The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-27

which render it so painful in its influence.
1t introduces the young men to what is
called gaiety, and familiarizes the young
women with things which are by no
means calculated to preserve their mod
esty. II any of our church members take
to attending the theatre they take them.
selves off. So far as l know, no person
would think of going to theatre unless
he was prepared to sever his connection
with US. If a man should ccme to Inc
and say, Mr.. Sturgeon, may go to the
theatre = l should reply, Do you want
to 60 to the theatre : If so, you must 60.
and take it as an evidence that you need
grace in your heart ," "And then you
Immediately cut him off from church
membership, Mr.. Sturgeon :" "No,"
said the pastor, "there would be no need
to do that, for if he wished to remain with
US he would not wish to 60 to the theatre.
People come to me for one thing and they
get it, and there is no use in my pretend.
ing to give them the opposite as well. |
preach to them Calvinistic creed and
Puritsnic morality. That is what they
want and what they get. If they want
anything else they must 60 elsewhere"
But, Mr.. Spurgeon," pleaded his visitor,
ado you not think that just as men have
learned to recognize the doctrine of the
Fatherhood of God, 80 they must learn in
time to recognize the related doctrine
of the motherhood of the church,
which carries with it the recogni.
ton of the church to minister to
all the wants of humanity not otherwise
supplied, Just as a mother ministers to
those of her child" "No," said Mr..
Spurgeon, q seek to save their souls, and
other people must care for their smuse-
ments. 1t is as much as the church can
do to look after what she has got in hand,
without undertaking to supply recreation
foi the masses. Let the people amuse
themselves, if they want to-" "But,"
again queried the visitor, care there not
many persons who find in the theatre
precisely that kind of recreation and rest
which is most useful for the discharge of
their daily work 2" alt may be-" re-
piled Mr.. Spurgeon, "but l don't know
any of them. You see, live in world
apart from all these things, and so do my
people. We argue in this way. Granting
that it is perfectly safe and profitable for
myself to 60 to the theatre, If 60 great
number of others will 60 to whom it would
do positive harm. l will not be RESPONSE
BILE for alluring them by my example into
q temptation which, but for my self
indulgence, they would entirely escape. l
will give you an instance of how this
works out. When l 60 to Monaco, the
grounds of the gambling hell there are
the most beautiful in the world. never
go near them and why? Not because
think there is any danger of my passing
through the gardens to the gambling
tables. No But friend of mine once
related the following incident to me One
day NJ. Blanc met me, and asked me how
it was Inever entered his grounds. Well,
you see.' l said, Il never play, and as
make no return whatever to you l hardly
feel justified in availing myself of the
advantages of your grounds you make
q great mistake said M. Blanc. If it
was not for you and other respectable
persons like yourself who come to my
grounds, should lose very many of my
customers who attend my gambling sa-
looms. Do not imagine that because you
do not play yourself that you do not by
your presence in the grounds contribute
very materially to my revenue. Numbers
of persons who would not have thought of
entering my establishment feel themselves
quite safe in following you into my gar
den and from thence to the gaming-table
the transition is very easy After l
heard that" continued Mr.. Spurgeon,
81 never went near the gardens. And
the same argument applies to the theatre"