The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-01-01
THEATER-GOINo.
What DR.. Holland Thinks About
lit Rests and Elevates the
Mind.

l - ~ ASOosO o0O 6Aov0t00 tho
-. LOUIS Journal
IA previously announced, the Rev. DR..
Holland, Of st. Georges church, last even
ing gave lecture in which he discussed at
some length the proPriety OF theater- going.
The church vas very we'll filed and the
lecture most interesting one. The lecture
was preceded by the usual services, and DR..
Holland took for his text the 9TH chapter of
St. Luke, 3lst and Seth verses, inclusive.
Mr.. Holland commenced BY saying that
if he we're asked the religious propriety Of
base ball playing, neutrality-suspicious. their
gambling theater-going, he could end
no more appropriate answer than the words
OF his text:
And the Lord said whereunto then shall
liken the men OF this generation, and TO
what are they like?
They are like unto children sitting in the
market place calling one to another, I'VE
have piped unto you and you have not
danced; We have mournea to you and ye
have not wept" For John the Baptist
came neither eating bread nor drinking
wine, and We say he hath q devil. The Son
Of Man is come eating and drinking and
We say behold a gluttonOus man, and
winebibber and friend of publicans and
sinners. But wisdom is justified Of all her
children. And one of the Pharisees desired
him that he would eat with him; and he
80 A La -, h<,,1 md al
to meat.
John the Baptist, in Mr.. Hollands opin-
ion, was not as he should have been. re-
ligion that said it was not right to wear
ring upon your finger because it showed the
devil was in you-hanging out sign -
it were; religion that said you must not
wear breastpin to pollute the dwelling
place of the spirit of God, was altogether
too straight laced. John the Baptist, who
lived ON locust and Wild honey, who wore
the coarsest garments, who took none OF
earth's pleasures, was nothing but voice.
We must be men some time, and nov Is the
only time; and the Lord did not intend We
should be miserable, or he would not have
given us 20 much more than the real neces-
saries Of life. Is it right for Christian to
attend the theater? DR.. Holland said he
had never been himself. and 20 could not
speak from experience. III it is wrong,
however, it will manifest itself. What h
the wrong? First, this il the objection
urged: The character Of the actors and &C.
tresses is not good. They have been, If they
are not now, Of very loose morals. And it
is not right for Us to give encouragement to
them. Why is this objection . wrong one?
If right, ought We to look At beautiful
painting, masterpiece Of Ru5ens, Of Rem
brandt, or Titan? Because the men were
morally bad, il the devil in their art 4?
Ought We to listen to piece Of music if il
was composed by hand that had done IN
evil act? Ought We to listen to the music
Of violin because it is played in some low
dance house and there called . fiddle?
Shall We read the newspapers, which tell %
how the whole world 10 progressing in art
and culture, aid tell % At the same time
bit of scandal? If this il applied the
world would have very much less culture
and art.
There is another side; may not such
criticism give the stamp or character it at
tributes? You can, BY ossracisins man
from good society. make him the very thing
you have imagined him to -
Again, the drama is fictitious. It excises
emotions, and does not present real OBJ
jects on which emotion should be founded.
The sane might be said Of all novels
those of Dickens, of Thackeray, Of George
Eliot, of Bulver or John Bunyans Pill
grims Progress. The only objection that
can be urged is the perverted tastes, -
shown by the bill boards and posters from
week to week. Thare has been too much
catering to the depraved tastes, but it can
20 no lower, because theater managers COM
plain that the business is not - lucrative -
formerly, showing that the people want the
art in its true light. And it il the first of
all arts 1t il statuary living and breath.
ing. What can be more beautiful than
the Apollo Belvidere or Booth? II 10
poetry better than epic or lyric, and it ID
better than paintings from any hand.
The Bishop of Manchester, and true
bishop he is, being man and bishop at the
same time. tells his people, - do the clergy
Of the place, when play Of merit il pre-
sented that will elevate the minds of al 70
90 and zee it played. Every business man
\ -. man Tho vOpk NJ DrOfeaaiona m vell a
the woman with her many household cares,
but all, of course, should guard againet the
excessive indulgence of this % we'll - any
other amusement.
/ 1R:nA