The New York herald., 1876-11-27
CHURCH AND STAGE.
PROFESSOR BLAcKIE DEFINES THE MISSION OF
THE THEATRE AND AcCoRD5 AN HONORABLE
PLACE TO DRAMATIC ART.

PROFESSOR BLAcKrE DEFINES THE MISSION OF
THE THEATRE AND AccoRDs AN HONORABLE
PLACE TO DRAMATIC ART.
From the London Era]
In opening the Greek class in Edinburgh University
on Tuesday Professor Blackic took occasion 10 make
tho following remarks the relations OF the Church
ana the thcatrc.-
The special OF Arstophnnes and the Greek
comedy, with the revel OF wanton license winch char
aclerized H. leads me to say word or Two generally
the Connection betwixt morality and stage plays or
the Church and theatre-a theme on which. since tho
days OF The Puritans downward, certain class Of
clcrgymcn In thus country have been ever
forward TO invite pubic discussion. | will
commence by stating FACT Last Saturday,
from u concatenation OF causes. which IL concerns
no know, l iound myself IN the
singular position oil having been twico at the theatre
in the same day; and On reviewing my conduct at
lore said my prayers, found that had done nothing
Of which had any cause TO repent, but something
rather ON which should look back with thoughtful
satisfaction all the days Of my c; and when state
that plays winch witnessed that day were
Hamlet and ''rhe Bells : IN both OF which the
chaste pure anc finely feeling tragcdian Mr.. IRVING
no person, am convinced, who ever witnessed
his performances viii nave tho least difficulty
III comprchending the cause OF my satisfaction Hut
whether assisted oy the chastey suggestive action OF
a,Ien,o Mr. vDg OF or nps, not what h wisI ,n 70 @ eal
pieces arc both OF highly moral char
and profoundly religious significance, and they
breathess attention and devout sympathy that l
have seldom seen surpassed Ill any congregation OF
Christians listening to most eloquent uiscoursc Ii
is PLAN, therefore,, that the modern STAGE Of whose
deterioration and degradation We have heard so
much, still, occasions at least and
ia the hands oi certain persons, performing
noby its proper fGnction-cxhibted SO grandy
IN the ancient Greek Iragedy-as practically a pulpit
from which the most profound moral truths
taught IN manner at the most natural, tho
most attractive and the most electives and unless IL
be shown that the cagerness with which tho peo-
nuffu fhn1n tuya
toned is altogether excepuve really do not how
clergymen any otncr persons DO justified in
denning Wholesale, they sometimes do the present
and condition OF tho nobcst form OF Intellectual
recreation ever invented by man
'HANLkTn ASD "THE BRLI.s.o
And. SO far my experience goes, consider my
self, IN justice To body OF who do always
ccve, ettncr from the clergy from The general pub
lic such grateful acknowledgment their services
descrve-iG justice 10 theatrical artists feel bound
ave my evidence that there Is not the slig
reason 10 believe that the acecptabIeness oi Hamet"
and ''rhc Besis' 10 theatrical audience, through
the impassioncd impersonations OF Mr.. Irving.
Is an exceptional phenomenon. l am great
theatre goer; but whenever did happen-clsewherc
or specially IN London-to see the piece winch
had eu1oycd the popular ot the season, | did not
md mat II was Particularly immoral piece, or
Immoral piece az all but sometimes rather u ghly
mora! and extremely cvangciical piece tAis very
play Of .'rhe bciis' and another called Leah oil
winch tie dramatic motive hes in The characteristic.
cay gospel yrtuc of the forgiveness OF injuries but
not only on these OCCASIONS, but through my whole
lie, n occasional wtucsser oil theatrical rerrc.
senaiiuns, can state Win the most solemn
that have rarely met with even immoral
SITUATIONS 10 popular pays, much less with
essentially immoral plots. ON the contrary, have
gcncraiiy found The ucor ol The stage occupied
either by innocent aaa amusing pictures of popular
MANNERS, such as LII the pages OF Ihacxcray AMI that
great philosopher MI. Puncn hc true British Aristo-
phsnes or pAthefic stories OF human SUFFERING, gen.
craity sPrnging out vi human foy or SIN, the
temptation oI whcu would scarcely fail to have good
moral elect on every souni-hcarted spectator Ana
wish 10 say here, ifon this char pubiicy. what
have often said privalcy 10 distng OF
The clerical profession, that have oiteucr clt
the gracious tcardiops o human sympathy aud dcvout
pay drawn from my eyes by the vivd impersonations
OF tie stage Than by the fcrvId appeals
quentc ever delivered from scottsn pulpit lar,
therefore, as my exiericDcc goes-and have no rea-
son 10 Imagine that am singuiarthnt class oil per-
sons, whether clergy or laymcn. VINO arc iond TO
indulge Ia declaalions nganst the udcrn stage, are
very lar from being altogether IN tho reht rnthert
according 10 my fecng, 70 lar Ia tho wrong that II
were 10 use the language which flows with such fanil-
lar utnuncaton from tnoIr lips, should CONSIDER ny
sell guilty ot great SANDER against the pubiic and
gross bcl against most respectable ciass oi my iei
low citizcns, for which, AS Christian ana scntle-
man, should consider myself bound 10 make an am
pie apology.
TESTIMONY or EXPERIENCE
But there few among the ccrsy with
more sense and gcntemanly feeling than those o
whom nave been speaking, VINO content themselves
Win saying that IN general there - nothing pprticu
iarly bad immoral In stage piays-nay. that thos