The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-02-07

leaven Of the gospel into the amusement
lump, and teach the people how to use
amusements without abusing them, and
save the church from her present hu-
initiating attitude as the declared en-
envy Of the drama, from attending
which sshe hassno power torestrain her
members, Theworld IS growing better;
the church Is growing wiser. We are
In astransition age. Religious opinion
is bridging over the scandalous chasm
Which has 60 long existed between
church and stage. AS an ethical ques-
ton, most persons are agreed that
amusements in the abstract are not
wrong. Some people mistake their
preiudices for conscientious scruples.
s.Man has an animal nature as well as
rational faculties; he has instincts that
are purely animal as well as character
istics purely intellectual and spiritual,
and the playing out Of these impulses
within the limits of moderation Is
lust as sinless as in the animal pure
and simple.'' The mind kept on the con-
tinual stretch of serious duty will pre-
maturely lose its healthy action. Old
and young alike must have their times
of sport, and it is not necessary that we
bring the hours Of recreation under too
rigid scrutiny Of reason. The scrutiny
of conscience must be there. However
pleasant it may be to do wrong, it is
never right to do it, and sin committed
in pursuit of pleasure is as sinful as II
done for the sake of profit. But having
made this reservation the wisest Of us
can sometimes afford to lay aside our
dignity and become children.
Sunshine and Gloom.
As Martin Luther romped with the
Children and the immortal Chalmers
trundled a hoop, SO our amusements,
trifing in themselves, may be consdd-
cred wise for thu same reason "that the
bow needsto be completely unhent.' . l
do not take the untenable and un-Chris-
tan position Of condemning everything
in life unless invested with seriousness:
That would make life too gloomy. But
il, on the other hand, we make life all
sunshine, and sport continually in its
beams, like insects Of the day, pleasure
seekers only, it is very different
thing. That which may be commended
as an occasional recreation becomes
very unnaniy or unwomanly if made
object Of daily pursuit. Our amuse-
ments may be prostituted to evil; 80
may horses. Because they are SO often
the gambler richest resources shall we
refuse to use them? The theater is pri-
marily for amusement, and not for
moral instruction. The home, the social
circle, the church, the Sunday school
the companionship of good books. and,
above all, the Bible, are to teach us
what is right and true.
The charge that religion is scoffed at
on the stage is false. Hypocrites and
charlatans OCCASIONALLY furnish subjects
for its Characterization. The cause OF
religion does not suffer when it's spuri-
ous representatives are held up to ridi-
cule and contempt. Christ did the
same thing. The closing passage Of an
old play-''The Hypocrite' ite''-contain-
ing such character would seem to be
a sufficient answer to the charge to
which have just alluded:
"Nay, now. my dear sir, must take
the liberty to tell you, you carry things
too far and go from one extreme to an
other. What! Because a worthless
wretch has imposed upon you under the
fallacious show Of an austere grimace,
will you needs have it that everybody is
like him? Confound the good with the
bad and conclude there are no truly
religious in the world? Leave, my dear
sir, such rash conclusions to fools and
libertines. Let US be careful to distin-
guish as between virtue and the appear
ance of it. Guard If possible against
doing honor to hypocrisy, but at the
same time allow there is no character
in life greater OF more valuable than
that Of the truly devout, nor anything
more noble or more beautiful than the
fervor Of sincere piety.'
Actors and Preachers.
All actors are not moral. All preachers
are not moral. There are bad men in all
professions. There are men and women
on the stage whose characters are as spot
less and their lives as benefcent as any
in our churches. Crimes ara committed
on the stage; SO they are in the Bible.
Goodness and badness are put in opposl-
ton in both books and plays. The chief
themes Of the theater are the passions
Of men. So are the subjects for the
chisel Of Angelo, the brush Of GUIDO,
the pencil of Dore, the burden Of the
sermon on the mount by Christ, in whose
lips there was no guile, and whose ev-
cry thought was without spot or blem-
ish. IF the exposure of sin is an inde-
cency, to be consistent all the literature
Of the world, both sacred and profane,
must be committed to the flames. Call
the roll Of all the plays that achieve the
widest and the most permanent success.
They are as innocent as milk, and the
leaders Of the stage would be astonished
at being accused Of producing an i'm