Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-16
SILLY SABINE"
A Lust Rfbuks to a klnlstsF who sat 10
Judgment On the Dead,
/" Who srs Yea that Dares usurp tie Pre-
ragstlVe Of God Alone p
Eram he Nsw York -. 81. I

IL is told of tenelOn, that ha
divine man, the beauty Of whose III
and the lOveIiuess Of whose nature, S
exquisitely pictured by Victor Hug
in the good Bishop Of " Les Misera
bIes," (" has enshrined his name in In
heart Of good Christians of ever,
shade OF creed, that young priest y
his diocese having once refused {
read the service over the remains of
dissolute young actress he sent 70
him and said. "NOuEg man, Whel
this girl on the day of judgment come
up before her God do YOU think ii
will ask to what profession she be
lOnged, or that He who sees into al
hearts viii not judge her with tender
ness and mercy by what she did o
strOve TO do in the path in which sh
was placed? Who are you that yOl
should dare TO judge and assume
prerOgative which belongs to Go,
AIone2' So spoke FenelOn.
Some weeks since an old artist die
in this city, 2 kindly, gentle, good oil,
man, upon the mirror of whose lif
no breath Of badness had ever fallen
How many among US remember WheI
Young to have listened with delighted
smile TO the merry mimicry of OLE
George Holland! How many OF u
caught the sweet music Of our chill
dren's Joyous laughter as they revelleC
in innocent delight over MS quirkt
and jests and patent snufiei And
during the many years in which hC
played many parts there Is not a man
within this city who can point to s
word which ever passed his lips which
could touch with the faintest wound
the delicate sensibility Of a grill His
life was one Of manly work and
blameless goodness, and he brought
up a numerous family TO walk in the
WAYS their father did. When he died
q brother artist called on q clergy
mana young priest, toto read
over his remains the service Of the
dead. One would have thought
the discharge of such 8 duty
over what was left of such d
man would have been to a Christian
clergyman a labor Of love. 1t was
not 10 the Rev. Mr.. Sabine. His an
swer was. want TO have nothing
10 DO with an actor. There is a little
place round the corner where they do
these things that place round the
corner where they do these things of
which this minister of God speaks
with this tone Of arrogant contempt
being church dedicated to God and
devoted . the preaching gf the creed
In which he himself belonged. A
preeu grocer who had not the article
Won required could hardly direct you
10 another corner grocery with an air
of more savage sulkiness. This an
swer Is the broken feather which fixes
this man 20 the Earth. 1t needs no
comment. If it was a thing sinful to
be done why send TO another church
Of his own creed to do it? QJd f0cit
Der alum, fact per Sc. So spoke the
Rev. Mr.. Sabine. There was no Fen
40n TO chide and to teach here; but
the Rev. DR.. Tying christens him
" Silly Sabine As TO the little
church round the corner" 3" it has since
become garlauded with roses in the
affections Of all charitable souls.
The Rev. Mr.. Sabine, in his Sunday
sermon, seems to think that every
man should mind his own business;
but this is the business 0f6vePy man.
II such acts Of brutal bigOtry are per-
mitted to be perpetTated in the name
of religion, where are they to stop?
Up TO this act of barbarism one would
hardly be driven into believing that
AZ q season when the star which stood
over the stable at Bethlehem seems
10 shed Jus gentle radiance around,
and the thoughts and hearts Of all
men warm up TO gentle and charita-
BE emotions and ali discOrdant feel
iugs are hushed in the cultivation of
The amenities Of life, and the realiZa-
ton for once Of the sense OF human
brotherhood and evangelical love, |
New York would be shocked and ag-
yrieved at the sight Ofa minister Of
the Gospel scOrniug TO perform the |
rites Of the Church at the fu- |
neral of a fellow Christian, and that /
.ellOW Christian a man who led not |
lnIv an honorable life, but who &C
Iuired q distinguished position in
profession which has been recognized
Iv the Church itself as the most ap-
Jr0Briate medium for symbOliZiDg 1
truth and the history Of |
Christ and His apostles. Long before |
he days Of Mrs. SiddOns and Talma, /
10Th Of whom innumerabIe dignita- /
les Of the Church recognized as their I
.qusls, OF before those Of Rachel, who, 4
the fact that she was /
JOrD outside the pale Of Christianity, /
vas constantly received as a guest by /
ne Archbishop Of Paris, the stage /
vas regarded not only as the theatre 1
4 histriOnic art, but Of the Church /
tselL, and for many centuries since /
be advent Of the Sa viOur to the pres !
mt day theatrical performances were |
sed Tor the illustration Of religious /
history. Especially in the South Of /
europe has the connection between /
be stage and religion continued up TO /
he present day, where year after year /
5IlgrIms from every part Of the world /
hrOng OJeramergau, in the Bavarian /
7yrOl, 10 witness the thrilling scenes |
= the life OF Christ, as persOnated by
rh SIS in whom religious ardOr is so 4
luc1 blended with artistic genius /
3gf the audience is thrilled with /
vaDpet ical rapture as well as by q I
sn-e OF admiration for the actors en- /
AGED In Ibis extraordinary annual 1
eTl0ruanee. One would think, did |
ne Of these artists die, that the whole
yorId would be rans6cked in vain to 4
nd a clergyman 10 turn bis back upon
is grave save that unfortunate one
7hO presides over the ill-fated church |
0rner Z wenty-eighth street and Mad
son avenue, who refused to discharge |
is Christian duty at the funeral Of
ID George Holland The difference
etWeen a religious and g secular
ramatic performance is simply one
!. degree, and had the Rev. Mr.. Sa-
inc happened 70 be at Oberamergau
. r,2uld have, Of course, displayed
1e sam e contempt for the dead actors
-ara ss ne exhibited here for the re-
airs of good old George Holland.
/ hi oecessary 70 remind q minister
/ The gospel in this country and at
81 Deriod # civilization that, even
! decreased fe.ilOW man was a muir
srer. he would outrage the lessons Of
4 Master II he cOlGl.Y STOOD aioOI
ON the sinners grave? Nhat, then,
8n be said in a case like the I,reaents
here all voices unite in prOciaiml98
his old mans life not only 70 be
rithOut stain, but 8 noble, useful one,
on a profession not
eemed unworthy Of cOmulemOrating
be- imposing incidents Of sacred his 1
NV itself? II were vain and idle in
le present day, afler Shakespeare has 1
-ansiOrmed the stage into a high
.hoOl Of humsuitV and Schiller and /
-Oethe have crystaDZed il into a
andmaid Of ethics Rnd Christian
lought, to enter on any defense Of !
3 recognized authority IS moral
gent. IT is true there are actors who
from the dignity Of ter /
rOfessiOn, as there are clergymen
tho derOgate from the dignity Of
heirs; and il would obviously be as
atiOnal TO revile the church on ac-
cunt Of the degradation Of some Of
S UDNlic servants as TO heap OblOquy /
! th,s stage on account Of the vaga-