The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-12-06
MIR. BEECHER ON THEATRES

New York Times: After Mr.. Beecher
had fully answered a young mans in
curry as to how the Trinity should be
addressed in public worship, at the
Plymouth church prayer meeting last
evening. a white haired old gentleman
IN the front seat said that he desired TO
ask question. If it seemed personal
or infelicltous he craved forgiveness.
Amid profound stiffness he read the fol.
lowing, but in so low tone and SO rap
idly that one-hslt the large audience
could only hear an occasional word:
81 have heard you state on one or
more occasions, publicly, that you had
never been to q theatre, at the same time
advising others not to visit it. Some time
since think you told ne you went to
see 'Pinafore,' which play, judging from
the attention il received from
church members, must have
been most edyfying, attrac-
tive and intellectual one. You have
not told me, but the papers have, that
you have recently been TO various plays.
If this information is correct, | would,
and think others would, thank you To
tell us what has caused the change IN
your habits in this respect"
Are the moral objections you had To
the theater removed 81
Mot referring TO any particular es-
Enlistment, but taking the average the
alter of the two cities, in your opinion is
il good place for man to go with his
children 2''
"In Brooklyn think there are six or
eight theaters which have performances
every evening except Sunday, with fire.
quent matinees. A great many OF the
people who frequent these places haye
the appearance of poverty. The re-
ceipts of all of them combined amounts
to several hundred thousand dollars an.
nually. If we, by our example, Influ-
ence the attendance of others who can
not afford to go, is the advantage TO our
selves in the amusement and instruc-
ton We receive, ample justification of
our attendance 81
Mr.. Reecher settled himself cOmfOrta-
bly, in his chair before answering, and
fixed his eyes on the clock. Some of
the ladies exchanged significant glances.
Mr.. Beecher SAID that when newspa-
per correspondent or an inquisitlve
"moral" man came to his house and en-
deavored to prY into his private affairs.
he considered him so impairment that
he felt like kicking HIM from the door
but a question like the one propounded.
affecting public morals, was right and
proper. al don't do anything in a
corner" continued the pastor, dropping
into conversational tone, land whenl
went to the theatre, l went IN broad day
light. If ] go again, shall go IN the
same way. happen To be in situa-
Ton which induces some newspapers to
keep the public fully informed where l
go and what do. Actually, if wear
Of M
So do as | have mind to, in accOr-
dance with my ideas of right, and don't
care what people say"
Mr.. Beecher said, continuing, that he
was brought up to believe that the thea
ter was thing of evil, and that going
TO one was almost as bad as going to the
devil. He went west early in life, where
| theatrical companies were made up OF
strolling, inferior players, and catered
| to q depraved class OF the population.
When he came to New York and Brook
| lyn, has time WAS too much engrossed
| with other affairs TO pay any attention
to the theaters, but he read with great
interest printed discussion that was
then going on, in which the late DIR.
Bellows and others participated. MIR.
Beecher concluded that the opera and
theater were seperate ana should be so
I I1C Nl0 ltOt NaAC AAl0NA AOA
| opera--that is, he was not particularly
| fond of music arranged in that form.
| But the lIbrettos in some of the
! leading operas were simply Ubiquitous
and it was mercy that they were
printed partially in Italian or French,
| which most Americans did not under
stand and could not read. He recOl
| iected a speech made by a revered
friend of his, the Rev DIR. Charles Hall,
| upon theatrical occasion, IN which he
said that attendance at the theater WIS
a thing which every intelligent man
should settle with his own conscience.
1t was good deal like going 20 hotel
There were good hotels and there were
bad hotels. All that man must do
was TO keep away from the bad hotels.
| After reading great deal about the
drama, Mir. Beecher had decided to go
and see Salvini in aOthello" If there
was nothing worse in the theaters than
| what he saw there, he did not know
what non theafer-goers made such
''rumptls" about. He was glad he
went.
When Irving came, cherished men,
Der of the best society in the British
kingdom, even q friend of royalty, MIR.
| Beecher decided to go and hear him,
and he went "a the matinee
Last Saturday afternoon He enjoyed
the acting thoroughly, and would like
| 20 go again. IL any one cared 70 know,
he was frank TO say that the tickets were
| presented TO HIM. II - not right to go
90 all theaters; but those which rank
high are so very expensive that the very
class who most need this kind Of recfea-
tioa cannot afford 20 go 70 them. They
do not furnish amusement for the COM
mon people. So far a. he was con-
cerned. the excitement produced was
prodigious, almost amounting TO intel
lectual intoxication. As 20 whether he
would advise his people 20 90 to the
theAteT, he did not want 20 advise them
one way or the other, To the young
| man of SLENDER means, he would say,
$Don't col" And any amusement
which 80 ahsorhs the atlention that
proper care is not given tn business OF
daily work is hurtfnI Mr.. Beecher
considered that his habits were
90 To play without hav-
ing them destroyed. In answer
TO q question whether he was going
again. he said that he didn't know; he
hadn't concluded his Investigations
When he did go he went as ChristiaH
gentleman who had q night 70 do as he
pleased, in accordance with his OWL
conscience. AS TO my example "a
young men, he concluded. al advise
every young man 70 follow in my foot
steps, and when you are 20 years old. e
and eee the best actors you can find %
Several people remained 20 have (
i further talk with bLr. Beechef on tn
subject affer the bene,dIction was pro
. | nounced-