The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-21
The MINISTRY
OF The STAGE.
Rev. Or. SIicer Sharply Criticises
Some Recent Plays
BEFORE 18TH CENTURY CLUB.
Drama That Depicts an Abnormal Side Of
Life and Is False 10 Art.
THEY ARE LIKE FUNERAL ADDRESSES
The Better They Are Written the Worse Their Are.
Dramatlst Bronson Howard's Reply 10 the
Rev. Or. SIcsr's Contentious.
Drama That Depicts an Abnormal Side Of
Life and Is False 10 Art.
THEY ARE LIKE FUNERAL ADDRESSES

ReV. Thomas X. Slicer, DID, former.
ly pastor OF the First Congragational
church in this city and now pastor OF
All Souls Unitarian church, New York
SHARPLY criticised the stage i'm a discus.
sion before the Nineteenth Century
Club at Delmonicos, New York. last
evening. The subject for consideration
was the Moral Ministry of the Stage
ana the principal speakers were Rev.
Ut. Sncer and -ronson Howard the
dramatist maintained that the moral
ministry of the stage should be TO min
lster TO pure delight. In support of
his views. he handled without gloves a
number OF well known and successful
plays, because, according to- his belief.
they did not so minister or because
they showed certain immoral aspects of
life.
The Tree OF knowledge" produced
at Mr.. Daniel Frohman's Lyceum The
atre, was the first play to which he paid
MS respects. The drama" he said, '1s
an onence against true art. because il
attempts To show an abnormal side of
life. Yet it's effect on morals may not be
as disastrous as one might suppose
from its subject matter.
But, ne said. sarcastically. "any
soundly constituted person who sees
The Tree of knowledge ought TO pre-
fer to live in the open and keen from
'NNh q bAtfs II SbONS llLt as III Is
not"
Tess of the a Urbervilles" was also
looked at askance, and referred To as "A
play that begins with a Scotch mist and
ends with a oeluge. lis there any per
son who, after reading the book or see
ing the play" said Mr.. Slicer. feels
any happier for being alive ?Such books
and plays are like funeral addresses
the better they are written the worse
they are"
"A Lady of Quality is no better in
Mr. Slfcer's opinion. rs society elevat-
ed by watching the progress OF an ar
ternoon tea with a dead man under the
lounge?"
Now" he continued, 81 want to
speak of two plays, one of which was
written with the aVowed purpose of
making people better, the other simply
for the purpose of ministering to their
pure delight. j refer to The Christian
and TO The Little Minister Now. when
you listen TO The Little Minister YOU
don't stop TO consider whether he is a
Christian or not. Its morality runs
easily with its own gear; in the other
play IL is driven i'm with a wedge. The
Little Minister moves as If by celestial
gravitation. The Christian as If showed
from behind.
II believe i'm an endowed theatre. |
There should be such theatre I'm or |
der that every young girl with talent |
enough To go on the stage should he as |
sured an Independence which should |
enable her TO rise in her profession sole /
ly on her merits.
She should not be obliged To pay |
fatal price, something else beside her |
talents. to a star. financial hacker or
a manager"
The applause which greeted these |
words rose TO an outburst of enthu-
siasm when the speaker added: Every
man with a grain Of chivalry I'm him |
Will agree with me in this"
Mr.. Howard then addressed the club
The chief moral ministry of the
stage" he SAID seems to be to furnish
the clergy with a theme for sermons. /
say To clergymen: Preach as much as
you like, but keep your people away
from our stage doors
AS To attacks on the morality of |
stage folks: Granting these attacks |
have a basis (Which do not admit. /
can only say that the personal morality
Of the actor has nothing to do with his
performance. No one wants bad pict
ure because IL is painted by a good
man.
LAS to plays, | believe they should
mirror life. for If we can't show what |
Is bad i'm life, how can we show what |
should be avoided in life? At the same |
time | don't believe that all kinds of
people should be allowed To see all |
kinds of plays. Young girls. for in |
stance. should not be permitted TO at |
end performances Of dramas that deal |
90 frankly with the seyenth command
nent"