Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-23
THE STAGE AND THE PULPIT.
Miss Anna DicklnsOn's Lecture Upon
the Profession Of Acting.

ing says
When Miss Anna Il. Dickinson
came out upon the stage, that is, the
platform, of Chickering Hall last
evening, She met with very enthusi
astlc reception from very large audi
ehce She wore a black dress with
some becoming arrangement of cold
fringe about it, and which had a long
train that was frequently, during the
lecture, dragged, now slowly and now
with an impetuous rush, from one side
OF the broad platform to the other.
Her hair was, of course, worn short,
and brilliant diamonds sparkled in her
ears.
Everybody knows that Miss Dick
lnson has been successful lecturer
for quite number of years. but it
was generally supposed that she ter
minated her career in this direction
when a year or two ago she went upon
the stage. Last evening her rcap-
pearancc in the lyceum should not
however, convince the public that ii
was vastly at fault in this supposition
She took occasion the first thing last
evening to set the matter right II
think, she said, Il shall have a little
more liberty if there is no misunder-
standing between the house and nv
self as to how | am here. A good
deal has been said and written about
what is called my return to the plat
form, as though | had abandoned it
for some other life and activity. and
as though failure in this new life had
driven me back. One cannot, how
ever, return to what one has never
left. Two years ago / stopped talking
simply because | did not and do not
believe in making bricks with
out straw. The platform is
something that ought to be
used and used only when one
has something pushing so strongly
from head and heart that it must find
outlet. ! do not believe in idle
speech making. | say of speech
making and marrying, if you can help
it-don't do it. | never said farewell
to the platform, or even goodbye. |
simply shut my mouth, because then
| had nothing to say. | am not here
as disappointed woman. / simply
take up the lines where | dropped
them, and am here on my feet with a
platform under them, because to-day
there is something to be said. If /
were the most popular of actors with
hosts of admirers, | don't see why the
new life should pass sentence on the
old If an actor has something to say
| know of no law that commands 81
lence. Miss Dickinson was speaking
now in tone that must have made
the gentleman who moment before
had called upon her to speak louder
heartily ashamed of himself The
pulpit, the bar, the press, in short. all
professions and trades, could place
their representatives on the platform
and nothing would be said against it.
but with the stage it was diff
ferent. And why? Simply be-
cause pitiful public sentiment
brands the scaglet letter on the brow
Of every man or woman who treads
the mimic stage" 1t is to oppose this
sentiment and to defend from its cal
umniatOrs and enemies the stage that
Miss Dickinson has temporarily left it
for the platform. Did she love the
stage less-and her devotion she pro-
claimed to be of lifelong duration.
tempting her even when she was a
little girl to 60 out of her path to and
from school that she might pass the
door Of the Arch Street Theater-her
judgment, she says, is such that she
would have compulsion of speech laid
upon her in its behalf. And very
earnestly did Miss Dickinson. after
this eloquent preface, perform her
task. The greatness of the stage she
holds to be proved by the fact that it
lives at all its powers for benefting,
teaching and elevating mankind she
holds to be unequaled OF its combat
for supremacy of influence with the
press, she has but word to say, and
that in favor of the stage but com
pairing it with the pulpit, doubtless
because the pulpit has been its enemy,
she hurls the weapons of eloquence,
argument and appeal with all the yigor
she possesses The pulpit, She
says, has not in any sense the same
influence on the lives of men that the
stage has, and | will venture to saw in
many respects the influence is not as
beneficial. Enter some of the great
churches. What do you find? F? A
man gives to hisNhungry listeners
stone when their pitcous faces are beg
ging for bread, or else, as is more often
the case, disappointed congregation
asleep. Where the poorly clad and
dirty men and Women-the ragamuf.'l
fms? All, their clothes are not in
keeping with the richly-cushioned |
seats. If one happen to straggle in. |
be is put out by the servants Of Him |
who was no respootOr of persons. |
What are our churches for? Are
they to euligbten and instruct the
public? They seem to be such sacred |
places that the very atmosphere has to
be Lermetically sealed six days in the
week to be breathed over again ON the
Sabbath. Why don't they make
,he churches pleasant places
Fhere the people love to go?
The poorest minister can draw
oongraOation any night if ba
breaches in a theateF, Why? Be
,ause the people love thG place.
They've had good times there. No
ioors are ever closed to the poor and
he ragged there. All may enter and
earn, and what lessons are taught
Where can you and q sermon or
book that will tell the story of the
poor ss il is told in the Long
Strikeg And l wonder what sermon
'ould be preached that would point
nut as graphically to parents the wick