The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-04
MINISTRY OF THE STAGE.
Mr. Will N. Cressy's Interesting Dis
cuSSion Of a Live Topic.
Commsnds Rev. Mr.. SlIcsfs Frank Consld-
GRAFTON Of Actors and Drama.

said VIII M. Cressy, the well-known
character comedian and the Cy Prime
OF the "Old Homestead" in reading the
recent discussion of the moral minis
try of the stage by Rev. Thomas II.
Slicer, formerly OF Providence.
1T is true that TO those or US on the
stage Mr. Slicer seems TO be somewhat
extreme in Some OF his ideas, just as
presume some of ours strike him as
rather extreme; but isn't it most re-
markable that clergyman, and one of
the rigid orthodox school too, should
speak so literally, so generously, OF the
stage as he did? Doesn't 1t illustrate
admirably the advance that has been
made by the stage itself and the
broadening OF the worlds mind?
why, il isn't so very many years
ago that no clergyman could have been
induced TO go 10 the theatre. L haven't
the slightest doubt that many OF them
would have liked TO do so II they had
dared; but TO be seen in a theatre would
have meant accommodation. How
Nhanged things are today. In every
large city you will find scores or the
most respected and the most infiuen-
tial clergymen who go 10 see the bet
ter class of plays; and at keith's thea
tres III the IOuf CITIES p1 HIS ypH
can find ministers who never enter the
doors OF any other playhouse.
Much as we actors may differ from
Mr.. Slicer's views in certain directions,
we must all admit that he has done
great thing for the stage by the frank
ness and the evident intelligence ana
sincerity OF what he has said Just look
here he says: mo doubt there is de-
fective morality on the stage, in the
Al Tn 4 40 m a mi
of all the public Whatever the stage
puts forth as bloom has been nourished
at the root by the fluent wish of the
public which IL addresses. 1t is COM
mon saying, most true though so trite,
that the stage cannot be better than the
public TO which IL offers what 1t has TO
offer.
IT think the one thing i'm Mr.. Slicer's
address that has struck me most forci-
bly, is the fact-though he did not so
state it-that high-class vaudeville,such
as MIR. Il. II. Keith has established ana
maintains comes nearer than any other
form OF theatrical entertainment to
meeting the minister's ideas or what
should be, In other words. he is more
likely TO find any high-ciass vaudeville
show which he may drop in on at ram
dom satisfactory TO his views of the
stage as ii should be than he is at any
drama.
MIR. Slicer evidently recognizes that
man needs amusement, diversion. en-
tertainment, OF the kind that makes
him more cheerful, more good-natured,
more sunny In his manner He says we
cannot be permanently dull and be
wholly good, and that he believes I'm
the moral mini<ry or pure delight
Just read what he says:
"'I believe I'm the stimulant Of pure
fun. We laugh and change our circula-
tion by the mere operation OF the mus
cles. You feel dun, Blood sluggish, brain
aenemic heaft acting siowly-and
something irresistibly funny is said or
done, and il seems as though you were
born again. actually. Why? Simply be-
cause you have pumped fresh blood in
TO your brain, strung your nerves anew.
made them tingle 10 the touch OF laugh
ter-loving fun. The stage has done the
most for us when IL has made us happy
i'm our own power to laugh at good and
clean things, a dear Rosina Vokes used
to do. In Rosina Vokes did not get
halo, and / get there, / will lend her
mine
There's an awful lot of sound sense
and cold truth in that. Mr.. Slicer's re-
lgion, evidently, isn't the kind that
goes round with n long-drawn. melan-
choly face making everybody feel mis-
cradle who comes in contact with it,Dut
the SuISnlny KIM liidN ypu itti
that you want to get within the warm
radius Of its rays. ,
Mr.. Slicer very evidently though as
yet | fancy he doesn't realize il him.
self is impressed as / suggested regard
ing high-class vaudeville. for just read
what he says here:
81 think there is a moral ministry
OF the stage that serves the purpose of
pure delight from highest TO lowest. l
would not omit anything. l think Mr..
Keith deserves we'll of every commu-
nifty in which he has established stage
on which unsullied and untainted vau-
deville can be given at low prices for
the people that have no place to SO
when the hours Of work are over. This
is legitimate enjoyment. The kind of
vaudeville that does not contribute to
pure delight you will not see under the
management of a stage which he by
eternal vigilance. keeps clean
II fancy that Mr.. Slicer would also
feel entirely satisfied with plays like
the old Homestead or shore Acres.
At any rate, think his recent address
will be productive of much good both
for the profession and for the public.
because OF the courageous and truth
ful thncs he has said and the discus
sion ii has provoked; and you will yet
see the day when il will be regarded
as no more sinful for a clergyman than
for his parishoners TO attend the thea