, 1874-06-15
THE DRAMA.
The Rov. MIR. Isnv1in Replies to
MIR. Lipes.
Aud Defends His Position Oh tho
Amusement Question.


oualiGot tormH thau tho drn,na; nnd yet, ! veh-
turc. tlcro Ia not ono iii ono hundred OF t'iouo
who most bitterly condemn 1t, who know any
thing about 1t from personal knowledge Az
thoy know Of 1t Is from hoaraay, ai'd lilo eau-
cation roooiycl In tho school or prejudice
md superstition. wn8 deeply impressed
with tl,ie idea III readirg tho dscn'rsa or tho
lsoy II. II. Iipps, Of Kcnallsille, ILL.,, preached
rcooutly In his church rs criticism OF my ecf-
mon, " On tho 1toaton of the Chrlstlan Rolig-
lon to tho Theatre md Othor Amnscmonts." He
has g,yon a worry unfair and exceedingly weak
review Of the sormon, mud should raaa II with
nut u word Of roply woro it not tint my a'lonce'
nuor tl.o circumstances, might he grosa5y nsig-
construed.
THE INrEnENCEs TIE CHARGES,
In we'll ns tho positions lio assnmcp, aro cac11-
lated to reflect preju1ioiay upon mo, both aa
to tho doctrines taught in my pulpit, and The
caraotor s,,atain M Christian minister. lie
males worry unwarransotl reelection in nHs'l1n-
Ing TINT, from policy, or intluonco, or desire to
bo popnlar, I havo Bteppod naido from, tho
lruth 80 plnin1y taught in tho Bible, and tn
Its etcal proclsim somothing light n:atl
ptry, for tho purposo Of pcaHiug tho worldly
mind, without affecting tho heart. 1lo says
"Tho less there is III tho sermon concerning
Christ, md tho way OF liro, &C., the bettor it
,'onaes tho n, ,n.asses," Now, this is sheer as
Sumption on his part, .... .......
FALSE. norli IN THEORY AND IN FACT
Ito knows, oyidontly, % ltttio about my proacl-
JIG troata bott, with oana1 unfa irnesn,
no creator in justlco could popslbly bo tone tian
to tako ono aingle sermon upon certaia sub
Sect out Of ali tho sermons proachcd lii mill
5stry Of nearly quarter OF d century, and nl-
tlraliliotliy jndgo mans oharacter md prcaoh-
Ing by that particular sermon. Iilo sermon 70
tersod TO- however, speaks for itscf; and no far
ns lilo Bubfcct upo1, which it treatB In concerned,
/ am not unwilling to he Judged by it When
quoted fairly, aud whon carefully nnd eandd!y
poruBcd.
"from beginning to ouG, Was in dofonso OF tho
drn1un." ,Ihat mado any discrimination il OIL
tiroly ovo,l looked. Tint had any right to do
70 is denied. Tint / contlonnod III pain and
1ncquiyocal laugnaso all tho lowest order oT
warned tho young to bo careful in their
choice OF aln,.BclnontH, and temperate ll
thor indulgence. .s treated Us advice calculated
t. lead tholn to eternal rin T!lnt pointed ont
tho consequences Huro to follow fcckleas
choice, and m iEtemperato indulgence, is passed
III silonce. Aud horoin consists
THE pALrAst,E uNFAInSESB
OF Tho criticism. No distinction iB nlndo between
tlcatrcs; between worthy and honorable mona-
bers OF tho dramatic profession asau plol116ato
mud abandoned characters; batwaen p!nya q
moral md tlauso Of MI immoral tontlency. un-
ii,uiscriuinotojy. aud upoii mo aHo, for UNDER
taking to treat the aubjoct in alspasHlonato
common sei,Ao way, holding fast that which III
good, aui castipg away that whicl, is bad col'-
do1nning only tho proh1gnte, aiiu doIendIng
those uot deserving OF ceis.,ro.
THE nH1rr OF ny AliGuaiEET
was, thnt III tho pllro diana, IN illustrated ~
tie higher order OF dramatic talont, there was Il
t5hr;stnn peonlo conld consistently foptor and
,"trnn;yo mi whirh should bo ehieiIed from
iho whoIosaIo denuuciatiouB 10 often heard
from tho pulpit and tho religious press
nynnst tia tLcntro si1aply because it III toatro
MD ngaiust ali WHO lnvo made tho drarnatic art
nHofosa;o,, ncraisfnutly rofuanr to rocur,,izo
fhn fact that there aro those ln that sphere Who
mo lust as honorable, md worthy OF just IS
And | stil inyjst Tint it oyidcncos eithor inox-
on.nh,a nrciud;co or 1nnst consn,nmato iruor-
ruco wion q man rciusca to mako any liNtilc-
ton II claim" Says A1r. Lipcs, sthat tho
n,iuiuter Of tic Gospel in high stumbling
to ever be found in thu theatre. Il . disgrace
to Tic profession aud reploach upon tito cn,lRn
Of CHRIST. Willie would deprive no QUO Of
t!!eir right Of thinking for themselves, must
say frankly tlnt, il NV brother ongagcs in nuy
amusement [li,ark tho lailguago1 or visits my
'njaco Of entertainment, such Oh T. trcatro, which
n HI acknowledged owl, and placo where no
trno minister Of the. Gospel should be found,
4ss e . \ SoWy NY s sssa ~oad havo psyps y S'To Pe
Linn n. wonderfully ma magunninlouH in not derriy-
ilg any one OF tic rigt to think for Themselves.
HUT II Is 4 SERIOUS QUESTION
will, mo, whether ho could deprive them Of TINT
ri,it If ho rhu,ld undertake it. AGli lin ii lc
tn,1II depriye tho folkod lightning OF its native
,,i1iIt IN dance along tho billowy cloud, to tho
mnsic ] of tho rolling thunder, and tho howliut;
tempes a. It sSoopsI ST. the a,,n Trembling sIss =
Wh;ta arm et1snoscd to roeuld lin as ycry
lind indeed, in allowing fsaodo1m Of til, thought hi
a. ,nacaziuo Of powder under Ills own theory b,
eons It for, when thought il FREQ. you cannot
raulfut bind tho ACTIONS. pooplo who think fol
tIcrnnclyea general act for themselves also
IJo invites tho bees ont Of tho hive by tho sun
uiino Of lis 1nagtaninty, md thon undertakes
to eay lran]ly tlnt ttey shal Gull no sweots ox
cnrt from tho liy and tho roHo. He Ia really se
ttinigI,t thut ho iiclincs backwards ut an anglt
tf ucarly iorty.iiy degrees; 80 arbitrary, tla'
liz beginner despotic and insolorart ; and Fl
bigotcd tl.t III undertaking to turn out tlIt
sEiul-,nill, llo tipn over tho cream With it. mt
milk, crcuiu and all 40 tnmbli,g into the aitcl