Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-03-19

country is that lack of discrimination. in its
condemnation Of theatres, which has gone
to the extreme of making that sin itself
which Is not sin at all To 90 to the
theatre Tor an evenings entertainment is
regarded By multitudes as 4 fragrant wrong.
So wrong is it considered in itself, or so bad
is it in example, that ministers are shut out
of the theatre as class, with sweeping conf
pleteness. For clergyman to be seen in a
theatre is to compromise his positson and in-
huencc. We know that many clergymen
regard this as hardship, for they have told
US 50 bat their unwise predecessors have
made the bed for then, and they are oblige-
ed to lie in it. TIE public opinion that has
been generated in the church. ty pulpit
criticism and denunciaIion, has built wall
around the theatre 20 high that men holing
responsible positions in the church cannot
cross it.
For .hi- position Of the church, the stage
itself Is yery largely responsible The stage
has been under strong temptations to self
degradation. II it had always been pure !;
if the amusement it has offered 10 the public
had always been innocent if it had not at
one period Of its history beea breeding
place OF vice if it had not presented strong
attractions to those who seek the society Of
lewd women if profanity and poorly dis
guised alscenity had never place in the
plays presented il impure imaginations had
rot been cherished among the young by half
nude dancing girls in brei, if animal nature
the lower nature-had not been addressed
50 persistently by those who have assumed
the entertainment OF the public, the church
would ncger have taken the position that it
has. Il - not 10 he wondered at that tie
protest was strong, when the proyOcation
was 50 shameless. The older men Of the
present day remember thc horrible Third
Tier of their youth They remember, too.
the f0Ei p eR.e,ere, the polite profanity, the
broad Jest, tnat woke the disgusting cheers
Of tic pit.' Il Is n0 Justification OF an in
situation that has arr0carcl 10 itself the title
"oi a school Of morals, that it offered what
was demanded, and what the public most
willingly paid tor. !, WAS part Of the
legitimate Office Of the stage to protect pub
lie morals and to educate the public into a
pure taste. The enm.jy Of the church to
ward tie stage has no; been without cause
Bat tie stage Is better than il was, on the
whole We have vie theatres in New York
/ t0-laY-alt0gether too many Of them-plays
FitSeH.td tAA, VI -ia-I v4 '4.4-'' ''' '4a'e
and the morals Of those who witness them
men and women N ihe boards who are
base in character and life. On the other
hand, we have theatres whose aims are high,
and actors and actresses Who have pride Of
personal character, AMI desire and deter
minati5n to hold their most Interesting art
to purity and respectabilitv. These people
-iaithiui husbauGs and wives, intellectual
mcn and women, good father, mothers,
maiiens, friends and ci;zen7- naturally chate
under the wholesale Condemnation the church
visits uron them. We cannot blame them
ior this. We can oaiy ask tlem 10 be pa
;ieut wi.h s,atc %. things which a
multitude Of their ciecc~-or- and many
of their contemporaries llyc helped 20 bring
about TIE church Is gradually working
toward their Iecogui,iu %. arl they must
sige il time - move.
Thor, ,,-,s q, r,-,.. ar4 i- ,e...,..,- l,p.,a.,.,
VIC, ,.,-5, y,.-,. f,r.i-I.,.l from every Chr.
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..t,l, .r,r.a, v.r, ,r.V rs,narrl,a- when q
racl .f csrl. r,..r-.l in b..v-. trunk would
is take, "a. t.,..t that ;he devil haIa yerv
-.r.u- hold rr5. IL owner. Million, ot
men and women have Leen bred &, believe
t..t c,rI rlayin, vaS-wi,b or without
re.....-, =, in Ir-.t That time las ra---
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'''l'. 90 III.