The New York herald., 1874-11-22
The Manager Of the Grand Dukes Opera
House on Sinful Amusements
Mr.. Stuart Robson in a Light
Comedy Vein.
Childlike and Bland Remarks by a
Sexegenarian.
BOST0N'S THEOLOc ICAL THAW

the sermon and sentiments OF the Rev. Mr.. Tai
mage, made public In last Sundays HERALD, are
still the universal theme OF discussion. Letters
continue to pour in with great rapidity and gener
ally adverse to this now famous clergyman. Oc-
casionally he nnds an ardent defender, but not
In the ranks of the dramatic profession. The
Rev. Mr.. Fr0thingham the most advanced leader
OF liberal thought in The Protestant Church In
America, gives weighty reasons for his opinions in
the communication printed below. And 1T" the
correspondent who Derated Mr.. Talmage 80 hard
few days since, now returns to the attack and
answers &C." who MADE defence OF the Brook
lyn divine Mr. Stuart Robson, well known Co
median, claims Mr.. Talmage as brother actor.
And the boy manager OF the Grand Dukes Thea
tire, who was formerly bootblack, and whose
name Is Mr.. Thomas O'Brien, attempts to castigate
the pastor who has succeeded 30 well In getting
into hot water.
FrOthineham On Sunday Amusements.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:
As You have printed some rather incoherent
expressions OF mine, elected by one or your re-
porters, ON the Sunday amusement question. you
will, perhaps, be willing to publish thought or
two, better considered, on the same subject
The point presented py your reporter was the
expediency Of encouraging or of discouraging
Sunday evening concerts of the character recently
offered by Mr.. Strakosch and other musical d.
rectors OF character and taste, and had no hesi-
tation in cordially approving OF such attempts to
adOrn and improve what In many cases are Idle,
or worse than idle, hours. But the discussion has
already strayed far beyond that line, SO far that
the whole subject OF Sunday anusements is under
consideration. This subject Is by no means simple
one. Putting ecclesiastical prepossessions aside,
and looking at the matter with absolute candor,
concern not OF the church, but OF society, the
difficulties it presents neither few nor light.
The questions raised are no other than these:-
What Is the best use TO make OF Sunday? How
shall we improve q seventh part OF all our timer
How shall we rescue from waste wanton abuse
. number OF precious hours which are now by
usage, law, common consent and general prac-
tice set apart from ordinary time and from secu.
lar occupationsf At present the Sunday is merely
secluded-shut of from the week by wall guarded
by police Such human nature as tries to get In
clandestinely Is regarded with suspicion, and, II
practicable, hustled out.
Religion claims the day, but does not, and from
the constitution OF the human mind cannot, use
t. At most 1t occupies but four five hours.
Let 1t be welcome to all it needs; but
what disposition shall be made of
the rest9 In Europe the leisure hours are
given up to social recreation, enjoyment in
the open air, at places OF entertainment, cofee
houses, gardens. theatres; not without abuses
and excesses certainly, out with no more of them
Ihan may be complained OF in communities where
the day is kept under severe RESTRICTION. Sunday
in Paris is probably no worse than Sunday in New
YORK. II 1t is as bad. But the introduction OF the
European Sunday here would be open to serious
objec tons. IL IL native there to the soil, and the
genius of the people, usage and tradition favor 1t.
The French, Italians Germans enjoy simple pleas
ures, and know how to spend leisure innocently.
They recreate themselves holidays. The only sys
tenn that Is native here Is the Puritan. Our pOpu.
latl0n is Mixed and the foreign part OF 1t Is
largely composed OF the passionate, uneducated
and loose. We do not enjoy simple pleasures, and
leisure time Is apt to be vicious time. The adop-
ton in America of the French or German Sunday
would probably be followed by license that
ligious people OF every name would depore.
1t Is the duty as 1t seems TO me, for thoughtful
people to find way, If they can, out Of this d.
lemma. TO use the day without abusing II, eccle-
siasticay or otherwise, sanctimoniOuslv or 'icen.
tiousy, piously or impiously, superstitously or
recklessly, is the problem, and momentous prob
lem too.
II we could assume the Sunday to be with
in the control OF the right-minded portion OF
the community, SO that alterations Of its observ-
ance might be made gradually and innovations
adopted one by one as necessity, not sweeping
logic, suggested, the case would not present In
superable difficulties. Religion need not fear fatal
encroachment on her own territory. The religious
portion OF the community will have their full
rights to learn and teach The demand that pub
lie libraries be opened for certain number or
hours on Sunday has been safely conceded The
proposal to open galleries Of art had been
acted on and without detrment to any good in
terest. Now comes the cry for music-the finest
subtlest, most cheering and envening Of all
civilizing Influences NO harm can come OF allow
ing that place with suitable restrictions to its
associations and accompaniments. Can the man.
ayers OF theatres make their artists and arts
available in the work OF entertaining their unOc-
cupied or Oyerworked fellow citizens Let per-
mission be granted them to 90 1t, on condition
that the entertainments offered shall be OF
character to enliven and amuse, without degrad-
ing. All this would be consistent with a strict
moral and police supervision, even with Puri-
ranical determination to suppress rioting drunk
enness and debauchery. Cannot the people in
struct and cultivate themselves without letting in
O horde Of savages ? Must they fOrego innocent
recreation and harmless amusements because vice
of every kind VIII demand permission to make
victims II they do not Must they shut the door In
the face Of the good angels because the evil spir-
its will at the same instant knock loudly to come
IMP Practically this is absurd. We guard other
days. why cannot we guard Sunday Society
protects itself on secular days when It's material
interests are at stake. Why not on sunday when
Its intellectual and moral interests are at stalker
At present public opinion protects religion against
assault one day in the week. Why may 1t not
protect culture AND decency and intelligence from
assault on the same day, throwing the same de-
fence around several great concerns In place ione
onlyf
Our Sunday Is too precious to be sacrificed
either to the "world, the flesh and the devi,n OH
the one side, or to theology and the Church
the other. 1t belongs to man, to humanity, to
culture, intelligence, the refreshment and inylgo-
ration OF the rational faculties, and to the
instrumentalites by which these are reached.
They who refuse to make any terms be-