Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-22
CAN'T GO THEATRES.
[Continued from Fourth Page.

am aware that some persons have
been offended or angered at some things
I said recently. want to say, in all
kindness, do not desire 10 offend any
one, but as brother Gushing says, in his
able defense OF the Christian ministry,
the true minister OF the Word cannot
choose, but must tell the truth, II 1t
offends his best friend; al If tell peo-
pie the truth-and no one has shown
that have done otherwise-then il any
one is offended at the truth, the hearers
are responsible, and not the speaker.
In speaking on such subjects | want
1t understood | am no pessimist, nor do
think / am hunting imaginary evils.
Even the secular papers, which are
filled with advertisements OF evil, will
cry out against the glariDg evils, but
they do dot seem to see, and Christian
people seem unwilling TO see that these
popular things, the social game, the
dance, and the theater, are very fruit
ful sources of the grosser evils. II they
are not, then all the ministers in all the
churches are wrong, for they have
spoken against them.
While the drama is part of our
literature, yet there is a difference be-
tween the theatre and classical litera-
ture. The first theatre was dedicated
to Bachus, the.God OF Wine.
II is urged by theater-gOerS that they
learn to better express themselves; learn
the power men can have over others; a
better understanding of human nature,
etc. While there is class OF educated,
refined, thinking people, who go for
this. The mass of the people go but
to be entertained. The Christian must
avoid that which will have tendency
to draw away from a religious life. The
theatre fills the mind with suggestions
of evil, and influences the lower pas
sions. The very pictures on the bulle'
tin boards are low.
The theatcr destroys your relish for
the daily duties Of life. On the stage
things are exaggerated, and everyday
life is made to seem dull by comparison.
Why, these things become the chief
pursuit Of life, they should be avoided,
for they indicate that the gospel has not
taken proper hold.
Taken as a whole, the influence OF
the theatre is toward evil. There Is
some good in ii, but great deal more
that Is bad, and therefore 1t should not
be encouraged in its present condition.
Theatre-going is one OF the channels
that leads TO greater vice:
A man who has been an actor of nC
mean ability, and also newspaper
critic, in conversation with me admit
ted that the stage is corrupt. The as
sociation OF the players wears of a
mans modesty, and woman's modesty
ard leads to a sensual life. The person
who pays to see play indirectly en-
courages evil. There can be no question
that the stage Is corrupt. But II Is get
ting better, says one. Yet we find th'
Park Theater, at Boston, recently losI
its license on account OF allowing the
production of "The Clemenceau Case.
and very properly, to.
| would not cry out against the
theatre If II were not for the tendency
Of persons to be led away from the
church by it; if 1t were not for its i'm
moral influences; for the fact that,
whatever good there may be in IL, the
stage of to-day is corrupt, but as to the
persons engaged in acting upon IL and
the great numbers of plays performed
which appeal to the lower persons. II
is robbcr-it robs minds of holy aud
of noble thoughts, and puts unholy ones
In place. 1t robs hearts Of their brightest
fruits and flowers, and puts the seeds
of discontent-thc thorns and briars oi
corruption there. 1t robs the church
OF time, of talents, OF money, OF souls.
It is robbing heaven; it is peopling hell