The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-02-16
"TnE DEVILS CHURCH. ("

lne following SPICY ana hIgunentutlGe
letter % tho editor OF the Buffalo Courier,
was written by the writer, whose namo Is
below given, gnd who is'now Ia. our city A.
the Dallas opsTa-h0use, IL Is a powerful
defence OF the stage by Mics Welhy:
'rs seldom Wa trouble ourselves about
the many attacks made upon our profession
~ re EN- N OF the olotp, M the days OF
blgo'ry being psst they neither inJure nor
offend ne; but 10 tho Eev. Mr. Winohesier's
argument thera l. q brighter side which tho
audience who cave the geull man hearing
will do well u study. | will commence
with his text proverbs, 9th chapter and
27th verse: Gan man taEo ire in his
bosom and h, clothes not be burned?' Mr..
Winchester Il will not call you reverend
not become YOU, there Is no fire
that man can taee into his
bosom so vicious as tho lack Of Christian
charity. Ofull the teachings of the scrip
lures and the good words Of Jesus Christ,
the most beautiful is the commandment
which no gives us: This commandment
give unto you, that ye love one another
as have loved you" SO much Tor his
motive; now for his argument. As far Ms
time will permit Will take every impor-
tant passage in his sermon. As no one
ventures TO say that the mi ienum VII be
hastened don't think any sane person be-
lieves that II will be retarded by the enjoy.
IL the faithful affirm that IL has retarded
Christian progress, how 10 1t that to-day
the world Is purer and better than at any
time in tho pasi' / ssythis confidently and
challenge Mr.. Winchester or any other minis
ter TO prove that the world IL not happier,
moro prosperous, purer and better governed
now than in the days Of the Cg.ars, the
Sluarts or the four Georges. The would be
reiormers say that theatrical entertain
ments cannot bH brought into the parl lr or
clue; how Is 10 that they are brought into
tho church and whenever the good pastor
wants new coat or carpet for MS cosy par
lor an entertainment Is given 20 raise the
money with which TO purchase them
"The theatre is the devils church. mole
of foul spirits and q cage for uuClsan and
filthy birds. The character OF the actors
prove that the theatre IS an evil institu-
ipn.n A brilliant passage, dear sir, 10 IL
not ? First OF oil, the devil whoever he
may be, 10 a ooniured mp ideal TO Brighten
wgbriato and evil doers vita. Picture him
rernlsye looking character VITO horns
and tail: does such ridiculous individual
.c-ist? II 90 | have never seen him in h's
church as YOU c3ll IL. For shame, 81 "
man, base your argument on something
real, not the images OF o SCREENED Or m
Regarding the character OF nc'ors which
you aey Il so vile, let M ny that there are
upwards OF seven tn Ousaud peOll ia our
honored profession, and deity you % point
ou5 any community OF like gza with less
crime. How many OF MS have ever ecen the
ipside OF n prison wnll2 Since YOU throw
stones LOOK ID your own glass hou'e. The
crimes That have been found under the
cover Of clerical cotn IN the last ten years
would more Lhan balance our iNil.nes for q
century. When you defnme the characters
OF actors aud actresses you prove yourself u
man too unclean 10 live IN u re-
spectacle community. Let me show you
some OF our women. Does the world pro-
duce better women than Maggie MITCHELL
Annie Pixley, Mary Anderson, Lolita, Mrs.
Rankin, Madame Rhea, Mrs. Chanfrau,
Rach .ei McCauley. Sarah Jewett, Clara
Morris and host OF others that might bs
named?,As maids. wives and mothers. where
are their superiors? Does the world produce
better men imam Edwin Booth John McCul.
Tough, Lawrence Barrett. Thomas w.
Keepe, Nat Goodwin. Mckee Rankin, J. M.
Hill or A. NJ. Palmer? | could name nun.
bred in as many seconds; honorable men
and good husbands and fathers. "Unclean
piaysl" How did your massive brain light
On the three quoted-"The Black Crook"
"a fortunate thought), "She Stoops
10 Corque'n and The Bels's STRAIT
egem?" Good the first named is your
paby, of course. ! will not praise IL too
good over evil fairy story, true, and very
harmless he story is. Tell me an oath or
uncleau word in It. Now. regariing the
second, who are you, cir, that dare 10 throw
mud ~ the author OF the Vicar OF Wake
htld?r And 80 in the early church no
play-goer could be member, no woman
that married an actor could come 10 the
Lords tsbls. Show me the time in which
Christ gives such command, and who OF
We that come after him ara worthy TO i'm
prove on his doctriney Thank God, tits
not so now. / often go 10 church, and
should feel much happier there II could
get rid Of the thought that some OF 1t, self
constituted heads are more Ike the fhar!-
sees tnan the Great Master they are paid to
serve.
When you say that actresses rs class are
loose and lewd, ana that out OF our ranks
have come the most gtupcndous criminals,
you simply state that which is in no sense
true, and any man, whether in the pulpit
or out OF it, should be ashamed OF such a
falaehood. Your ridiculous receipt Tor an
average play is scarcely worthy ofmention,
but when you say that 1t winds up vito
800 oaths." you are again INDUCING in ma
cious falsehoods. An oath In play IS very
rare, and when IL does occur it's harm less
sort of an affair. have never heard or read
blsspbemous sentence in play In my fe.
To close Tho war OF the pulpit against
the stage is urcalled-for and unchristisn-
ike; 1t is waste Of words aud shows big.
otry. II does not affect our business, for
the world Is TOO wise to eccep. the argu.
ments off red. You drive Us from your
doors when we would often seek the qui,
and consoliug influence OF true religion
Whilst the congregation that furnish your
bread and butter receive us with open arms,
you hurl insult after insult at US. We
are peaceful and charitahls, us our irequeri
bepe fits prove; we love our homes, our chill.
d len and our neighbo We attend our sick
n tenderness and tears and bury our
do with reverence. Go thou and do like
wise. BERTHA WKLBY.
THAT COTTON swISDLE.