade are not
wanting, despite the distracting strife of Pre-
sidential campaign. The inbound trains are
laden with merchants from the country coming
to make their purchases for their fall and win
ter business. Every steamer from the South
brings its share Of buyers, too; for the disturb
ing questions Of the canvass, the uncertainty
OF the financial problem and the excitement of
the public mind seem, curiously enough, not to
affect the necessities of the people. Our city
merchants are buoyant in spirit and hopeful of
increased business during the autumn months.
The signs in the world of pleasure, no less
than in the world Of trade, point to a season of
unusual animation. All the arrangements in
dictate busy season of amusements. The
theatres are redecking themselves for the fall
months New paint, new gliding, new drapery
will add their attractions to the programme.
New operas are promised, new opera compa-
MES are engaged, new theatres will be opened
with new companies; the old ones will be
reopened with new plays and new ballets.
If the play Of 'Humpty Dumpty' and the
opera of ''Barbe Bleue" could meet with such
unequivocal success during the heated term of
the summer recess, what may we not expect
during the cool evenings Of the autumn, when
the fashionable gatherings of Saratoga, New
port and Long Branch shall be transferred to
the boxes and sofas of our theatres and opera
houses? The managers, no less than the mer-
chants, are sanguine Of season Of the utmost
prosperity.
The question occurs, what is the prospect
in the churches the coming season ?-for the !
churches, like their congregations, or rather |
the more fashionable members thereof, have |
their seasons, and, like the theatres, will shortly
reopen after the summer vacation. The par
sons have been away at the seashore and at |
the watering places Some may put the query
why they abandon their charges, or rather the
poorer portions thereof who have not the
means of going away from the city in the
hot months, and withdraw their care at
time when sickness and epidemics are more
likely to render their services necessary
But we take the facts as we find them. The
police reports show the wonderful sway
which the powers of Satan gained during
their absence. There has been reign of ter
ror in the metropolis throughout the summer
months. The "Black Crook" and like spec
tacles, which the parsons vainly endeavored |
to cope with, left their leaven of demoraliza-
ton in the community. The ministers have |
q task before them in combating these evils |
for which they need all the energy and zeal |
that we may look for them to put forth after
the recuperation of their summer sojourn.
The parsons are, emphatically, responsible for
their abatement and correction in the season
which is now opening among the churches.
They have good starting point in the new
Water street Mission-a branch Of the Howard
Mission, by the way. The reform has begun
in the lower stratum of society. 1t is their
duty to carry it to all grades and all ranks.
The ''Wickedest Man in New York" has set
them a shining example. Let them look out
for their laurels, now that John Allen is on
the religious lay" or they may find them
selves beaten at their own game. Instead of
New York and Brooklyn as the
modern Sodom and Gomorrah, let them UNDER
take the work Of redemption, remembering
that in the fate of those ancient cities were in
volved the preachers, parsons and all alike.
The fall season Is, therefore, fraught with |
interest and Importance to the merchant, the |
pleasure-seeker, the sinner and the godly |
man. The merchant, the manager and the
minister has each his respective task in
the approaching season of business, amuse-
ment and religion. It belongs to the last
mentioned to see that in the duties devolving
upon him he is not outstripped in zeal or sue
cess by his more worldly competitors.
Rowdyisru Rampant.