The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-18
ATTACKED THEATERS.
RAv. Robt. Van Deventer CaIIs~Them
Agencies of Evil.

The announcement that Rev. Robert
VanDeventer of the Duffy Street Bap
fist church would take "Way Down
East" as the topic for his Sunday night
discourse drew a large congregation.
Mr.. VanDeventer began his remarks
by reading a part of the second chapter
of Ecclesiastics. my theme tonight"
he said, twas suggested by an invita-
ton which l received about week
ago from the Manager of the Savan-
nah Theater to attend a play which
was to b. given last week. and l
thought it would be a suitable thing
for me to give my reasons for not do
ing so. Some good reasons for my
people.
Il want to give some reasons why
l think Christians should not go to
theaters, why l think that the play
way Down East" THE Sign of the
Cross" THE Christian and all other
plays of that sort ought not to be
patronized by Christians. The theater
as an institution is degenerating. The
theater of to-day is not what ii was.
1t is on a steady decline. In the the
alter of to-day we get luxury and en-
ervation. There is an absence of
strength and real passion unless 1T be
depicting the sinister and horrible. In
sincerity and vulgarity are the defects
of the stage. We are to consider the
institution as an institution and not
an event that comes here that we may
praise up the institution. l do not
think it best for a Christian to encour-
age and patronize thing that is de-
Ginning a thing that has it's tendency
downward, a thing that depicts the
weakness, follies and vices of human
ity. If there be no other reason, that
reason is enough for every Christian
to eschew shat thing which is down
ward in it's step.
1.-The theater of to-day is not a moral
institution. 1 am speaking of the insti-
tuition, and do not mean to say that
every play that is put on the stage is
immoral, but as a whole it is not
moral institution, and l will prove t
by its friends. An actress by the name
of Modjeska, said: I appeal to the wo
men Of the stage and to the women off
the stage, can we not exert an influence
to remedy this state of affairs, both
from the inside and outside 1 would
like to know if something is not wrong
when an actress talks that way. The
Commercial a paper of Louisville, KY,
taking this woman's words, says:
Plays not At to be seen are put on
the stage because the public demand
them A manager of theater in
Louisville says: My star played the
bad woman for years and made money.
She tried one year to play the good
woman and lost money
From this it would seem that the
people want the low and vicious on the
stage and therefore these things are
given to them because they want them.
/ have given you the testimony of an
actress ard told you what a newspaper
man had to say about the
theater. and IL something is not wrong
with these institutions, the actress
and the editor are far from right.
There have come into existence
what is known as stage Christianity.
What blot upon the namel The Sign
of the Cross Way Down East and
other pastoral plays. are intended to
catch the church people and secure
their Endorsement, and TO popularize
the play. A clean spectacle will not
purify the stage. II cannot be cieansed
the way. A pastoral play will not
make the thcater a safe place for a
Christian. The moral plays are help
ing the theater and tempting Zion. An
institution whose friends confess IL In
not OF the highest and purest tone
ought not 20 be helped by lovers OF
the Lord Jesus Christ. ! leave IL for
you to decide this question for your
selves. and may God give US a church
and a city OF Christian people, who
love 20 DO the things that are right
for the glory Of God and for the up
building OF His Kingdom"