The Irish standard., 1902-11-22
the same methods in South Africa.
And we are quite sure that we are
the only people which knows how
to govern.
A sacrileglous OUTRAGE.

SaCIleSlOuS outrage.
While an appeal to good taste would
probably have little weight with Mr.
Hall Caine and his associates in the
preparation of sensational melodrama,
those responsibly concerned in theat-
rlcal management might prolitably con-
slider whether it is worth while for the
thcntcr Eccdlcssly to offend the rev.
ercnt sentiment of respectable Dor
ton of the community, including Il
very large body of intelligent play
goers. No reasonable explanation will
make the presentation of the Pope in
MIR. Gaines lurid play anything but
gratutous oifense. not only to Roman
Catholics, but to all who respect the
religious feeling which holds that veil
cradle person sacred. The far-fctchcd
complications of the supposed Pope
with the artificial intrigue is not cs-
sential to the plot, and it otfends the
common respect which we all bear to
the actual figure that is suggested or
travestied. 10 the many in whom this
respect is decpencd by close associa-
ton with their most intimate spiritu-
al convictions, the offense cannot but
appear a sacrilegious outrage, says the
Philadelphia Ledger and Times.
The sophisticated diSavowals of any
intended reference to historic fact only
betray Il consciousness of wrong with
a willingness to continue giving oifcnsr
to some in order to attract the atten-
tiOn of others who may he less scnSi-
tive to that paticular wrong. But
every one of Mr. Gaines audiences
would he quite as sensitive if their
own religious beliefs, feelings. prcju-
dices even, were trodden on to make Il
stage managers spectacle. The obicc-
ton of religious people to this ten
dency in the theatre, emphasizing
their objections based on other
grounds, is legitimate and sound. This
is quite apart from any question of
the serious treatment of religious sub
jects in serious drama, which makes
it's particular appeal to Il particular
audience, as the religious novel may
do, and which the general public is
free to take or to leave. The secular
drama, and especially the popular spec
taclc, goes out of it's way when it
NEEDLES with things that, whether to
larger or smaller number of per-
sons, have IL sacred character. The
theatcr, il ii is to command respect.
has no business to offend the faith of
anybody, Catholic or Protestant.
Christian or Jew, or the sincere fol-
lower of any religion whatever.
This is equally the rule of the sccu-
lar newspaper. which has no proper
concern with anyhody's religious faith.
The newspaper is consequently oblig-
ed to record religious movements and
the words and acts of religious bodies
and their representatives, and it does
SO with fallibility, an innocent la-
bility to error, that leads it often into
unconscious offense. This is one of the
inevitable risks of rapid news gather
ing. But it is not the business of the
secular newspaper to discuss these
things, to express opinions upon mat
tiers of faith or controversy or of
ecclesiastical policy, or to represent
people religious beliefs, opinions or
purposes otherwise than as they hold
them. When it goes out of it's way
to do so, it raises doubts either of its
intelligence or Of it's sincerity, ana the
offense it is sure to give to somebody
is justly resented. SO with dcliber-
ate offensc in the theatre. Because
religious controversy is less violent
than formerly, it does not follow that
religious feelings are less sensitive. 1t
is rather that we have all earned
more respect for the convictions and
the feelings of others, so that an Of
Tense against even a part of the COM
munity is felt as an offcnsc against
all.