Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-09-29
INTELLIGENT cR1r1c1sM.

Desiring to be teachers of the law; under
standing neither what they say nor whereof
they affirm. TIMOTHY 1T.
It is of the first importance that the critic
should thoroughly understand his subject,
otherwise he is liable to be betra. ed into as
sertions that will not only bring him into
ridicule among those better informed, but
impair the force of arguments he may use
that are in themselves sound and sensible.
There is disposition, however, that seems
innate in some would be teachers of the law,
civil and ecclesiastical, to plunge headlong
into the discussion of subjects of which
they know nothing, and to resent any ques-
tioning of the accuracy of their assertions OF
the business OF their conclusions as a per-
sonal affront. They lay down the theory
that this, that or the other thing is wrong
and ought to be righted, and proceed to
elaborate arguments and differences that are
wholly unwarranted by the facts.
This fault is to too great an extent charac-
teristic of the ministry. Few of them have
that broad acquaintance with the everyday
life of the people that is necessary to enable
them to intelligently criticise or condemn
that which is wrong. Many of them live
ascetic lives, moving but little in the world,
partaking little of its pleasures, knowing lit
tie by practical observation or experience of
what is going on about them. All of them
are moro or less exiled, either from
choice or necessity, from a great ma
iority of mankind. They have the members
of own particular church to look
af.z and seldom stray outside either in
search of companionship or information
They are therefore ignorant Of what is going
on about them except SO far as they can in
form themselves through the reading of
newspapers and books. This fact does not
deter them, however, from boldly criticizing
or condemning the acts of others, their
sports, their modes of life, their appetites
and their occupations. Not infrequently
they make of themselves laughing stock
for those of their congregation who have
better means of information, and do in JUS
tice to people who are not, judged even by
the minister's standard of morality, worthy
of censure.
In the matter of public amusenents a
large lumber Of the clergy have taken a
stand that is utterly indefensible. They
condemn Unfortunately all manner of dra-
matte entertainments as pernicious in their
tendency and often grossly immoral, in the
face of the fact that immortality is the excep-
ton rather than the rule upon the stage.
Nearly every play that has been successful
on the American stage is positively elevating
in its character-inculcates a love for the
good, the true and the beautiful, andfa hatred
OF all that is vicious, hypocritical or debas-
ing. That these lessons are taught by means
of a cunningly devised plot developed by
interesting dialogue: that the Vaccinations
of the villain are frustrated by counter-plots
by the hero or the heroine of the story, GER
t.inly is not to be condemned, for if dra-
matte action and incident are to be indis-
crimiuately condemned, then some of the
finest passages in the bible would have to fall
under the same condemnation. How many
of those who from the pulpit condemn dra
matte performances have ever witnessed one?
And how raany who would recoil in horror
from the thought of seeing Booth, or Bar
rett, or Mccullough in their famous inter-
pretations of Shakespeare, keep the works of
the distinguished dramatist on their centre
table side by side with the bible? 1t is not
criticism of the stage we object to. 1t de-
serves criticism and censure in many
respects. But it does not deserve the whole
sale condemnation it receives from those who
really understand neither what they say
nor whereof they affirm" in regard to it.
So in the matter of Sunday newspapers.
These are Unfortunately condemned be-
cause of the dissertation of the Sabbath they
cause. It never seems to have entered the
brains of these clerical censors that all the
labor of preparing the Sunday papers is done
on Saturday, and that if any paper is to be
condemned for Sabbath desecration it is that
which is issued on Monday, prepared almost
wholly on the Sabbath.
It would greatly increase the respect of the
people at large for the criticisms of the clergy
if they would take the trouble to inform
themselves fully of what is going on in the
world. If they occasionally visited theatre to
witness good dramatic performance, they
would find that the stage is valuable pro
moter of morality and nobility of character
If they would visit race track they would
cease to look at Rarus or Goldsmith Maid
as the embodiment Of all evil. If they would
encourage the proper indulgence in manly
sports and in games that are in themselves
harmless, they could soon rob the gambling
house of its attractions and make the billiard
room a resort for gentility and culture.
Wholesale denunciation of sports and
amusements they have never witnessed Of
participated in will only render the clergy
subject to ridicule, and greatly impair their
usefulness.
T1IXATION OF CHURCH. PROPERTY
The question of the exemption of church
property from taxation is beginning once
more to attract attention and provoke dis
cussion. There is much to be said on the