The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-28
THE DRAMA SCORED.
Rev. DR.. Riker's Final Sermon on
Worldly Amusements
GIVEN AT FOURTH STREET CHURCH
Tho Festive Bill Board Display Ought
to BIO Regulated by the City coun-
oI.-NcarIy all the Plays See Here
are of the Trashy order-.-Bad In1lu.
c of Tragic Acting.

night on '"The Theatre" being the
concluding discourse of the series on
popular amusements, which has been
the topic for Sunday evenings during
this month.
In starting out, DR.. Riker outlined
the same text as on the previous three
Sunday evenings, and gavo about the
same outline for his talk.
He thought Paul's position on insti'
tutions or habits, that in Themselves
may not be alarmingly harmful, should
and does meet with the approval oil
most Christian people.
Humanity is one Of the greatest
works OF God. No beast can get as far
down rs a human being, but no beast
can aspire to the heights to which n
man can arise. Can humanity and the
theatre be associated together TO the
good Of humanity? Is it as an institu-
ton a thing that can help q mortal to
heaven? II not, and it is not assuredly,
then it should not be patronized by
God fearing people. He did not wish
TO misrepresent anything. His purpose
was to stand forth for the right, and
not say a word against any institution
that does not deserve condemnation.
Tho theatre, more than almost any
thing else, has received the condcmna'
ton Of good people OF all ages. He
read what noted classic authors ana
philosophers said relative to the de-
bauching influences OF the playhouse.
Aristotle said he would require that no
man or woman should witness theatre
cal productions until his or her mind
was proof against debauchery.
Continuing, he quoted from a num-
her OF modern authorities, showing the
debasing and degrading influences OF
the theatre. Speaking OF the ferocity
aroused by some productions, he cited
tho fearful influences OF the theatre on
the a%ncients, especially Nero. Starting
on a line Of amusement, it arouses the
barbaric sense in men, and requires
something more terrific; and just this
process is going on in the American
theatre. On an English authority, he
said one play house
RUINS MORE SOULS
than fifty churches can save.
Some say the theatre can be REFORM
ed. This has been tried by such illus
trious and good men as Forrest and
Booth. The latter sank over 100000
in New York city alone in an endeavor
10 better and elevate the stage. When
such men as these fail in the undertake
ing, what can others find Of encourage.
ment? Both in England and America
all such attempts have signally failed.
Why? Because the kind OF dramatic
entertainment these reformers would
furnish does not give the excitement
that the people want.
1t is admitted that some OF the finest
gems OF thought that aver eminated
IRON the human mind have come from
dramatists. Among them are Shake
speare, SophoCles, johnson, Schiller
and others, who stand out us mon Of
marvellous brain. No praise is too high
for them, though it is true they were
compelled to put language in their pro-
auctions that we do not admire.
There is one other ground on which
the theatre ought to be condemned
it's expensiveness as q luxury.
The two theaters Of this city cost the
people of Wheeling moro than all the
churches combined. A moderate esti-
mate places the amount of money that
goes into the hands of strangers from
our pockets, at nver $4,000 q year. The
benefciaries OF this immense sum,
como and 60, leaving tho faint OF q
doubtful influence. Booth and Barrett,
the tragedians, at one performance at
Nashville, Tennessee. received nearly
$4,000. Two ladies who gave ten cents
a week to their church, were ardent adj
mirers Of the theatre, andln one month
spent over eighteen dellars apiece, go
ing almost every night. Tho devil is a
hard taskmaster, makes you pay a big
price, and then without mercy brushes
you.
AT one OF the performances OF
EDMUND KEAS,
when he appeared as Sir Giles orsrreGch,
he so wrought up his audience by his
fearful portrayalof the characterthatthc
poet Byron, who was present, tainted,
Ms did also one OF the actresses in the
cast. Such an influence is not elcvating
or good. 1t is tho influence, this realis-
tic ono, that. draws tho people to the
theatre. The aame influence that al
lows the bull fight in Spain and Mexico
and encouraged the brutal exhibitions
in tho Roman amphithcatre. Kean
was popular because he was realistic in
his acting.
Is it strange that the most popular
entertainments ara OF the realistic or
der? Are we go much better than
these Spanish, Mexican and Roman
'barbarians ?"
The plays Of the shNkespsarian kind
arc not tho ones that attract most.
Those Of the sensational and realistic
order are the ones the people want and
what they got.
Indianapolis and other American cities
shows that the preponderancc OF these
trash dramatic productions w the
solid or standard drama is overwhel-
ming. II am not n theatre goer" said
DR.. Riker, but unless the bill boards
and the newspapers m~isreprcsent,
ninety.ninc out Of every hundred plays
shown here in Wheeling, arc OF the
trash order. At the sight OF those bill
boards my soul burns ut the thought
that we have not q city council with
courage enough to wipe out these pic.
lures OF lcwdness that stare in the faces
OF our school children. What must
these scenesb be on the stage, ii they ap.
proach what is shown on the bill
boards"
lie spoke OF the terrible influence on
the theatre goer caused by the ballet,
when ONE in ~"dreadfully brief"