The New York herald., 1874-11-09
THE BROOKLYN TABERNACLE.

Tho Rev. DR.. Talmage on tho American
Stage and the PrOpr iety OF Christians
Attending Theatres.
An overlooking congregation attended the ser.
vices at the Tabernacle yesterday morning, when
the Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage, d. D., dlscoursed upon
theatrical amusements and the tendencies OF the
American stage. Previous 60 the sermon fne
manly looking sailor. who had embraced the faith,
was formally admitted TO church membership and
received the right hand fellowship from the pas
tor, who addressed him In lev appropriate words
OF special Christian applicability to tue profession
OF the sea. This admission TO the privileges ofmem-
berShip by the hand Of DR.. Talmage and the
deacons Of the church was productive OF mani.
test impression throughout the congregation.
The reverend pastor then took his text from
Zachariah, xiv, 2o-'In that day there shall be
upon the bells OF the horses holiness unto the
Lord" He said the horses OF princes and con.
querors have from immemorial date been deco.
rated with chimes. The day viii come when oil
amusement and hilarity VIII be consecrated to the
Lord, tue conqueror OF sin and death. Not only
should we ask ourselves "Will that day con e?n
but each should put to himself the question: GLOW
can hasten it?'' We want more amusement
more lively and insptriting entertainment, aud
three holidays where we now have one.
But let the bells ring Tor the right pur.
pose, not to commemorate wrong, but 20
consecrate festivity to the Lord. Young persons
who have espoused Christianity, came to him as
their pastor and asked him "ought we to attend
theatres?" and he ielt 1t was right that they
should be guided IN the matter. How, then are we
10 md outY We must Judge OF the tree by Its
fruits; and the question Is wnat the influences
w"uid h,mse, 90 ana ns ready t1ey nre gooM ne
In Greece ldolary and sacrifice to false gods was
assisted by scenic anu theatrical representations;
and 10 spite OF the good IN the plays OF S0phoces
and EuIlpldes the most disgusting scenes were
enacted. The. poets aud orators forgot Solon, aud
surrounded the stage with the very SHADOW OF
darkness. 1t was not until Rome had existed Tor
90 years tnat plays were introduced among the
komaus;, anu then ali tnat was re-
Nero covered the theatres with god aud
they they wee o. por a no oS at
while wine and perfumes were even sent IN uls-
titled showers over the audiences. 1he first in
grinis. VINO represented the scenes winch they had
visited; and tney tnen gave scenes from Scripture.
rcsentng neaven the world and he'll: out these
degraded into dlssoutcness. In 1852 the French
government supported the drama by a vote or
100000 francs. 1he stage was nrst introduced
INTO England by the miracle plays, representing
scenes IN the lives OF the apostles and the burning
ana other suiierings OF martyrs. They even went
SO lar as 10 represent God hinscll and the devil
and MS imps These again were put down. Tncn
on one occasion while acting before the sovereign
Faltn, Iope and Cnaiity got beastly drank.
IN 1852 the first actor arrived IN America, from
England stage for rehearsais was lifted up on
the quarterback oil the ship ior his company, who
first established themselves In Virginia. They
removed 10 Pniladcl9lla in 1854, aud the Quakers
asked the government to stop their performances,
the repiy being that no indecent plays should be
enacted. No one can deny
THE BEAUTY OF DRAMATIC ART,
or the charms oil poetry, music and eloquence,
wnlcn were appreciated by sucn pure minds as
milton and scott. Nor is 1t possible TO ignore the
genius on the boards or Maiaoran, Garricx, FOR
rest or Matthew's Even the,large hearted charity
displayed by tho profession IN our war and in the
new l0rk, Boston and chicago fires must be ad-
mleted. The spread OF literature among
the Ignorant and the grand language
neither write nor read might be thought o
good, put the questions are, Is the drama innocent?
Are the surroundings OF the American stage pure
ana nnocentf Tnat Is the point Tor the Christian.
The influence oil the stage upon the actors ana
employees themselves is undeniably bad. There
might be such instances as that OF Miss CushmaD,
against whom there never mad been q breath oil
suspicion, but Charlotte CusHmans are not found
Ill proluson. Players are iuvarlabiy discontcnted
aud miserable. man III state OF extreme
prostration was told by his doctor 10 go ana see
Cnarie5 Mathews. "Why,v he said, IL am Char es
Mathews" The o;aslng influences oi the green
room ale destructive o. all womanly virtue.
NIat parent In tae congregation would Ike
daughter 10 DC ballet giri, aud the proof oi now
via spread Is the IeeLna ttat tininOrality at
the TACT that wUman's conncc ION with 1t is only
spoken OI IN Whispers. Where tnere Is one person
who rcqueuts theatres serving Goa ana DiS
Church you Can he SHOWN five hundred wiGn hopes
aud ODaractcrs Dastcd. IL IS the adJGncls OF the
stage which render IL
A F0CNT or EVIL, DRUNKENNESS AND tMPUgITY.
Take away these anu the theatre iails. LOOK at
Booths, and every otner theatre where an attcmpt
has been made TO purity the surroundings Of the