New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-22
PREsBYTERIANs AND THE THEATRE


PRESBYTERIANS AND THE THEATRE
LETTER FROM A PHILADELPHIA CLERGYMAN.
70 the Ed Of The Trtbune
SIR: In your columns of yesterday, in con.
nection with not accurate account Of the action
OF lsteria association the theatre you sneak
the Prosby terrain prejudcos against the theatre.
Well IL Presbyterian views on this subject are preiu
dices, they are by this time pretty we'll seasoned Thar
grand body OF men who In the year 1643 the Jer
salem Chamber OF Westminster Abbey and DIRE nm IN.
standards of doctrine which to-day are accepted hv
about twenty millions OF not uDiDtegen people, In an
to the question What the sins forbidden in
the Seventh Commandment ." among other thinv.
wrote " stagcp plays"
And does nOt the testimony OF the friends Of the thea
tire 90 near % justify this answeri For example N
Dumas, Gs writer OF stage plays, writes: you would
not take your daughter to play You are right
Let me say for all that you not take your
daughter 10 the heare Il not merely the work that
Is immoral II ls the place Whenever paint men thers
must be grossness that be placed before all
eyes-thc theatre being the picture the satire the
passions and sOcla manners, II must ever be immoral
the passions and social being themselves I'M.
moral"
Mr. Boucicault, another play writer, says OF certain
popular operas Norma IL % vestal priestess who has
been seduced. She discovers her paramour In On al.
tempt to seduce her friend another yestal priesess
children" Now, Mr.. Editor, is Il conducive to good
morals that women persOnate such characters on tina
stage. and that your daughter and mine witness aud
:" Don Giovanni depicts the proyerblal hero whose
career represents the romance OF successful adultery
and dcb8uchery. A" RlgOetto exhibits the anguish VI
u father obliged 10 witness the prostitution OF his own
child. Trayata IL the progress OF Tanscendenal
harlO Lucretia BOrgia ~ tho history OF adultery
not unass0clated with incest Faust" Is the most
cons plcn0us apology for seduction, ending with the
ap0the0ss OF crime Margaret who murders her mother
nd hapf llar lima aglll Trfqnn Tn
The British Quarterly speaking OF vain nat Of the
Lord Chamberlain 10 arrest the ndeoencies OF the the
atrr writes" gangrehe or selhsh ana q. moiaDlhs
pleasure Is eating into the heart OF this country snd We
fear the social isasdy will not be checked save by tho
advent of some terrible National calamity"
Miss Abbott refused 20 pcrSOnate bariot, whereon
Inc AHpht0n, - musical journal OF Detroit, writes:
The operate singer has little opportunity OF prom0
Ing morality professionally meath the melOdlc
current OF an operate performance there lies, nearly
always obscene plot which the audience cannot loss
sight Of Indeed plots OF nearly all the familiar operas
are founded stories OF frail women and hcentous
olive Logan was driven from the stage by its very
hthness Sac has published list Of the questions put
Honest, modest grs, whose parents have left them
the not very desirable heritage If the stage" seeking
employment i'm the theatre Some OF these questions
indicate rs 10 De scarcely III 10 DO
put IN print, but one OF them Is TINS, can You sing
brassy songs and dance the can-can, and wink at
and give utterance to DISGUSTING hall words which
mean whole actOnsP Another II; Ale you ac
quainted with any rich men who will throw you flowers
ana send YOU presents aud keep afot dubious runors
concerning yOur chastity y Now, Mr. Editor, add to
all TINS the surprising hut well known TACT that
many respectable actors keep their families rgidly
from the theatre except on rare occasions and can YOU
decided views respecting the duties or Christians with
respect to the theatrcl Our ministerial association
has "A membership of between eighty and ninety, and
believe there is difference or OPINION among US on
this point. and II this II prejudice our hearts desire
nbibe 1t to such degree as 10 exclude from us ahe
and powerful columns all advertisements OF an agency
DoisOurr of the puolle morals. W. T. BREED.
Philadelphia, March 8, 1879