Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-04-14
ADJUSTMENTS VS.. CHURCH.

The question of Amusements has of
late been under discussion in the
religious circles of the city.
1t has all the changeful colors Of a
kaleidoscope, and every shift of the
glass shows the colors in a different
light. Who can say when pastors
disagree just where the boundary line
Of pleasure becomes sin. If thing is
right in itself, and holds no element of
wrong, why must it be condemned
There is no physical pleasure that
pleases the saint, that does not also
please the sinner. The pure minded
enjoy pure amusements with pure joy.
The evil disposed enjoys the same
pleasure less, hence adds to them the
alien elements of sin or coarseness.
Dancing comes in for a liberal share
of heated discussion. Who is in the
right? If dancing ir itself is a refined
and harmless pleasure, why condemn
it or make it stumbling block to a
holy cause. If itSis 4 coarse or
demoralizing thing to do, why so much
argument? How settle the question to
the satisfaction of reason and of right?
Is there a right for the christian
different than for the non-christian?
Are not the broad and eternal laws of
God given to each and all alike? One
of the most eminent pastors America
has ever produced once said: II cannot
endure the thought that Christ's
children should be less free, less joyful,
less elastic and less versatile than
anybody else. | want that he should
go on with more amplitude of life,
more happiness producing power than
anybody else" Let each pleasure
INDUCED in, each recreation popular
lied be weighed in the balances Of
not public opinion, not superstition or
prejudice-but by right or wrong, and
then let all churches and the world, all
who would upbuild society, ally
themselves to the right side and purge
it of Objectionable features.
No less authority than Rev. B. NJ.
Palmer D. D. says "Of the influence of
the stage | make a distinction between
the grand portraitures of life, the
creations of genius, those exhibited by
the masters of the drama, and the
diluted, questionable plays that have
become SO popular" Rev. E. c..
Sweetzer says ~ am firmly convinced
that the church and theatre should be
allies, and that the church is not
guiltless of the divorce; God intended
them to work together, and it was not
without purpose that Shakespeare and
the Reformation were born about the
same time"
The theatre is not moral nor an
immoral thing. A dramatic composition
is no more thing of harm than a
musical composition, than a creation of
the artists brush or the sculptors
chisel. What do Operas and theatres
really do for the elevation of society,
for the dissemination of high moral or
social ideas? Nothing, only so far as
the will is influenced by virtue. Much,
insofar as moulding the virtue of
youth by the expression of moral ideas.
An habitual familiarity with vice and
crime, idealized by gilded environments
and made attractive by warmth and
color, music and brilliant accessories
demoralizes sentiment. By the same
law an intimate familiarity with the
refnements, and heroisms, and gran
deur of human life as portrayed by
genius, glorifed and idealized by the
drama unconsciouslv disseminates an
unbounded influence for good The
ship of church undertakes to bear on
to a sure immortality its reclaimed
subjects. 1t needs to be wise with a
careful true wisdom. To make rigid
laws it must be influenced by grave
conviction. If the church errs in any
of its practices it behooves it to take
action on the side of right and
generous consideration.
Not bowling the knee to any image
not crossing ones self, be it ever sc
reverently, not abstaining from mea
on holy days, from dancing on holidays
from Witnessing dramatic perSOnatirns