The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-09

ministry and know its glory and its shame, its
strength and its weakness. 4 could tale
unfold, if L would, but l won't. The simple
fact is that wherever human nature is, there
is frailty. The clerical coat does not always
clothe perfection, nor does the stage costume
invariably gid devil. The pulpit and the
stage are both far from ideal conditions; both
will undoubtedly evolve into a more ideal
state. This much will say: that for double
entendre, questionable stories, and ill-con
trolled hilarity, company of preachers off
duty is match for any like company of play
ers that could be collected"
Mr.. Min has made serious mistake in
challenging comparison between the pulpit
and the stage. In an issue between the two
the latter must go down. The stage has I'M
doubtedly evolved into better condition, and
is better to-day than generation ago, and
very much better than it was a century ago,
or at any time in its history. But the chasm
between stage and pulpit is yet too wide to
invite comparison as to moral influence in
behalf of the stage While the play -house,
generically, is high above what it once was,
there are species still that are but vent-holes
to the foulest corruption, The stage adapts
PRAYED for it to minister to, and
only the strong hand of public
opinion prevents It from descending
to the lowest depths. There are lapses in the
conduct of the opponents of the Christian and
other religions of civilized countries, but the
standard is fixed and the influence good. 1t
is a vain thing to compare any organization to
the church, for the church is the salt of the
earth, without which society would be i'm
periled and civilization desperate problem at
best
The stage of the present is undoubtedly an
improvement morally on what it once was.
But there is room still for great improvement,
if you presume to speak of it as a factor in
morality and good breeding. Such murderous
travesties as the James Brothers combination
readily dispose of themselves; they are too
rotten to hold together. A step above them
are those like John A. Stevenss "Unknown,"
sense, plot, or coherency. Above these in
turn, come the society plays, large proper
tion of the most popular of which are of
French origin. In this list may be placed
Camille" 'Frou-Frou," 'Adrienne,"
"Article A." ct id omne genus, each and all
of which are unhealthy and immoral. At the
top are the best, eliminating in the dramas of
Shakespeare. Even in these is enough to make
them of questionable influence upon imma-
ture minds. 1t will be seen, therefore, that,
from the concert garden and variety theater
to the best in the land, there is much Of evil.
IF the public be not corrupted it is because
the public is above the stage, and is able to
discriminate, and competent to realize
that the brutal and cheap hero
of the foot-ights is no hero at
all. 1t is unjust to erect character into
hero because Of one brave or worthy act,
thing too often done in plays and pointed to
as intoxicating healthy 'lesson." The relig
ious world is better than the stage because
the church is better The general education
afforded by the church, directly upon its COM
municants and indirectly through their infu-
ence upon the world, enables the patrons of
theaters to discriminate and to select that
which is fit from that which is unfit of the
pabulum set forth on the stage. It is an en-
couraging sign that actors are becoming sensi-
tive on this point, but the world is not yet
ready to accept the announcement that church
and stage are on the same plane. In one, the
evil is the exception; in the other, be it said,
the elevating and the pure is the exception.