The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-02-26
TAe Am.sement Qsesiiea.
"wHAr IS RIGHT ?"

Christians take towards the amuscments
OF the dayy' or In other words 'wh mt
amusements Is It proper for them to EN-
gage in?" Is one which will not be ignored
or put down; like ghost which will not
be laid, IL appears and re-appears; like q
curious child OF one idea, II clam0rs
for satisfactory reply. II comes up ev-
erywhere and constantly.
This Is an age. Of amusements. The
perv0us American people whirl through o
succession of gayeties In the winter, and
whlrl of In tho summer to seek change by
seaside and among mountains; but even
there, into the pressure of the Infinite
beauty and grandeur Of sea and noun
tain, they must carry all available social
BILE rivalry Of fashion. In our large cities
theatres multiply; and places OF low
amusement. the like Of which were never
dreamed Of In the early days Of our re-
public, are on fearful Increase. IL Is to
be hoped that the supply exceeds the de-
mand. In our country villages, cheap
promenade concerts have taken the place
of the more decOrOus balls OF former
times; and to these, young girls, who
ought to be happy in the family circle ut
home, are permitted to go alone or In lit
tie companies, unattended by father.
brother, or other gentleman friend, to
march and dance with prOmiscu0us as
sembly, and be escorted home by any
chance acquaintance, or stranger even, or
the other sex, whom they may meet there,
In this way helping to lower the standard
of purity and dignity Of character dcslra-
bic I'm woman, the conservation OF which
was never more needed In this country
than now. Lcvccs and fairs for almost
every possible object are held, and every
new way for having a gay time eagerly
sought for, on u smaller scale than the
metropolitan, but amer the same type.
Time was when the authorities OF Boston
thought Il advisable to discourage the
masquerade ball, considering 1t one OF
those importatiOns from the more lax
countries of southern Europe, not to be
desired; but now. masked balls, and some
operas of questionable character. have
penetrated, with clog dancers, aud ballet
girls, into some of our inland cities.
= The question Is not who goes, but who
stays mt homer What has come over the
homes of New England, those far back
In the interior and least exposed to per-
niciOus influences, that so many men and
women. young men and maidens, and
even little children who Onght to be In
bed, are so anxious to be out evenings. to
leave them for every show or entertain
inent that comes along?
What Is the trouble with the homes OF
to-day--so many of them-that they have
not influences powerful enough to hold
those who belong In them? Are they be-
coming dcmOralizcdY Certainly reflnlll-
Ing attractions have been on tho increase,
rs well as.corrupting ones; books, pic
lures. elegances abound. 1t Is an era Of
these things also. No dwelling so poor
but It can command some of these To keep
the inmates interested there; still the out
side attraction In how many eases proves
the stronger. Tho tendency Is to 30 else
where to be amused. This Is the painful
truth which we meet In the very outset.
On the part of young women. especially
In the larger towns, there Is great deal
of going away from home; strolling about
the streets, under tho name OF shopping,
calling, drcss-making. and so forth, Ia nd.
dition to the seeking amusement just men,
toned; and on the part OF our young men
n great deal more which IL Is -not,at all
pleasant to inquire into.
We. who remember something like half
q century Of years. recall-wlthOut prejli-
dice, we hOpc-the honest, sensible fes-
tivitics of those times, or arc VIC blinded
and childish? Certainly we are SLOW
Old-fashiOned. we know IL. But are we
foolish In thinking that the hOmely gath
crings of then were healthier than the few
erish excitements of now? Ours were not
In heated, gorgeous, dazzlingly lighted
halls. for we had them not. Our young
girls did not expose themselves then Us
now; the shameful, foreign dancers had
not come In my time; If they had been in
troduccd In any dancing room among MS,
the fathers and the brothers and the hlls-
bands know, would have taken the ladies
belonging to their households OH their
arms and walked away with them. When
the waltz was first heard OF, We consider
cd It an abOmination. Time, and the
fashion of the day have not smoothed
away the oflensiveness of 1t, Mt all. 1t Is
an abominatiOn still. ...
This question about going to places OF
did not come up. There was
no occasion for II TO. Now, among my
young friends, almost daily through the
winter recur some such questions rs these:
VIII It be right for me to go-somsirheres2
to the grand fair for the seamen's benefit.
where snch splendid things are to be
rallied for? to the lcvee, to close with q
dance. to pay for the new organ In our
to the social entertainment where
only good, religious tableaux will be rep
to help pay our church debty
to the promenade concert, where they
have promised there shall be 10 danclngy
Is This rlght9 Is that right? Is II right to
have grab bag n 'gpess cake fish
pond.' n post officer IL II is right tn RAT
lie for that Afghan. why not have q
wheel of fortuncT What Is lottery
and what Is notg Why Is 1t right to see
tablcaux, charades, and farces among
ourselves, and wrong to 30 to the theatre! J!
Why is 1t right to march, and not to
dance?
So my young friends, my young Chris
tan friends. have rung the changes. have
teased. persisted, cross-qucstl0ned till
my soul Is weary within me, and ] am
fain to cry out that II Is time Christians
asserted some positive principle on this
subject, and acted up to It.
My grown-up daughtcrs,-all members
of the churcli-comc to me, and say, "Our
neighbors, the BIS are going to have pri-
vate theatricals In their parlors tonight
and we are invited. Why shouldn't we
90? fit Is right for them to have them.
surely II Is right for us to go."
Dear me! Dear me! Who are "Our
Why, the mistress Of the
family. and her two unmarried sisters are
daughters OF nh ''0rthodOx minister" aud
they aud the husband Of the former are
members of "Our church." These ladies
are exceedingly refined. lovely, and ac-
colnplishcd, besides being highly cduca-
ted and trained In the nurture and admo.
nition of the Lord from childhood. They
belong to the best circle In the city. and
by their goodness, beauty, talent, hospi-
tality. and winning manners, draw Into
their attractive home the chief In culture
among us. They have host OF friends;
among them. fashionable men and wo-
men, musical people, actors, military men.
and clergymcn. They are In continual
rush of party giving and going, opera,
concert, masquerade, rchcarsals, theatri-
Gals, receptions; and what with prepara-
tiOu for these, calling, and receiving calls,
with hripf rpsnifp befxyppn fllc festivities,