The Penn's Grove record., 1905-07-14
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|NC 'A0|ls plQtAA[Eu EdlAAE VI ulAcFI~
Hness or c-oyetousness or "fbbing." 1t
IS a hopeful sign that the present
tendency Of the church seems 10 be to
give more attention to the affirmative
side of life rather than TO act as Phari-
salcal judges on the negative. ''Thou
shalt not" s like a prop to keep a
dying tree from falling, but it takes
more than a prop to make a live tree
grow. While the prop may have q
place 1t is not nearly so important as
ONE think. 4
am not a theatregoer nor ballroom
frequenter, neither do l know even the
names of the different playing cards"
| feel that l have much better use for
my time and money. From my OBJ
~seryation l have no hesitancy, however,
in agreeing with those who replied to
my question that the theatre and dance
and progressive euchre and cards are
menaces to the development Of the
Christian life. While Of themselves
they may not be more harmful than the
other forms of amusement named, their
influence seems to be against them.
To the question: do you personally
know people who frequent the theatres
and ballroom and euchre parties who
at the same time are also leaders in
prayer meeting and the Sunday-school
as soul winners, with a good. healthfuI
influence" only two answered in the
affirmative. Why? Does l. not indi-
cate that there is something out OF
harmony with these particular amuse-
ments and the healthful influence of
the Christian life? Is it right to go
counter to the testimony of people
scattered over such a wide territory
and from so many different denomina-
lions so long as we prize ou- religious
influence?
Ii we say the theatre as a whole is OF
good influence and a necessity for the
men who are carrying the great bur
dens in the commercial and industrial
world, then it falls short Of its purpose,
for the theatre is supported not by the
Cargenies and ROckefelIers, but mostly
by those who cannot afford it and at
the same time do what they ought to
in philanthropy. Most of the support
comes from the younger class, who as
yet have no great burdens to bear. AS
to why those who frequent them are
not real forces in Christian work, read
the following: President Eliot. of Har-
- % - II AAANlE1[E VI AD4uCE-
ments may be drawn from the quality
of the popular theatre. The taste is for
the trivial s~pectacles, buriesques, vul-
gar vaudeville, extravaganZas. and the
stage often presents to unmoved audi
ences scenes and situations of an I'M
wholesome sort"
One Of the leading dramatic critics
OF the English press, Mr.. Clement
Scott, says it is nearly impossible for
a woman tC remain pure who adopts
the stage as 4 profession and that the
stage has a tendency 10 disorder the
finer s~ensibilities and to substitute hol-
lowness for sincerity" and adds: Il
speak from my intimate experience
with the stage running over a period Of
over thirty years" Is it right to de
mand amusement at the enormous
price suggested by these men in the
ruin of the virtue Of WOmanhOod whose
profession is TO amuse us and thus
like Rome's vestals let their virtue pay
the awful price for u mere entertain
ment? If it is nearly impossible" to
adopt the stage and remain pure, then
it is not Christian to demand that form
of amusement on whose affairs woman
hood is sacrificed. If the sacrifice was
that of our OWL sons and daughters
would we be willing to make it simply
to amuse people?
The stage cannot be kept up without
using somebody's daughters on the al
tar. Now the question becomes a dou-
BILE one-nOt only al 1 have Christian
motives by frequenting the theatre,
but is it right to ask that somebody's
daughter run the risk of such an awful
temptation as that to which the stage
subjects them for my mere amuse-
ment, granting that the stage has many
of the most noble as its adOrnment and
that many of our best people patronize
it? Yet if the fame of the theatre pas
sion demands such fuel. can l afford to
be a party to the transaction? l would
not appeal to prejudice nor act as judge
over other mems consciences nor pass
hard ecclesiastical laws of diSbarment
against those who might differ with
me. 1 make my appeal to the hearts
sense of justice TO make mar or woman
who may have enough Of the Christly
ambition to make the most of life by
stunning that form of amusement Of
any kind which runs such tremendous
risks.
Are you asking me # a man is to be
deprived of his rights just because he
is a Christian? This is a good question
over which to pause and ask for the
sake of others not what are my
rights" but what are my duties and
obligations?