Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-15
Rector Perkins Says There Must
Be an Alliance Between
The Two.
HISTRI0NIC ART IS A GIFT.
Amusc ments Arc Needed But Sunday
Evening Performances Arc Not
Crcditablc.

church preached last evening on the re-
latlon OF the church and the stage. As
he s chaplain Of the Actors Alliance,
what he had TO say, was taken largely
as a reflection OF the Views Of the pro-
fesslon. He spoke from Cor, X; 81
Whatsoever sc do. do all to the glory
Of God" The speaker said IN part;
This alliance Is nearly seven years
old, and was founded at the sugges-
ton of the Rev. Walter Bentley, who
had been an actor and had seen the
necessity tor closer relationship be-
tween the church and the stage. IN
order TO bring about a mutual UNDER
standing and degree OF confidence
wEch mad largely been conspicuous by
its absence Among the prominent
members have been the following:
Bishop Potter, Rev. Walter Bentley,
and chaplains in nearly all the import
ant cities; Joseph jefferson, Henry
Warde. Mrs. fiske, and q host OF 9TH
ers have lent their sympathy TO this
nobleework.
In the first place. II amusement has
no lawful place in the economy of ma
tufe. then. OF course. there should
never be any alliance between II and
the church. 1t seems strange that this
question should ever have been raised
but II has. | fear there are some to-
day who are still raising II. When a
theory that the world was soon to
come to an end held the minds of the
people one can account somewhat for
such antagonlsm prevailing. Even the
church itself suffered from such a the
Dry ST. Paul found It necessary 10
eXhou some persons to attend to their
own business which they were neglect
ing on the ground that they were soon
to be with the Lord anyhow, and why
should they bother with things of the
earth. Such theories have been pro-
claimed on the corners of the streets
In Salt Lake city within the past year.
Then, too, when the gladiatorlal
combat and the sacrificing of human
life were so common In the popular
amusement, we can appreciate the feel
ings OF the followers OF him who set
such lofty estimate upon human life.
The arena of the ancient amphltheatre
had to 20 before the face of a higher
civilization.
HAS COME TO STAY.
with the drama it was different.
The drama had come to stay The
church used the stage or the play to
| propagate its teachings. If the miracle
and mystery plays that have been re-
| produced today, are fair sample of
| what the people of the middle ages had
| TO endure there can be no wonder that
| they wearied of them. They are so bad
| IS literal that the imaginative instinct
Is insulted. They leave no room for
| the picturesque which has always been
a most powerful educatiye influence for
| good.
The ascetic spirit of Purtanism re-
| ViVed the former antipathy towards the
| theatre The austere God of that time
could not look with pleasure upon any
appreciation of his work which he had
originally pronounced good Some
phases OF religion make Lin a despot.
The black cloud, with a scrutinizlng
eye piercing through, the intlmating:
All I've caught you In your mischief"
is picture of bygone views. Ii reminds
one OF the words of the Psalmlst when
he says Of the gods Of the heather:
They that made them are like unto
them. II God Is our father. then sure
~ we have a higher appreciation OF
him than that all things he made are
base. See how this thory of evil abid-
ing In material things has influenced
men. Once all musical instruments
were attributed to the devils make
shift 10 call away man from his right
ful path of life. Now we believe that
nothing which has ever brought n
smile over the human countenance and
cheered truly the heart of man has
anything In common with the devil.
I'm the maddenlng rush OF lawful
undertakings man has used these gifts
Of God for his own welfare, making
life form bearable. Instead OF
wholesale denunciation Of any legit-
mate calling We have learned to dis
criminate If some are unworthy that
Is no reason for denouncing the whole
profession The tables are turned at
times and when one minister proves
recreant to his trust epithets are
hurled with Vehemence and one can
hardly blame those who hurled them,
for they have been set the example
and that. too, by men who should have
had more love, not TO say common de-
cency, IN thier utterances.
ART Is 4 GIFT.
The histrionic art II a gift as much
as any other and can be rightly used
for good With persons who cannot
make any distinction between use and
abuse of things there IL little use and
arguing. When among some temper
ance means abstinence then our terms
will need revising; but when we can
learn to use the world aud its good
things and not abuse them, when we
can lea m to be temperate In all things,
then our antagOnsms will largely be
done away with.
II grant that It Is not necessary 20
exhort anybody I'm this city to attend
the theater. The opposite advice at
times might mean for some more
respectable meal, with a table cloth TO
IN, nd OH l,a thate
hands needed washing, and this fur
Their suggesting that they needed to be
cleaner outside and In. The Sunday
evening performances Is no credit to
the community, nor Is II a Justice to
the acting profession. This Is one fea-
ture which the Actors Church Alliance
IL working for And that SOME lives
are not what they ought to he Is no
argument against the stage. We would
all wish to see changes made for the
good OF all, The removal OF the mer-
cenary spirit from the control Of the
drama and expurgatng certain phrases
would do immense good no doubt. This
Is peculiar TO the stage however,
ARE NOT ALL ALIKE.
FINALLY, how can any man help an
other from whom he cuts himself of
entirely. The reason that the ancient
Jew did not have more missionary
~oirit is sef-evldent He called all
outside nations, dogs and thus cut
himself out from influencing them IN
any manner To cali every actor by
any name that will make wider the
breach Is not 10 do the Masters work.
As we say Of any class OF individuals
SO we may say Of this profession.
There are actors and actors. which.
I'm these times, has come TO be n COM
prehenslve phrase. So, too. they are
saying. There are ohurches ana
churches
To-day the church recognizes It's
duty, and through It's chaplains end
friends the alliance Is doing all II can
ID ,aise the standard high. Assuring
thnss who may fall sick By the way