Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-05-09
THE MORALITY OF TILE STAGF.

The latest contribution to the discussion OF
this cver-vexed question is a sermon by the
heV. DR.. Talmagc, in which he takes n very
decided anti-theatrical stand. He thinks
that the theatres are being lowered instead
of elevated in moral tone, and instances as
proof TIE increased rage for nudity on the
stage, which he characterized as a sSodom-
&c lack OF apparel" as pictured by the dis
played advertisement OF nearly naked
| female figures, and on the increased sals
ciousness of foreign plays imported for Am.
crican theatres. Dr. Tamage criticised severe.
y the character of the theatrical advertising
pictures displayed en- the bill boards, and in
what he said on this point there is consid-
cradle measure of truth, although, as in
| vcrything he says there is a decided note
If emigration. Here is what he says
take it for granted that these advertise.
mcnts are honest and that night by night
Ccur The scenes advertised. Are these the
scenes 10 which parents take their daughters
aud young men their atlianced? Would you
allow III your parlOr such braZen iudpcepcy
| enacted as is dramatized every night in
some of the theatres of America unless the
advertisement be libey If the pictures be
genuine the scenes are damnable That
whlch IS wrong In the parIor is wrong on the
stage 1t ought to require Just us much
completeness OF apparel to the honorable in
one place as to the honorable in another
II you, fathers and mothers, lake Your sons
and daughters to see such Sodomic lack of
robe, and then in at'ertime the ploughshare
1i hperllnlsm and profiigacy should go
through your own household you will get
what you deserve 1t seems AS IT, having
oolalhed surplus OF sanCtity during the
LcnLen services, right after Easter, all through
The United States, the streets become a pic
lure gallery, which rivals the museums of
Iompeil that are kept under lock and KEY.
=" mere are the mayors of the cities, and the
Judges OF the courts, and the police, that al
low such things! declare what every man
ana woman IN this house knows 10 be true
when our cities are bOtchcd with these de-
PRAYED advertisements, is it not some reason
WY we SHOULD think that the theatres of
thls country are not very rapidly advancing
toward mlIienuial eXcelence?"
Another bad sign, according TO DR.. Tai.
mage, is the large importation of bad morals
from foreign countries to the American stage,
and he denounced the Bernhardt and the
Ltngtry in this Caustlc fashion; France
sent one of her queens Of the
stage u this country. Her infamy.
Instead of shame, was q boast.
Never more popular actress on the Ameri-
can stage, and never one more di.solute.
Thousands, and tens of thousands, OF nro.
Iessed Christian men and women went and
burned incense before that goddess of de-
oauchery, England, too, has sent her delec-
table specimens of ineffable sweetness com.
mended by foreign princes not as good as
their mother"
AS to the plays presented. nine.
.eh'hs OF Them are, according to the
Reverend Doctor, unfit to be looked at by
the families of America" and he instance,
East Lynne as fetid and malodorous": the
"Ilcket-ofL Leave Man" as ''ful Of yIllainous
PORTRAITS aud low slang" "She Stops to
Conquer" as "full of moral miasma" (ales
poor Goldsmith and the School for Soon
DIAL as ''Iotten clear through with lssci,-
lousness." At this point the reverend
critics patience gave out, and he swep, the
rest OF the drama out OF sight-"But who
could 20 through the Don Cpsars' and
The Peg Wofiingtons,' and the mol
rooms aud the scapegraces, and the
people minus all excellencies, plus all abomiL-
ations, who gather men, women, bows and
girls by tens of thousands every night in the
lazaretto Of the average American theatre ~
In conclusion DR.. Talmage demanded
that linen and women who love the best in.
terests of society shall band together tn |
snatch the drama from its debased surround |
lngs." "The DRAMA" he said, sis the ex
preston of divinelY implanted feeling In
'ur breast. This divine principle is not to
be dragged into the service of sin. viii |
on suppress it2 You might as well try TO
suppress lis creator. Because it has been
dragged into the service OF sin is the very
reason that you and should drag the drama
out and harness it for God and the truth ~
All OF which is undoubtedly true, but the
arrangements for the dragging and harness.
Ing are not at once discoverable.