Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-02-12
THE THEATER.
A Lady Takes Up the Clerical
Gauntlet.
We Must Have the TheaGer or
Worse.

The Louisville Courier Journal, o.
Wednesday publishes q communication
replying to the Sunday evening sermon
of Rev. DR.. E. P. HUMPHREY, on pop
ular emusements, published yesterday
It is from the pen of one OF the mos. dis
tinguished writers of Kentucky, and de-
serves a careful perusaI. The following
extracts from 1t viii be read with inter.
est: -
ooIlMENCoUs AU COMMENCEMENT"
as the French cay pithiiy, and firstly
We waive our prerogatiEe Of fancy IN
imagining "the thester as it might be"-
i platform on which angels themselves
/ should not fesr to tread, as erected in the
mind of genius and truth, and agree to
con6ne ourselves to the defense Of the
stage as IL is, with all Of its undeniaole
impeTfeetions, grievous abuses, and hu-
man frailties.
As these last cling tenaoiously to all
circles Of society, even when governed
by the iron rod OF puritanism, Aay we
! not be permitted to prefer the least OF
evils, where some are confessed to be in
eyiteble, and place the lighted anditori-
um, the stirring orchestra, the shifting
scenery, and the actOr's arts before the
| gin shop and gambling house, whether
openly or secretly resorted to, for in Ell
ther case they exist undeOiably.
"PETER BELLs.n
! When God created-for the pleasure
! of his children-fowers and shells, and
music, and tinted His forests, and His
| very clouds, to meet the acquisitions of
supsrjor natures, He did not confine the
! eri5vment OF these gifts to the eye Of
man, Shared with alike by the bird and
bsssj), but gifted him with an inner
| vision wherewith to appreciate and re-
| cognizs these beauties, else so useless and
| Incomplete. WOrdsgorth has told US OF
bis Peter Bell, rustic OF the hills that
the primrose
a yellow primrose 1t YVES to him,
Bat II vas nothing more"
He lacked the glorious gift of imagins-
/ tioD, the enchanter that, like the outer
/ sunshine, lights up the w0rld-Rnd going
! farther still, sppropristes its beauties, for
! the nasoen deity within. He lacked tho
divine, the irrespressible, the ever-mOunt-
/ ing sopl-the ariel OF the body oalibaD.
/ Alas, have We Peter Bell even in
our rpu.pits-utilitarians open only 70 the
needs Of commonplace How dry, how
/ cold, how utterly unfertiliziag to the
/ basrt on which 1t should fall like the
mercy described by Shakespeare as
" Dropping IKE the gentle dews from heaven
! "a a religion that seeks to ei..slave its vo.:
/ tsrles 20 the observance of narrow and
didactic laws; a dyspeptic creed that
would re gulste our very mental diet and
recrestions and compel the man of mind
for such ends to the social chit-chat Of q
ssctaFisn tea-tsble, or the woman of
fancy to the gnominy OF eternal crochet
WorE or Berlin wool. Discard the poem,
the navel. and the drama, and where
5oss the bran find rest from its wearing
duties-saye in the VanitieE OF dEess, in
eeui0us work, or the maiignsncy Of gos
sip?
a. COLD MISSIONARY ON THE SIDEBOARD."
This applies to nsn and woman equal
Iy. for who does not know that at the
l1afers' corner characters are banded
ike the shuttlecock between two battle
dores. and that the game Of base ball ls
there played to perfection. PIay-golng,
II ia true, ike chGrch-g5ingi may Oecoms
a destination, and II this comparison De
source of oovil, let any impartial obser-
yer iudgs whether she who nightly re-
sorts to the "holding forth of favor
lie ureacher, leaving her busiDess-wear-
jad husband to seek his own amusement,
and her children to the tender mercles OF
menials, be not subject OF equal CEN
sure with the woman OF the world, seek
ing constant excitement In the ball or
opera? Does not the devotee OF the gos-
slipping sewing circle, or the pillar OF the
society for the propagation OF the gospel
among the South Ssa Islanders, who of
aFH
soQvht at Az in their sensuousI unde-
yei0osd sloth of organ. cation and cruel
proclivities, Sidney Smiths grotes1ue
idea Of "Cold missionary on the side
board ~ does not such woman, l ask,
Wis! bly, degenerate into irivOlty of thought
and dissipation of valuable time, which
belongs by right elsewhere ?
Yet all these things In moderation are
good and wholesome, form outlets for
mind and feeling, draw kindred tastes
together. sad make known hidden re-
sources, even as il helps some of US on
our weary way to lCse ourselves for few
hours Ia the enehanEments OF the theater
OF opsra-tO forget that we ourselves
exist, snd give reign to our softer SYM
patbies, too often lullsd to sleep by the
monotODy Of common life.
"WHY PEOPLE GO To THE THEATER."
Az TO "why people go the thester," it
would take deeper thinker than even
our didactio divine to answer this social
problem, and, Il / venture humbly to
suggest response to this querul0us
query. 1t is In deepest depreciation of
aught beyond my own limited personal
experience.
So ju1ding, I Iaver that this amusement
is chiefly recommended TO our natures
by the power it possesses TO lull for
time our fatal seif-oonsciopsness-th
argus of our lives which must be drugged
sometimes with all its s1sepless eyes 10
order TO permit healthy reaction Of our
entire being.
/. is the chronic typhoid fever Of ex-
istenos which destroys us, save when ma
ture interposes in our favor the shield OF
iethsrgy. Like Themistocles We pray
sometimes to forget our identity-if only
for q moment-for time to gather up one
forced silently In the sweet oblivion OF
sell.
In sIl other places OF amusement this
"old MAN Of the sea n-this fatal self
presence, is pressed home upon US too
vivIdly. We dress to go TO the ball, and
are anxious actors there-craving success.
In the c0u thouse, in the eounting-room,
in the streets even, self is the absorbing
theme OF vanity and interest, whether
in man or woman, In old or young.
"FANCY FREE"
Even IN the church of God, one care
is self. 1t is our own salvation we seek
alone, and save in those few gloriols in
stances where, convinced that religion is
not thing Of reason, but Inspiration,
the minister Of genius takes tho wings OF
the morning, and bears Us where he
lists ss the thistle down is waited by the
breezs. Save in euch instances, rare in
deed in our dull and practical pulpits-
We are not permitted to break from the
grinding fetters of self-consciousness. 1t
Is only at the touch of the Ithuriel spear
If Imagination that the godhead within
US asserts It's sway over matter, and we
cast side for a time our clog of flesh, and
ride above 1t in the glory Of our spiritual
being, almost to the realization OF the
latter day when immortal bodies shall |
be given up, and dself-consoiousness be no |
more.
Preachers lay this to heart, and If deep |
within you, perchance, lies the sam q fire |
Of fancy, throw It freely out, as mama |
to the spiritually hungry In this desert Of |
the world.
TIE BIBLE-sHAKsPEARE
As to the morality of most plays.u
trust 70 the alemble of intellect to filter |
Its own moral aud result. Like Dickens. |