Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-16
TUE PULPIT AND THE STAGE.

TUE PULPIT AND THE STAGE
The Rev. Leonard Woolsey Bacon has
long earned fame as clergyman who is in
the habit of doing his thinking for himself,
and, when he reaches conclusion, of show
ing no hesitancy in saying what he thinks.
During his stay in this city his disposition
to carry out that rule of conduct was mani
tested to such an extent as to make it sub
ject of regret that he did not become a per-
manent resident of the city. But in his
present charge at Norwich. Conn.,, he has
been manifestlng the same trait on the sub
ject of the relations of the church to the the
ater in a manner that traverses the tradi-
tions and precedents to a remarkable degree.
The matter came up In manner TO at
tract an especial degree of public attention,
because during the process of construction
of an opera house in the little city of Nor
wich the resort to Sunday work to
hasten the completion of the edifice
brought out protest from DIR. Bacon, from
the pulpit, which without any report of his
language, we may presume to have been
couched in vigorous terms. After this pre-
lude, the announcement when the Opera
House was finished that Dr. Bacon would
preach a sermon the subject of the theater,
raised expectation Of strong and comment
ary pulpit deliveranee. These expectations
were disappointed, but more novel surprise
was given the congregation. For DR..
gospel. he was glad to extend an open well
come to the new theater if it was to be
place where pure amusement would be pro-
vided for the people, under every possible
safeguard against corruption and abuse.
Here are few of his reported words:
We have got to look the facts in the face, and
recognize that the old sweeping condemnation
of the theater. once universal among earnest,
pure and faithful men, was founded on a state
of facts which no longer exists; that there has
been a change in the theater ITSELF in its plays,
in its personnel. There was time, not SO very
long ago, when the name of actress was a
synonym for infamy. To-day the man who
should make such presumption as that against
the character of a lady devoted to this trying
and perilous profession would be guilty of
wicked calumny. In view of these changes in
the theater, for the Church to maintain its old
attitude of condemning all indiscriminately
would be not consistent but bigoted inconsst
ency.
Other clergymen have given indications
of holding similar view; but few in the de-
nomination to which Dr.. Bacon belongs
have avowed it In the public and vigorous
way which he has adopted. We hardly
need say that his position is the correct one,
and is moreover the only one that is founded
in reason. There are theatrical perform
ances which are as pure and harmless as
any work of literature or art can be, and
there are others which are unwholesome and
demoralizing, with all their eradations be-
tween the two extremes. Everyone con-
versant with the theater knows that there is
just the same difference between them as
there is between a novel of Miss Yonge's
and one of fZola's. But the importance of q
declaration from the pulpit like DR.. Bacon s
lies in the encouragement that it gives to
that it will exert toward decreasing the pro-
portion of unwholesome and demoralizing
theatrical performances.
One OF the most gratifying developments
of the stage in late years has been the
growth in pure and clean performances and
the proof that such plays can command the
most desirable patronage. Without taking
into consideration the question of Shakes
perean revivals the popularity of comic
operas of the 'Pinafore" and "Robin Hood
class, and the steady hold upon the public of
modern comedies with the range from
''Little Lord Fauntleroy" to Hazel Kirke,
have proved that a pure and wholesome
stage is profitable as well as creditable., If
the influence of the Christian Church is
thrown, as DR.. Bacon tries to throw it, to
the support of such dramas and against the
unhealthy and impure class, is there any
doubt that the desirable tendency will re-
ceive stimulus of the greatest possible
strength?
Praise is due to this outspoken clergyman
for having disregarded the precedents of his
denomination and drawing the line on the
support of the thester by Christians exactly
where it ought to be drawn. If the pro-
gressive element among the clergy will fol-
low his example it will have the greatest
effect in aiding the elevation of the stage
and in reducing to a minimum its injurious
features.