The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-07-18
PRUDHRY GONE mad.
Rev. Daniel Ha1leron's
Amazing Attack Upon
the Theatre.
ALL PLAYERS IMMORAL.
Lust and Vice Endorsed and Made
. Attractivo-Play GOers
Social Pariahs.

Pastor David Halleron of the Simpso
Methodist Episcopal Church delivered
his second sermon of the fifth series to
young men on popular amusements last
night. His subject was 1.-THE Theatre"
The attendance was large, as Pastor Hal
leron has been stirring his congregation
up considerably by the severity of his at
tacks upon places of amusement.
Here is the sermon:-
II am tonight 10 direct attention to the
theatre. / suppose many, II not all of us,
have seen its plays; church people are
often flequenters of theatres. AS l de-
sire to do justice to both sides. 1 will state
the principal points made in its favor.
AS long ago as 2,0Oo B. G. there were vir-
tn lily theatres. It is an old institution,
buI age is no guarantee Of good in any
thing. Age and honor are paths of vir-
tue, and are worthy of recognition.
Crime is old, but surely it is none the less
rennls' We for its years. The theatre is
said to be a portrayer Of things natural.
We admit there Is a morbid desire for the
prurient in unregenerate hearts, but We
know the exhibition of evil feeds a flame
and leads to a commission of sin. Public
executions We're thought to serve as pre-
ventatives TO the commission OF murder,
but now we know that they produced a
morbid desire for notoriety, so that pri-
vale ones are now insisted upon Tor the
protection of society.
EDUCATION IN EvIL.
"Again, the theatre is said to be a pub
lie educator. There are two systems of
education, viz: the moral and scholastic,
which no State can dispense with. The
theatre is demoralizing, although we
coacede that the scenery is beautiful.
defamation classic the rendition of the
master pieces of word and song entrapc-
ing. l believe in the cultivation or good
taste, for the Creator never meant a
flower to bloom unseen but he never
Inc mt any of these to become accessories
of crime, or promoters of crime. Tue
abuse of a thing hould not lead TOTS sup
preston, but in every age aud in every
country we find that the theatre has
catered to vice, infiained human passions
and has given no valuable equivalent for
the money expended OF its support. Il
canot be deemed good or innocent. The
theatre has never been reformed, nor
has. the vile ever been FULLY eliminated
from the boards.
Sound moralists and sincere Christians
almost uniftrmally have condemned it as
a leading Instrumental corruption. But
lest il be said hat nom but religious
people condemn the theatre we would re-
nina you thai Pluto aud Cicero placed it
under a ban. The Christian church during
the time of its greatest purity and ag-
gressiveness publicly denounced it. Aud
mined in our opposition 10 it? / hear
that at times Christians attend
theatres, so you see the ar
gument is not all on one
Size. But I ask you to examine those
people who attend. Are they the most
-.--v@. --l o1.---h
services? Have they discharged their few
duties as Christians ia their homes? Is IL
10 them the Cody pastors go to assist
them in the promotion of revival work
among people? Are they forward in the
great moral reform for the suppression of
vicious literature? II you Were sick unto
Geath would you ask them to pray with
you or wonld yoH go to that meek-faced
woman? When we speak OF true Aineri-
can society we do not point to the tramp
or to the cowboys of Texas. These are
the vampires of society. There are hang
ers on IN church whose names would be
the best contributors TO the progress OF
Christianity if erased.
SCANDALoUS ATTACK.
"We now lea. grave deb ate and
doubt and boldly challenge the support
ers of the theatre. This is a serious mat
ter for the pulpit and / must be careful
in ~deuouncing anything, lest the inno-
VIII oA4SA = AS oAAt Iii WV Oil
we make, remember, / have no reference
to the ideal theatre-what it might or
should be; but what Is il? The artists or
actors employed are children. Old peo-
pie are excluded. Young men and women
are engaged, and I now say boldly and
without fear of contradiction that an
overwhelming percentage of the actors OF
the present day are leading corrupt lives.
How can it be otherwise? They personate
the vilest characters and are under the
greatest excitement in their parts, They
are at IN age when passions possess them.
They are jaded by late hours and hence
draw iliberally on in~toxicants. So that I
care not how pure that woman may be
on entering, she has to consort with
1icentious persons who appear in all the
forms Of anlorous life, she must utter
slang innueudo, pose In all sorts of atti-
tudes and fall into the arms OF adulterous
h~arlequins, who carry parts with her. I
admit there are some notable exceptions
on the stage, but SO few that no appreci-
able influence is found in the balance.
The att action calls for f1asny jewelry
and the extensive and vile use of cos
metics. The deceptive lights hide defects
aud lend ~enchantment TO graceful car
riage.
II TIGHTS ISSUE.
"A few weeks ago an actress was fined
$1,000 because she refused to appear IN
tights. How the cattle in the gallery
" AOoA JOhOS Nv 1 In IIO--
cenium boxes wink and TIT er as the play
goes on. The actor Booth, with all his
genius, determined To reform the theatre.
but failed spiendidly. S-hakespearean
plays have been worn threadbare and
have been replaced by BLACK Crookn and
.'Tony" Pastors more attractive resorts.
What are the subjects ~dranatized?
Fiendish passion. indecent mirtu tragedy,
comedy and foul farce. Vices are ex-
tolled and he is a hero who escapes the
consequences of his crime. while the inno-
cent are fools. Religion is made a mock
cry of, its professors hypocries, whose
pious attitudes bring roars of laughter.
The pulpit is the sport of the clown, pray
ing is mocked, profanity and jest flung
to enraptured audiences. and borne to the
swell of the street by USE
"'She stooDs to Conquer is profane,
vulgar and sneers at religion. Money Is
a succession of hypocrisy, -covetousness,
drinking and gambling. Saratoga
stands condemne to falst hood, profanity