The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-13
THE PULPIT AND STAGE AS VIEWED
BY A PROFESSIONAL.

Recently some clergymen of San Francisco
and Oakland have hurled sulphurlc ePilho''
against the stage. Being of malignant ohaiac
ter, however they have killed wnere they
should have cured. No clergyman VINO leels
polluted in passing by the door OF a thea.er -
competent to speak from the pulpit as 10 TUG
ills or virtues of theatrical life when ne mas
acquainted himself q spiritual physician
with it's disease he might assume to pronounce
upon its yirulence.
The stage is denounced as the rival OF the
church. Not at the choice of either does such
an accusation exist. The one WORKS unceas-
ingly morning and evening OF the SIX Gays VI
the week, and is most unfortunately opngeo a1
the behest of society to continue its lapors on
the seventh. Who is responsible for the OBJ
session? Society, church or the theater! NOT
the latter. That the worker is worthy OF MS
hire applies to six nightly performances OF the
week never dollar for the seventh night.
If acharity covereth multitude of sins"
and that charity consists of loving and giving,
crystallizing sentiment and practice many rents
in the theatrical garb must have been h1dden
by inst one humble act of the profession at
large when Rev. Houghton of New York City
1t is an old story, but serves my purpose here
was forced to arouse his congregation to the
debt that was crowding the church and rem
dering the burden as weary to carry. He was
heard by publican, who went forth and gave
out the word of the good pastor and the needs
of his lowly church, "the little one around the
corner (Which, by the way, is large one).
The soliciting committee of the congregation
had scarce time to say "Jaok Robinson" before
the despised profession of the church. from its
little and much sent, tossing and tumbling
and pouring from hand and through the mails,
the shekels that freed the debt and created
fund, and astounded the congregational Is
probably surprised yet. The money did not
represent stamped bullion alone, but the hum
BILE prayers of every heart went Also and car
ried let Christians hope, as pure gift of love
to the feet of the Almighty as if offered by
less abused class.
Having, many another member OF the
theatrical profession has, worshfped while en-
route in churches from the Canadas to Mexico,
never have we felt as outsiders of the fold OF
Christ on account of our calling. Neither have
we felt that our presence in these sanctuaries
has left trail of contamination to the resident
worshipers as a legacy of our act of devotion.
advance the belief that goodness is not the
heritage of those who cry "Lordl Lord!' and
strike the heart as the Pharisee OF old in
cry of "Mea culpal mea culpa" l aver that
goodness and purity are the attributes OF civ
ilization and enlightenment, and possessed
alike by the theatrical worker as by the theo-
logical expounder, with this extenuation for
temptations of life, while the latter is hemmed
in by sanity platitudes and precedents II
either falls, which is the greater descent2 And
that same thud from holy estate to mortal
mud has splashed dirt on not small number
of whited sepulchres according to the not in
frequent reports through the press.
That the church should abuse child of its
own birth, youth of its own rearing and adult
of its own family seems unparental and wholly
unnatural. 1t brought forth what we call the
drama from its mystery plays 1t sustains the
same by awakening in the bosoms of the
youths of its seminaries q desire to approach
the correctness, the perfection, the effective
ness of the stage and its accessories as means
will allow. In adolescence we have strained
oratory, press headlines, secular music, and in
the high church formula we have still further
appeal to the eye for effect. When we arrive
at the holy mass we have an exact reproduce
ton of the Christ drama in the beautiful por-
trayal OF the life and death of the Savior; all
appeal to the reverential intelligence of the
heholder.
The stage ever remembers its allegiance to
its parent and seeks to inculcate moral lessons
in all it presents. The name of God on the
stage is treated with so tender reverence that
it is often 'icut from parts, least its pronounce
ment might SAVIOR of disrespect by its couple
ment with any incongruity of scene or bust
ness Moral ethics at all times WELD an omnip-