The New York herald., 1874-11-14

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among the nations--a respect Tor the outward OBJ
servance OF goodness. The churches had probably
too Puritanica but that was being Greatly W mcdi.
ned. He earnestly hoped that no steps would be
taken TO Frenchify our American institutions.
DIR. McGlynn's Opinion.
Yesterday afternoon HERALD reporter mounted
the stcop OF the pastoral residence of ST. Stephens
church and inquired for DR.. McGlynn. The re-.
porter told Dr. NcGlynn in a few words that his
visit was for the purpose of hearing from him an
expression OF opinion regarding Sunday amuse.
ments.
The Doctors opinion was that Sunday amuse-
ments should not be. He was emphatlcaly adverse
to them
RRPoRTER-Are you against performances for
doctrinal reasons2
DR., McGLYNN-No; there is nothing that can
remember In Catholic theology which anlmadverta
upon them, and the Church has not pronounced
against them. Under the Ponti1cal rule the thea
tres OF Rome were allowed to keep open on Sun.
day, while on Friday they were closed, thus show
ing that Friday, the day on which Christ died. was
held as day OF devotion, while Sunday was
regarded more as a. day OF rest. Now In
France Sunday Is more OF a tiresome holiday than
a day OF rest They GO to races and theatres and
. thousand and one amusements, which ere In
sort Of disregard or the sacred cnaracter OF the
day. This disregard for the Sabbath acts un.
iayorabiy on religion. The Sabbath have al
this country The regard in VSa Which SUNDAY has
been held by the English speaking nations mas had
emcient social organisation. DO not under.
,NaI ssana e. me as promulgating the doctrine
my intention Is far from that. can see no harm
In parl0r music or amusements on Sunday AFTER
n19n or night provided they are not allowed to IN
Church has set down. Rational amusements IN
moderation tend to divcst sunday OF the severe
with IT. Sunday night public performances tend
to destroy the line OF demarcation between sun
should be q seton to the weekday work. and
sunday nignt g. quiet TO the bolsterousness ana
81 .s sne wesS "a ngMss tu1E snat the
young ladies just as safe looking at q play which
y not immoral as they would be in the parlors or
do not wish to be understood as taking fanatical
view or the question oil theatres; on the contrary
many good and true men and women in that pro.
sssioa as there are proportionaily 10 any other
act stage SS are @ very much tS IKE other glasses
ana stage OF life has not its slnnerss
= In speaking OF the law on the subject OF sunday
theatricals Or. McGynn said that II the Legisla-
ture had the power to stop civil processes on Sun
das and enact Sunday excise laws it had the saue
50 much legislation tnas was wanted as a good,
healthy public sentiment. Public sentiment, If 1t
had ygOr n II was sure to act on the legislative
would tend 20 MAKE things as they should be.
In bidding the reporter goodday tho Doctor In
as emphattcally against Sunday performances.
" was adding insult to injury he thought, to call
the beer shop discords social concerts.''
DR.. Prestom's Opinion.
HERALD reporter called yesterday afternoon
on the Rev. Dr.. Preston to hear what he mad to
Say on the subject OF Sunday amusements The
Doctor had nothing further to state than that he,
personally, was adverse to sunday amusements
of the -trcal ana operate character, when they
we're d!gnided with the appellation Of 'sacred
He was not SO emphatic In his expression of
found above.
DIR. John Cotton Smith.
DR.. John Cotton Smith, rector OF the Episcopal
Church oil the Ascension, In Filth avenue, was
called upon by the HERALD reporter and asked for
an expression Of his views on the question of Sun.
day amusements. The Doctor considered 1t o
matter demanding the most careful thought In
discussion and expression. and one not lightly to
be dealt with, BY cergymen particularly.
ITO put leading question. Doctor" asked the
reporter, "do you approve of theatres being open
to the public on Sunday evenings ?"
IL most decidedly do not" said Dr.. Smith. at
is in every way detrimental to public morality
and can only succeed in weaning many away
from Christian duty. l see that at present the
opera is being given every Sunday evening, and
that some OF the theatres are open. l hope some
means will he devised to put atop to this on the
one day in the week now particularly devoted to
the worship OF God. I am confident the system
will not become general, because believe there Is
too much respect for the Sabbath day here TO
then Of course i viii DIE out Tor want SUPPORT @
For this reason M DO not view the movement with
''Bat, on the other hand Doctor. there is large
population here who do not go to church, and
would, perhapas be glad TO find some means OF
worldly enjoyment to pass away sunday even.
"a doubt that there are enough 0. these to make
the plan generally pay PAYNE I one, ana think, Tor
merely spasmodic. That general n0n-ooservance
OF the Sabbath. such as this would bring about II
successful would tend to lessen the influence OF
Christian teachings tncre is no doubt. The
system Of Sunday amusements and theatrical
where y e' Il q n 8or@s nere @
countries which tolerate similar dissertation OF
the sabbath We md religion and its influences
are most dlsregarded, aud In Paris, where thea
tres are open every night In the year, we find
that religion is almost mere form. The effect
regards very important part Of our public. For
these reasons reasons i ! am against any such practices
,''Do you object to theatres on general princi-
pie as being morally injurious ~
"This is almost too general question to be an
would you oeprecate then. for instance, your
own church members attending theatres ~
"Tnat Is q matter which leave them to Judge
Of entirely for themselves, and think they are
best competent to know the effects OF theatre
going upon themselves do not think that, as
general rule, the associations are good"
"Do you mean In regard to the people who be.
long to the theatres?n
"ln SO much as I mean the plays which are
given such sas iarccs and those French plays
which seem to abound to such an extent to-day.
There are some plays which / consider, on the
contrary, might DC good Ia their influences as
much as the others are bad. But, as said
theatre-goers must Judge for themselves and
would not consider 1t my province to interfere
with those who choose to attend theatres. do
not 60 to theatres myself, and am therefore not
as competent to judge or the good and the bad in
tnem TO the same extent as those who do 60. The
general meretriciOus attractfvene6s OF these
places OF resort is not very Consistent, however.
with the practice OF religion; and the fact that
they begin TO desecrate the Sunday evenings Is
proof. TO certain extent OF how little those con.
nected with theatres value the Lords day."