Daily globe., 1881-01-30
THE REGULATION OF AMUSEMENT

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Many of the evils in the world spring
from misunderstanding by the people
as to the proper time in which to occupy
themselves in this, that or the other pur-
suit. There are few pleasures that men
crave which are improper in themselves.
The impropriety of their indulgence con-
sists in the inopportune time selected.
Recreation is as necessary to humanity as
fresh air, but should not be taken at a
time that should be occupied in necessary
labor or sleep There is time to get
gain, but its pursuit should not be fol-
lowed at the expense of health, life or
happiness. There is time for mourn
ing, but gloomy countenance should not
be maintained always. There is time
for laughter, yet continued mirth is map
propriate to every occasion. There is a
time to impart religious instruction, but
notwithstanding it's Importance all sea-
sons are not appropriate even for this.
In their efforts to promote religion
some of its devotees succeed in making
it ridiculous A very sincere grocer in a
neighboring city seems to have fallen
into this error Having a brand OF
soap he is anxious to dispose OF, he has
scattered broadcast over the Northwest
cards bearing on one side the legend
"Buy Smiths SOAP" and on the other is
emblazoned in large letters "Come to
Jesus" Excepting on the theory that
cleanliness is next to godliness no device
could have been adopted that was calcu-
lated to bring the cause of religion into
greater ridicule.
The religious community unconsciously
does a great injury to the cause they
desire to promote by captious assaults
upon various forms of entertainment
generally in vogue. The prejudice
against dramatic and operatic perform
ances is, happily, disappearing, and the
seats at these entertainments nightly con-
tain large ssrinkling Of church mem
bers, none of whom are rendered any the
worse, but many of them much better, by
what they see and hear. There is yet
and with great reason-a strong opposi-
ton to promiscuous dancing and card
playing, both of which very often lead to
the ruin of body and soul. AS long as
they are confined to the family circle, or
the participants embrace only few IN
Inmates, even these are harmless and not
to be condemned indiscriminately. The
impropriety of their indulgence consists
in time, place aud company. There are
other amusements and sports of more or
less popularity among the masses that are
calculated to relieve the tedium of exist
ence-such as billiards, boating, ball
playing and horse-racing. There is moth
ing in either of these that should be con-
demned, but unfortunately the asso-
Citations that surround some of them
are not of the best. Gamblers
seem to have taken possession OF the race
track and the public billiard-room, while
money is staked freely upon other athletic
sports. There is also more or less liquor
drinking connected with them, besides
other demoralizing tendencies.
1t is not the duty of the church to ex-
terminate these sports. 1t is too great a
task, and cannot be accomplished in this
day and generation. They can be re-
formed, however, and made to perform
their legitimate part IN the worlds hia
tory. If Christian people would make
an honest, earnest effort to Danish the
liquor traffic and betting fromthe billiard
rooms, the ball grounds, the race-track,
and the boating-course, these sports
would not only become harmless but
agencies for positive good. The only
way it can be done is to make it unprofit-
able to the managers of these resorts TO
conduct them on the present system.
If temperance billiard hall
should be established and patronized by
temperance and Christian people, and re-
sorts where liquor is sold or gambling
permitted rigidly ignored, it would soon
be to the interest of all keepers of such
rooms to reform their practices. So with
other means of entertainment. Perfect
sobriety and good conduct should be en-
forced at all places of public resort, and
all the evil that now results from them
would be avoided.
By taking common sense view of this
question, the religious world can accom-
plish great reform. 1t is useless for
them to endeavor to crush out the in
herent longing in the human breast for
congenial society and for legitimate en-
tertalnment 1t is an impossibillty.
The regulation rather than the suppress
sion of these desires should be the aim OF
the pulpit, and those who profess Chris
tianity as well. By taking narrow
ground on this matters will only awaken
hostility which will inevitibly result in
the defeat Of the purpose sought to be ac
complished.