The Indianapolis leader., 1880-05-15

ALICE HARMER"
Georgia turned toward the old man.
'My God, +" he said, "the Hermit is dead
The Educating Influence Of the Stage.
Philadelphis Record.l
1t can not well be controverted that amuse
ment is one of the primary needs of human
nature. The instinct of play is early devel
oped in the child, and it is an iron necessity
more than anything else that makes a mar
give it up when the stern duties of life press
upon him. The man of leisure, who has nc
such spur to toll of either hand or brain
often wearies, indeed, of frivolities and idle.
ness, and applies himself with zeal to some
| engrossing and arduous labor. He finds q
pleasure in busy occupation apparently for
its own sake. After all, however, this pur.
suit is kind of play for him. In this live
age of the world there is but slight love any
where of mere Incidence. The energies of
body and mind must have free course. 'The
rush and hurry of events; the swift success
sion of new phases in affairs; the continual
changes and transformations in society, civ
ilization and national life the world over;
the tire(ess activity OF movement which
marks the modern time-all these bear an
inspiration which impels men who would be
peers among their fellows to throw them
selves into the arena of eager, exultant ae-
ton.
Thus does the old law of work hold good,
and the dignity of labor is asserted as a trait
of the truest and best nobility of life But
man can not be every moment aiming at an
object and seeking to gain purpose Not
only must he have rest, but recreation, if
only as change of effort, is needful for him.
He must be sometimes free from care. He
must now and then cast off the monotony of
business, leaving shop or office and the wOrr,
and even the thought of his vocation, and
disport himself at something which is not
simply the means to an end, and which he
can enjoy in, of and for itself rather than for
the results it is to win.
Of the ready-made resources for amuse-
ment which we of the city find at hand the
theater supplies, perhaps, in its season the
easiest of access, the cheapest and most con-
venient. What are the objections to it p?
Religious people-and we ought all to be re-
ligious-have sometimes looked askance at
1t. Some denominations of Christians de-
nounce 1t, and all that pertains to it, as an
unmlxed evil. Is this view in fact correct? &?
Is 1T not rather its abuses and its illicit de-
velopments, rather than the stage itself, that
should be discountenanced? Are its newt
able incidents and tendencies vicious and
lmmoralf Is not the pure and legitimate
drama q fact, and is not this form Of it not
only positive benefaction to mankind but
also valuable moral monitor? These ques-
tions are not new, but they are beginning to
be asked with a new earnestness and candor
which is q hopeful sign. A clergyman of
the Church of England recently read at the
Burlington Conference, st. James, Picca-
dilly, paper upon the relations ofchurchmen
toward the stage. He declared, in his sing
ularly temperate and serious essay, that 1t
was the duty of the church not to ignore or
condemn the influence of the stage, now a
recognized and widely-established secular
institution, but to utilize, guide and purify
what may be and often is a great power of
good. Since people will be and should be
their needs:in this direction should |
not be denounced, but regulated The poor
he held, had better be sung to and made to |
laugh than be groaned over with relentless |
iteration. Panem OF circenses he eaid, is a |
human and not purely pagan cry. This
generation must learn that there is q religion |
% amusement, as it has already learned that |
ehV" 10 VI hCoiti, 40 we'll dS Vi pt0l- |
tence and worship. We are concerned, he re- |
marked, not merely men but as priests in |
the existence Of public amusements, the |
want of which is most fertile source of sin |
and crime. Among these amusements the |
theater is foremost in popularity and power. |
To ignore the drama is inhuman; for the |
dramatic instinct is found in all, especially |
in childhood, when instincts are fresh and |
1t is unwise 10 turn aside from |
what may any day ascend or descend 10 con-
scious and active energy for good or evil. |
The drama in great cities is the chief and |
almost the only source of moral teachings to |
the thousands. "The plays the thing" by |
which not only to ''catch the conscience of |
the King" but of the people not only of the |
cultured but of those large masses who are not |
reached by the ministrations of the clergy. |
Not long ago the present Bishop of Dur
ham, England, said in sermon: 1.-THE stage
in its purest ages was the pulpit not only in
name but in teaching. What is there is
to prevent the English stage from taking
its proper place as the most useful ally of the
school and pulpit by promoting all that
healthiest in morality and most bracing to
the intellect2 Is it wise to cut ourselves off
from q powerful instrument of education
without at least making the attempt to d.
rect and use it for good?"