The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-25

"Ts there compatibility between he
sgion and the Stage?"
Nothing in the autobiography seems
% have aroused so much comment. so
rnuch surprise, as my admission that l
,,raved in moments of great distress
~. auxiety-even when in the theater.
one man writes that he never knew
hofore that there was such thing
s nraying actress" Poor fellow
one feels there are lots of other things
ba doesn't know; and, though wish
20 break the news as gently as posi-
,la T have to inform him that I am
,o+ a rara avis, that many actresses
may Indeed, the woods are full of
thenl-so to speak
One very old gentleman finds this
bohit of prayer ''commendable and
sweet" but generally there seems to be
. feeling of amazement, that 1 should
dare as it were, to bring the profess
sion of acting to the attention of our
Lord-and yet we are authorized to
nrav: Direct us, oh, Lord in all our
doings. and further us with Thy con-
tinusl help-that in all our work we
nav glorify Thy holy name"
II is not the work, but the motive,
the spirit. that actuates the work,
whether embroidering stoles, saving
wood. washing dishes or acting-it 1t
Is done honestly for the glory OF the
Holy name-why may one not pray
for Divine help? One lady who, poor
souli should have been born two or
three hundred years ago, when her
narrowness would have been more nat
ural-is shocked, almost indignant-and
though she is good enough to say that
she does not accuse me OF intentlonal
SacriIege." still addressing a prayer to
God from theater. is nothing less in
her ewes than proclamation. For" she
saws, you know we must only seek
God in his sanctuary-the churcn!
Some thousands of us would become
heathen-if we never found God, save
inside of a church.
Does this poor lady not read her BIZ
HE then? Has she not heard the
Psalmist cry: IF l ascend up into
heaven-thou art there! If I make my
bed in hell-behold thou art there also!
Whittier shall 1 flee from Thy pres
ence?" Surely there are great many
places besides the church, between
heaven and hell-and even in a theater
we may not fee from this presence.
Lest the young girl writers should
feel abashed over their expressions OF
surprise at my conduct, l will show
them what good company they have
had. A good many years ago, GER
tain famous scholar and preacher OF
New York city, called upon me when
was absent, attending rehearsal. The
creed of his denomination was partic-
ularly Objectionable to me- but having
wandered into the big stone edfflce on
Fourth avenue one Sunday, / was so
charmed by his clear reasoning, his
elouuence and above all. by his evil
dent sicerity, that l continued to go
there Sunday after Sunday.
In my absence he held converse with
my mother. as to his regret at missing
me; as to the condition of the weather;
as to the age and attachments and
breed of my small dog-who had APP
parently been seized with a burning
desire to get into his lap. eve after
ward found she only wished to rescue
her sweet cracker which he sat up
on)
In his absent minded way he then
fell into long silence-his handsome
scholarly head dropping forward. FL
nally he sighed and remarked: "She
is an actress-your daughter"
My mother with lifted brows made
surprised assent.
''Yes-y-yes," he went on gently, san
commends her work. I have noted her
presence in our congregation, and her
intelligence. q never sleep in the day
time) Our ladies like her, too
I'm an actress, and yet takes
an interest in her souls sal
vaton-wonderfull II don't under
stand MOI / don't understand" a
speech which did little to endear its
maker to the actress mother, I'm
afraid.
The reverend gentleman was person
ally gentle, kind, considerate and nat
urally just-yet knowing no actors life,
never having seen the inside of a play
house he. without hesitation, denounc-
ed the theater and declared it the Gate
to He'll!
In the amusing correspondence which
followed that call. the great preacher
was on the defensive from the first,
and in reading over two or three let,
ters, which, because of blots or errors,
had to be reoopied 1 am fairly amazed
at the temerity of some of my remarks.
In one place charge him with stand
ing upon his closed Bible to life him.
self above sinners, instead of going TO
them with the open volume and teach
ing them to read it's precious message.
Perhaps he forgave much to my
youth and passionate sincerity-at all
events we were IflenUS. L iistu tiiS pSii-
eft of his advice when needed, and In
spite of our being of different creeds,
he 1t was who performed the marriage
service for my husband and myself.
The question, then, that has been put
so many times, is: "Can there be any
compatibility between Religion and
the Stage?"
Now had it been a question of Church
and Stage. 1 should have been forced
TO admit that the exclusive spirit Oh
the first and the amending occupation
OF the second, kept them uncomfortably
Tar apart. But the question has invar-
lably been as to a compatibility pc
tween Religion and the Stage. NOW, 1
take it, that religion means bellet IN
God and the desire and effort to 90
His will. Therefore, I see nothing IN
compatible between Religion and act
ing.
am a church woman now, but TOT
many years circumstances prevented
my entering the great army of CHRIS
uans. who have made public confession
OF their faith and received baptism, as
an outward and visible sign of spir-
ltual change. Yet during those long
years without church l was not with
OUT religion. / knew naught of "jusu-
Hcauon," of "predestination," OF
s-substantiation." ! only knew
must obey the will of God. Here was
9ne Bible-it was the word of God!
mere was Christ-beautiful. tender,
oil .1Tf FFyN. .1.olf