The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-06
STAGE'S EVIL AND GOOD
REV. DIR. CHRISTENSEN HAS A THIRD
VIEW OF THE THEATER.
Christians should Discriminate, He
Subjects--First Actors, CIergymen.

Rev. G. A. Christensen, rector of st.
Paurs Episcopal Church, discussed theaters
in his sermon last night. He holds that
Christians may attend theaters provided
they exercise discrimination. Care should be
taken to discriminate between that which
is good and evil in the institution. The
Christian should array himself with the
good, and crowd the evil to the wall
I'm discussing those forms of recreation
which are regarded of doubtful character
said the rector, some are prone to con-
denim them as bad and to be Stunned be-
cause doubtful. There is a vast difference
Of opinions as to their character, one hold
ing that they are good, another that they
are bad. 1t is the old question of the shield
again; is it white or black? The answer is
the same as with regard to the shield; it
is both white and black; white on one side
and black on the other. Many usages of
society are of this character. What shall
be our attitude to the doubtful? There are
three answers. Some will say: These things
were here before we came, we cannot
change them. Wiser and better people than
we entertain them. We will disregard them
Then there is the attitude of abstainance.
There may be nothing inherently wrong in
dancing, card playing or theaters, but with
them have become associated ideas of evil
which cannot be separated from them. We
will keep our skirts clean by abstaining
from them This is the Puritanical answer.
The third answer believe to be the hard
est, and the right one. 1t is not to be in
different to the conditions, not to practice
Puritanical abstainance, but to practice
wise discrimination. We should try to over
come the evil with the good; we should dis
countenance the evil, and let the world see
what is right and what is wrong. We should
array ourselves with the right and drive
the wrong to the WALL
The clergyman said that the subject of
the Christians attitude toward the theater
had been much mooted of late-two or three
sermons had been preached, letters had
been written to the papers and articles had
been written on the subject.
In all that has been said from the pulpit
in the letters and editorials in the papers,"
said he, II have not seen anything in which
It was suggested that the attitude of the
examination. Shall we go to the theater'
IS question with which some Christians
are much concerned. A majority of Chris
tons do go to the theater at some time,
and we would not charge Inconsistency and
hypocrisy against them. One pastor has
given the Puritanical advice; he says avoid
1T utterly. Another says it is quite right
tor Christians to go, but he does not go
himself. His congregation would prefer him
60 stay away. He is a marked man. We
different from what we do they say. This
indicated, said Mr. Christensen, that the
congregation thought it was not quite right
for the minister to go. If it was not quite
right for him, 1t could not be right for
any one.
IF it is wrong for their minister to co.
said he then ii is wrong for them also
This is not an example. 1t is setting up a
sort of fetch for admiration"
Taking up the history of the drama. he
said that the first plays were of religious
subjects, the first actors were clergymen
the first theaters churches. where the con-
gregations were taught by means of the
miracle plays. By and by history was
taught in this way. The theater was trans
ferred from the church to the courtyard
and then to huge wagons, until the drama
reached it's glorious development in the
Elizabethian period. ut has become a part
of modern life. 1t is not an outcome of
statutory law, but has grown as has the
British constitution, as the common law. 1t
Is a necessary part of our AnglO-Saxon civ
iliZation. While there is some form of de-
terioration in the drama, there is great
deal that is faithful to old traditions and
redeems the impurities of the stage
With men and women in the profession
like Joseph Jefferson and Charlotte Cush-
man, not to mention others that might be
named, it must be acknowledged that there
is much that is good in the institution
Against the prurient and unwholesome in
the drama, against much that is disgust
ing, the Christian must protest and by
arousing the public conscience aid in ele-
waiting the stage.