Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-03-24

would not mold the people; for he who
opens before the dramatic element in hu-
man nature an opportunity of gratifca-
ton without compromise and without
danger does the mightiest thing Of this
century. and the tides of such an insti-
tuition would rise as the Atlantic rises
at Liverpool docks.
The Spectacular.
There are tens of thousands of Chris
tian homes where the sons and daughters
are held back from dramatic entertain
ment for reasons which Some of you
would say are good reasons aud others
would say are poor reasons, but still held
! back. But on the establishment OF such
an Institution they would feel the arrest
OF their anNictics and would say ON the
establishment Of this new institution
which | have called the spectacular.
| THANK God, this is what we have all
been waiting for
Now. as | believe that | make sugges-
ton of an institution which wiser men
will develop. | want to give some charaC-
teristics Of this new institution, this spec
tacular. if it is To he grand social and
moral success. In the first place, its en-
tertainmeuts must be compressed within
an hour and threc-quartcrs. What kills
sermons prayers and lectures and enter
tainmcptS Of all sorts is prolxity. At
reasonable hour every night every cur
tain of public entertainment ought TO
drop. every church service ought to cease.
the Instruments of orchestras ought to
be mStrung. What comes more than
this comes too late.
On the platform of this new institu-
ton there will be a drama which before
rendering has been read, eSpurgated. alb
hrcNiated and passed upon 10y a board OF
trustees connected with this reformed
amusement association. If there be in Il
drama a sentence suggesting evil, il will
lac stricken out. If there he in a Shak-
~pcarean play word with two meanings,
Il good meaning and bad meaning, an
other word will be substituted an honest
word looking only one way, The caterers
to public taste will have TO learn that
ShakSpeareau nastineSs is no better than
Cougrevcan nastincss. You say, Who
will dare to change by cxpurgation or alb
breyiation Shakspearcan playT
dare. The board of trustees Of this re-
fol Y d amusement association will dare
Ii is no depreciation of Il drama, the alb
htpviaton of H..
Publication of the Drama.
On the platform Of this new institution
very hest men aud women in the commu
nifty there shall be nothing witnessed that
would be unit for a parlor Amy atti-
tudc, any look, any word that would of
fcnd YOU seated at your own tircsde ia
your family circle will be prohibited from
that platform by what law of common
sense or of morality does that which is
not lit 10 bc seen or heard by five people
become tit to be seen or heard by 1900
people? On the platform of that spec
jacuiut aii the scenes of the drama Will
Ice as ch0Stc as was ever Il lecture by Ed
ward Everett or Il sermon by +. w. Rob
rrtson. On the platform shall come only
such men and women rs you would wei
come to your homes. | do not make the
reauistion that they be professors of re-
ligion There ARE professors OF religion
= that | would not want in my parlor or
kitchen or coal cellar II Is not what Wy
, profess but what we are All who con-
Oh that platform of the spectacular vi
he gentlemen and ladies in the ordinary
acccptution Of those terms, persons whom
: you would invite 10 sit at your table and
whom you would Introduce TO your chill
drcn and with whom you would not he
/ compromised IL you were seen passing
down Pennsylvania aycnue or Broadway
with them. On that platform there shalt
bc no carouscr. no inebriatc no cyprian,
no foc of good morals, masculine or fcmi-
nine.
Prediction of the Future.
, would go to such an institution. such
q spectacular. | should go once a week
the rest Of my life and take my family
with me. and the majority Of the families
Of the earth would 90 to such an institu-
ton expect the time will come when
| can, without bringing upon myself crit
icem. without being an inconsistent
Christian. when |, a minister of the good
old rrcsby tcrian Church. will be able to
Go 10 some new institution like this, the
spectacular, aud see Hamlet" aud king
Lear" aud the Merchant Of Venice" aud
the "llunchbnck" aud Joshua Whit
comb Meanwhile many of us will have
TIL, dramatic element unmct and unrc-
gjded.
Beware of Contamination.
The amuScmentS Of life are beautiful
and they are valuable. but they cannot
pay you for the loss of your soul. could
not tell your character, ! could not tell
your prospects for this world or the next
10y the piricuIar church you attend, bnt
if yon wil tell me whore you were last
night and where you were the night be-
fore aud vhcrc you have been the nights
of the last month. / think / could guess
where you viii spend eternity.
As TO the drama OF your life and mine,
il will soon end, There will be no encore
10 bring MS back. At the beginning OF
that drama of life stood a crudlc. at the
end of 1t will stand Il grave. The first
act welcome. The last act, farewell.
The intermediate acts, banquet and bat
Tie. professions bridal and funeral, songs
and tears, laughter aud groaus
II WIS not original with Shakespeare
when he said, IAN the worlds stage
and all the men and women merely play
crz." He got it from st. Paul who II
centuries before that had written. we
are made spectacle unto the world aud
to angels aud to men" a spectacle in
coliseum fighting with wild beasts in an
amphithcatrr, the galleries FULL looking