The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-03-24

| for him, but he must swiftly leave OH
his old garb and prepare for this ex-
temporized levee! Pouting son at the
back door too mad to go in, because
they are making such fuss! Tears of
sympathy running down the old mans
cheek at the story of his sons wander
ing and suffering and tears of JOY at his
return! When you heard Murdoch re-
cite 1.-The Prodigal Son" in one OF his
readings, YOU did not know whether to
sob or shout Revivals of religion have
started just under the reading OF that
soul reyoutionizing drama of "The
Prodigal Son"
Here il is in the book of Revelation:
Crystalline sea, pearly gate. opalinc
river, amethystinc capstone, showering
coroncts, one vial poured out incarnad-
ming the waters, cayalrymen of Heaven
galloping on white horses, nations in
doxology. halleluiahs to the right of
them, halleluiahs to the left of them.
As the Bible opens with the drama of
the first Paradise, so ii closes with the
drama of the second Paradise.
Mind YOU when say drama do not
mean myth or fable, for my theology is
of the oldest type-500 years old, thou
sands of years old, as old as the Bible.
When | speak of the drama at the be-
ginning and the close of the Bible, do
not mean an allegory, but i mean the
truth so stated that in grouping and in
startling effect it is God-given, world
resounding, Hedyen-echoing drama.
Now, If God implanted this dramatic
element in our natures, and If lie has
cultivated and developed ii in the Scrip
lures, | demand that you recognize 1t.
Because the drama has again and
again been degraded and employed for
destructive purposes is nothing against
the drama, any more than music ought
to be accursed because it has been
taken again ard again into the satur-
nalian wassails of 1000 years. Will you
refuse to enthrone music on the church
organ because the art has been
trampled again and again under the
feet of the lascivious dance?
Rev. DR.. Bellows, of New York, many
years ago, in very brilliant but much
criticised sermon, took the position
and made auxiliary to the church
Many Christian people are Of the same
opinion. | do not agree with them.
have no idea that success is in that di-
rcction. What have said heretofore
on this subject, as far as remember,
is my sentiment now. But to-day !
take a step III advance Of my former
theory. Christianity is going to take
full possession of this world and con-
troll its maxims, its laws, its literature,
its science. and its amusements. Shut
out from the nc aim Of Christianity any
thing, and you give it up to sin and
death.
If Christianity is mighty enough to
manage everything but the amuse-
ments of the world, then it is very de-
fcctive Christianity. Is it capable Of
keeping account of the fears of the
world and incompetent TO make record
of its smiles? Is il good to follow the
funeral but dumb at he worlds play?
Can il control all the other elements of
our nature buy the dramatic element?
My idea of Christianity is that il can
and will conquer everything. In the
good time coming. which the world
calls the colder age and the poet the
cIvsian age and the Christian the
millennium, We have positive announce
mcnt that the amuscmcnts of the
world are to he under Christian sway.
"liOlincss shall be upon the bells of the
horses says one prophet. So, you see,
it will control even the sleigh rides.
THE city shall be full of boys and girls
playing in the streets thereof" says
another prophet. SO. you see, it is to
control the hoop rolling and the kite
flying and the ball playing. Now, what
we want is 10 hasten that time. How
will ii be done? by the church going
over to the thcater? IT will not go. BY
the thcater coming TO the church? 1t
will not come. What we want is re-
formed amusement association i'm every
city and town of the United States.
Once announced and explained and IL
Illustrated, the Christian and philan-
thropic capitalist will come forward TO
establish it, and there will be public
spirited men everywhere who will do
this work for the dramatic element Of
our natures. We need new institution
to meet and recognize and develop and
defend the dramatic element of our
nature. 1t needs to be distinct from
everything that is or has been.
] would have this reformed amuse-
mcnt association having in charge this
new institution of the spectacular take
possession of some hall or academy. II
might take n smaller building at the
start, but il would soon need the larg
est hall, and even that would not hold
the people; for he who opens before
the dramatic clement in human nature
an opportunity of qualification with.
out compromise and without danger
does the mightiest thing of this con
tury, and the tides OF such an institu-
ton would rise as the Atlantic rises nj
Liverpool DOCKS.
There are tens OF thousands Of
Christian homes where the sons and
daughtersare held back from dramatic
entertainment for reasons which some
of you would say are good reasons and
others would say are poor reasons. but
still held back. But on the establish
|