The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-20
ATTACKED THEATERS
REv. ROBERT VAN DEvENTERs
SENSATIONAL ARRANGEMENT.
CANDIDATES FOR ILL HOUSES
ARE MADE THROUGH THE AGENCY
OF THE EVIL, HE SAYS.


Competent to Give 1t the Modern
Theater Is in a state of Degen-
eracy, says MIR. Van Deventer-Evil
Effects of Sanitation on Actor and
Audience He Pictures-PIeaded
with His Congregation to Pledge
themselves Never to DarIen the
Door of a Theater.
cts aim is debasement: its results
are to ennoble brutal vice into artistic
virtues. and to corrupt and def1le both
those in front of the footlights and
those behind them," was the climax to
Rev. Robert Van Deventer's sensation
al arraignnent of the theater at the
Duffy Street Baptist Church last
night in the presence of a large congre-
cation.
AS previously announced, Rev. Mr..
Van Deventer preached a special SER
mon on "Theaters." and seldom has
that institution been so bitterly at
tackled The preacher rather chose
the DRAMA, lSuOIlAS VIC OPSAob
Vile and features of the theater, where
others have found such cause for COM
ment.
In his Introductory remarks, he said
that he found no pleasure in attending
the theater, but that he had heard peo-
ple say that more Christian people
were attending the theater now than
ever before in it's history. Il have even
heard people say that the large attend
ance of Christian people on the theater
would have the effect of purifying and
uplifnting the stage" Rev. Mr.. Van
Deventer said. Overwhelming testi-
mony is to the effect that the moral
tone Of the theater is not improving,
but on the other hand it is degenerat-
ing. -
No Hard Feelings, He Said.
Il have no hard feelings towards
those who attend the theater, and
am not going to call them buzzards
and name the theater a 'buzzard's
roost.' I will let others do that, but
do want to express my opinion, and
state here that the theater is an evil,
and its history is as old as the world.
The tree is judged by its fruits. In
the days of the Romans it was a
place of corruption and those who are
best qualified to know and to offer an
opinion say that the moral tone has
not improved since. Rev. c. w. Win
chester has given this particular sub
iect particular study, and in his words
the theater never was as bad as 1t IS
now, and can only exist under degen-
eracy. Perhaps you say these are
the ignorant opinions of preacher.
Then | will give you the opinion of
the highest authority, that OF john
Gilbert the successful theatrical man
ager who says that the present drama
from a moral and artistic standpoint
is a subject of regret. Mr.. Palmer the
celebrated dramatic critic, says that
the chief theme of the theater of to-
day are ambitions that lead to muir
der, lusts that lead to adultery and
temper that lead to madness. An
other celebrated writer says it is
transgressor on the Sabbath, a defiler
of youth ana makes candidates for the
brothel.' Who wants to support such
an institution. Not only do those In
front of the footlights suffer but the
men and women who occupy the places
behind the footlights as well.
Talked of Evil Effects.
Somehow we push aside the actors
and actresses when we consider the
evil effects of this institution. The life
that actors lead cannot fail to injure
them. He who Stimulates character ac-
quires that character. If you will ask
you will find that this is the verdict
of every physician in Savannah. This
means that a man who acts the part
Of a consumptive will soon find that
he has pulmonary troubles. E. S. Will
lard assumed a role in a celebrated
play in which the lines indicated that
he died of heart disease. After prac-
ticing the part for four or five weeks
he found that pain was developing in
his heart and he gave it up. He said
that he had played the villain so often
that the marks of the character were
still on his face. Sir Henry Irving
counts that he has committed 1900
murders on the stage; a celebrated
actress that she has been betrayed s.
500 times. Do you imagine that Irving
has the same idea of the value of hui
man life or the actress the same idea
of the value of purity? Not if the laws
of nature be true.
Hit Theater GOers.
Not only is the theater harmful to
the actors;' said Mr.. Van Deventer,
but also to the theater- goers. Some
people excuse themselves on the
grounds that it is an educational in
stitution. So it is, but it educates the
wrong side. 1t educates the side that
Paul says should be kept down. 1
want to prove that it educates along
the wrong line. Bernhardt is perhaps
the most celebrated woman on the
stage. Some time ago she played La
Tosca" in Philadelphia. The Public
Ledger, clean, sober-minded family
paper had this to say; 1T was a con-
generation of horrors. 1t was objec-
tlonable because of its sheer brutality,
and immoral passions were expressed
with brutal bluntness, and the effects
on Bernhard herself were visible. But
80 perfectly did she illustrate the pow
or Of the dramatist that she trans
formed a vice into a virtue She was on
the wrong side. She ennobled brutal
passions until they seem exalted ideals.
Consider the results to a pure-minded
girl when these scenes are presented
TO her in the cloth of ideals. There
are emotions that it is best to let sleep,
and fires that it would be better not
10 kindle. Theaters hurts the spiritual
NE, and it's aim is debasenent; its
results are to ennoble brutal vice into
artistic virtues, and to corrupt and
oehle both those in front and behind
the tootlights. Let me receive your
promise to God that never again viii