Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-21
DOUGHERTY ON THE STAGE.

1t Had Its Origin With the Clergy but Has
Become Corrupt : Once n Power for
Great GOOd-It stIn Can be Made So
Actors Hard Working Class.
A large audience of intelligent people
filled Lafayette Hall last evening and hung
with breathless interest upon the words of
Hon. Daniel Dougherty, of New York, who
addressed them upon the subject of "The
Stage" The gentleman was attended on the
platform by Bishop Phelan, Father Sheedy,
DIR. Brockerhof and Mr.. J. Dunlevy, the
the President of the Columbus Club, under
whose auspices the lecture was given.
Briefly Mr.. Dunlevy introduced Mr..
Dougherty, and the audience had before
them gentleman of commanding presence
attired in afternoon dress, highly intellec-
tual face in which strength was mingled
with kindness and gentleness. Just the
specimen of man the little "newsy" would
as for a nickel, feeling assured that he
would get it. Mutton-chop whiskers and an
abundance of iron gray hair framed the be-
nevolent face.
In silence he stood before the expectant
listeners in the manner OF all scientific
speakers, until perfect stiffness reigned in
the hall, then commenced his address. He
prefaced his remarks on the stage by saying
that he had chosen that topic knowing that
more people would attend a lecture to while
away an hour in harmless, if not intellect
uaI, amusement than would go to hear of
facts that in the quiet of their own libraries
they could study. He said the ennobling
aim of every public speaker should be to
instruct and elevate his audience, and while
his subject was one suggestive OF pleasure,
it was one worthy of deep thought and con-
sideration, but he would prevent its being
serious discourse by various amusing incl
dents he would relate With the rare ora
torical power for which the gentleman is
justly famed he carried his audience with
him in tracing the stage from its infancy in
the church among the monks, where it was
resorted to as a means of instructing the
mass on holy topics, to the modern stage.
He said in ancient times it was power to
promote virtue and suppress vice, the nand-
maid OF religion, and would always be so if
properly conducted.
But the stage, as it is to-day, is imperfect.
Its tendency is to corrupt, and the moraIist
cannot fail to condemn it and the Christian
to mourn it. Its legitimate aim should be
to awaken the soul to higher and nobler
aspirations by consummate strokes Of art.
AFTER the stage passed from the control OF
the clergy it degenerated. Actors as a
class, he said, were as industrious, intelli-
gent and law-abiding as those of any pro-
iession, leaving out the ministry, which was
something higher thanIa profession. While
there were some actors that were not an
honor to their profession, 1t would be as un-
just to condemn the whole class as it would
be to condemn the profession of law, medi-
cine, or any other, and there were black
sheep in all folds. No professional calling
required such constant study as that of act
ing. The stage but reflected the voice of
the people, and if, when a new play was
presented, an intelligent audience would
greet it, applaud the good and pure, hiss
down the demoralizing parts, a change in
theater would soon take place. With an
earnest admonition that each and every one
exert their influence for the improvement of
the stage, the gentleman closed his remarks
amid great applause. His love for the stage
and true acting has caused him to study
oratory from his boyhood up. and in various
little incidents be exhibited wonderful YER
satility, assuming different characters from
Shakespeare and minor authors, some of
which cOnvulsed his hearers with laughter.