, 1874-05-03
always enjoyed among tho unreLcemed reputa-

ton for hbereity.
Mr.. Cbantrau-1 could give you instances Of
in which am personally interested. Some ladies'
Of the Sea Shore Baptist Church ut Long Branch
came to me- recently and solicited I subscrip-
ton Of IS to pay the interest on =
church debt Of sl,5oo: told them they could
have the debt paid of il they wanted. and led
OF subscription-llst with $780,: Henderson, OF
the Providence Opera-House, Will Floyd, Edwin
Adams, Mrs. Paddock {Maggie Mitchell), Lester
Wzllack, Canning, And several other theatrical
people, gave e100 each. and the debt was paid
on. And this is the way the churches acknow1-
edge our ctTorts-by assailing the character Of
our wives and sisters.
Reporter-Not the churches: say, rnther, d
FEW insignificant members.
RETALIATION.
Mr. Chanfrau-Of course, OF course. I have
too much respect tor the Church to say anything
against it as body. But, eupposinR were to
appear upon the stage some night and play part
in which the words OF Mr.. Frost were putinto my
mouth, with no other change than " ministers
daughters" for Actresses" aud " clergymen
for Factors" What would be the consequence
should be rotten-egged of the stage. And yet
q congregation Of Christians protesting to FOL
low Him who preached 'Judgo not that ye be
not Judged" sat through such sermon as Mr..
Frosts without romonstrance.
Reporter-How long have you been on tho
stage?
bir. Chanfrau-snce 1842-thirty-two years.
rs some Hatfieds and Erosts represent it to be,
Id have left it many years ago. I could tell you
stores here all night, only you could not pub
lish them. There is one view Of the case these
anti-stage people never learned. mean
THE HONOR OF ACTORS.
4 Young man on the stage is persc:uted b7
ladies' in front Of the house. venture to say
your young actors Of Chicago are in receipt OF
bushel Of letters week from young, silly g1rls,
women in the best eoclety-perhaps even clergy
1A11
anything about these people ho docs not know
the temptations OF the stage. One of these
villains in Chicago received letter from q
young lady in ono OF our highest-toned semina-
res, bright and handsome girl, am told, OF
good family. The letter prayed an appointment,
aud SPOKE in no measured terms Of the widest
passion entertained bY tho silly writer. Tho
vlllainons player read the letter, indorsed on it:
You d better get your mas pesmisslon. and
returned it. Half the ladies in Chicago went
crazy over Frank Aiken when he first came
here. and sent him the most e1traragant letters
OF admiration. These amatory epis:les did not
come from actresses, you may be sure.
THE BAD ONES.
Reporter-Of course there are soma bad
characters on the stage.
Mr.. Chaufrau--Certain1y: and when they are
bad their faults are found out by . herd of
Jealous preachers, anxious to eave g soul by
committing every other soul to per1tion. There
are bad politicians. bad newspaper men. bad
clergyman who WIS hanged fow years ago in
Jersey for butchering his wife. can remember
one, few miles from Chicago, who drowned his
,yifo in q shallow stream By holding her head
under water to get the insurance on her life.
forget what became OF him. Would MI. Frost
kindly draw the inference that the Church WAS
all tad on That account?
Rcporter-Tou do not defend the stage..as i'm
rancu1ate?
Mr.. Chanfrau-Of couree do not. There
are pieces played which condemn heartily, and
50 does the Erees, So would tho Church, il the
Church would only come in and pass Judgment
upon them, intelligently, rationally and without
prejudice. It needs the corporation Of all good
influences to bring about reform.
THE PULPIT IS THROWING AWAY ITS OPPORTUNITY
in neglectiug the theatre. It might as we'll try
in this age to silence the press. Hero is its
manifest duty, to encourage all tendencies for
good in tue theatre, to lend its voice in condem-
nation of what Is bad; to foster that which
ennobles, and denounce that which depravos.
Tho attitude OF preacher who, in the security
Of his pulpit calls actors knnVcs and actresses
ha71ote, is that OF 4 coward, an ignoramus, and
q liar to boot. II any man said such thing in
mF presence would knock him down. So 1ould
any man Of spirit.
Roporter-As it is ..-
Mr. Chanfrau-I will stick to nv offer OF @1, 900
toward fund for the prosecution Of clergymen
who assail the private character Of my sisters OF
tue stage.