The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-26

cdnnOt HIIOru 10 lndorSe the stage rs q
whole, and as now existing throughout
the country. The statement is carefully
guarded. 1t expresses the views alike Of
ourselves and Of the denominations of
which we are sworn ministers. Without
criuclslng, even by implication, any min
lister OF other denominations, we declare
that, MS consistent Methodists, Presby-
terlans and Baptlsts, we can take no other
position. We now simply reailirm the
position already taken.
The second item of the report is a state.
ment OF our full Endorsement OF the Rev.
w. A. Gambler, alike in the sermon he
preached and in his manly bearing at the
time OF this particular occurrence in Nc
kendree Church at Nashville, and our thor
ough condemnation OF the conduct OF the
actress who, at that time, in our judgment,
ilagrantly violated the proprieties Of the
house Of God.
Our right to this opinion we hereby
claim, and we reassert tho opinion itself.
We find that the position is fully Endorsed
by the whole Methodist Church. in par.
ticular by the authorities OF the McKen-
dree Church in Nashville, who, presided
over by Bishop McTyeire, four days after
the occurrence, adopted the following res
olution:
Resolved That our indignation at the violation
OF prOpr9ty nnd the law OF the land by an actress
Who interrupted the religious services at Mcken-
droo Church on Sunday last. is enhanced by the
iiagrlntly false account which has been sent forth
ny the pres dispatches In relation ~ the matter
There might have been n few persons IN the rear
OF the congregation who were In sympathy with
the offender, but 70 fur from appauding her con
duct the evident feeling Of the congregation was
that OF indignation, mingled with disgust The
christian and dignhcd bearing OF our pastor ON
the occasion met our unqualified approval.
The manager of the actress in question,
at this late day, and under the pressure OF
this controversy, admits the correctness Of
our position here, in the following words;
al would give $4,000 II the little McKcndrce
Church incident had never occurred II was
under the impulse Of the moment and the effect
of the singing words Of the minister. that she
arose, but was NOS the proper place 10 make any
answer She was sorry Tor it niturNuri, but she
could do nothing. for she had not said anything To
ttke back IL slbicctcd her 10 criticism ~ using
undue adlcriislns means for, rs matter Of fact
such an Idea never entered her head"
The language of the manager il almost
indentical with our original statement,
that she laid herself liable TO the charge
OF using the church for advertising pur-
poses.
The third position we took had reference
to the singing of travelling opera Perform
ers in the churches OF the places they Wis
tied. Concerning this, we declared that IL
should neither be accepted by them nor
offered by the churches. That view it is
clearly our right to hold.
Whatever may be said Of the practices
OF other denominations, those Of which We
are ordained ministers are in full sympa-
thy with what We have uttered.
OPINIONS AND THE RIGHT OF OPINION.
We presume that none will qu, ton our
right TO express the opinion as We and our
church hold II. The statement was ellie.
tied from Us by the press. We did not
volunteer Il; but we wish 10 embrace this
opportunity 10 rciterate il with all the en-
phass which suitable human language can
give. The church and the world are by
the head OF the church declared 10 be dis
tinct
These travelling performers In opera rep
resent an institution which Is worldly
from the crown OF the head 10 the sole Of
the foot II is impossible Tor them 10
enter the church IA leaders Of Divine wor.
ship without, 10 certain extent, bringing
the associations OF their profession with
them, and this the church, without affecting
dcleteriously the spirituality Of it, wor-
ship, cannot permit; nor should Il hold up
10 people OF this class the almost In.
resisiiblo temptation OF thus appear
ing in the house OF God only for
purposes Of professional advertisement.
The church aud the opera, Accord
ing 10 the views taken OF each by the
denominations which we represent, are ~
remote the one from the other as the
poles; and We but declare tho truth held
10y the greater mass OF Chrislendom when
We affirmed, ~ We still AFFIRM that there
should be no professional connecting links
between the two. We submit, therefore.
that being solicited 10 express our views
ON these points, we haycin the three state
mcnts above embodied the exact truth a.
held by the denominations we represent
aud We deny the right OF any living man
10 close our door Of uttcancc with regard
10 these matters.
riGE REv. WARMER NooRE's POSITION.
We now proceed to tho report of the in
tcryicw with the Rev. Warner Moore. II
will be noticed that Mr. Moore confines
himself 10 two general statements. In the
iirst he declares his opinion that the stage
will never bo reformed until the millen.
mum, aud he does not think that Chris.
tan people ought 10 countcnance IL. In
this assertion, lac spoke only what ho had
perfect right TO utter, aud what every
minister Of the Methodist Church and
every ecclesiastical court in that body will
most cordially indorsc.
The second statement il, that Judging
from the reports Of Miss Abbott which hc
had read In the papers, and a few Incl
dents which had come under his special
observation, lac inferred that the actress in
question Is attempting b. use the church
~ a medium Of soli.adycrtiscmonL. Mr.
Moore here siys that lac did not authoriz,
--as thoroughly affirmed by himself
three particular statements under this gen.
erul proposition, namely Ol That last
year Miss Abbott said she knew Spurgcon
well, and had sung in his choir, while
spurgcon denies H. (2l That she caused
u 10 bc stated tina. she went forward and
shook hands with DR.. Burlord, and that
this DR. Burlord also denies. CD That
she had received letter Of conlol.
encc from DIR. Talmagc, but that
lac had no dpubt that in this. like /
IN the OF or citUl instances, she took lib. |
orty unNmrant'd 10y the person con- |
ccrncd. Mr.. MOorc's statement is that he |
Is responsible only for the general opinion |
that the actress was attempting to use the |
church Tor advertising purposes. but ns to |
the particular instances referred 10 ho |
spoke only In a general way, referring 10 |
thcm asthings known 10y the reporter. fho |
reporter did not deny that he knew them. |
All OF us hereby rrailirm the substantial |
position OF Mr.. Moore that ~ Tar ~ we |
can learn from the papers, this actress
does use the church for advertising pur. /
poses Aud whilo Mr. Moore Il not re-.
sponsibo for the instances herein cited, We |