The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-08-31

Text-"Ye We blind guides, which
strain at a gnat, and swallows
camel" st. Mathew xiii CHI. verse
"A and but II We had known what
this meaneth, l will have mercy,
and not sacrifice. We would not have
: condemned the guiltless." st. Matt.
xii Oh. verse z.
Is 1t not q little remarkable that in
this enlightened age Of so-called Chris
tian civilization SO many over-ripe
processing Christians-in the pulpit
and out Of it--devote so much time,
talk and vital energy trying to kill
gnats while the vipers and adders are
coiled in plain view before their very
eyes? This. too when the gnats
which they are so constantly and
zealously inveighing against and at
which they are leveling their heaviest
artillery, are visionary gnats. created
by q process all their own, deduced
by species of Illogical -ogic with
fragmentary selections from the epis-
tolary writings as their premises, with
out regard to the contents or subject
matter of the author. and often in
direct conflict. according to their in
terpretations, with the teachings on
the same subject as they come from
the life of Him who spake as never
man spoke!
They hurl their anathemas at ne
dance gnat. Level their double-shell
artillery at the dance hall in the alb
stract-make no concrete exception
as to time, place or circumstance.
just as though 1t was In the decaolgue
Thou Shalt Not Dance"
Yet, we find the sacred writer tell
ing US there Is time to dance" us
ing the expression In such connec-
ton as to clearly indicate that the
act of dancing was an innocent amuse-
mental least at proper times and
places.
We do not pretend to deny that
some grevious sins have had their be.
ginnings In the BAH rooms. but is
equally certain that the first
sin, with all that led up
to it. took place in that earthly para
disc. the Garden OF Eden! 1t is equal
ly true that many just as heineous
begin at camp meetings. prayer meet
ings, In church choirs, and all the 9th
er places where the human family
congregate. II. Is not the time or
place, or occasion or character of
amusement which is responsible for
the results which flow out of them,
but the character of the individuals
composing the assembly. AS we said
some few weeks ago, the responsible
ity rests upon each individual. The
tempter is ever present to
do his work. II is quite plain that
while the Father was talking to the
first pair in Eden. the Devil was play
ing In the background watching his
opportunity.
Then we have the theater gnat.
The theater-plays Of all kinds-are
bombarded by the heavy guns and
pelted with grape and canister by
the light artillery and hand-grenaded
by the sappers and miners without
discrimination. No distinction is
drawn between the plays of Shakes
peare as illustrated by the master of
artists of the worldwide historic re-
nown. and the Queen Of Bloody Gulch,
as shown In some vaudeville house
by arrant transformers. Yet Shakes
peares plays are among the classics
and no ones education Is considered
complete who is not familiar with his
works. These are mentioned merely
as examples. as there are many plays
equally as entertaining and instruc-
tive as Shakespeare's. and which
when presented by real artists teach
In most impressive manner great
moral lessons, oh. but you say. 1t is
not so much the play itself. but the
fact that so many of the actors and
actresses are immoral In their habits.
They should not be encouraged to
stay on the stagel How do you know
they are immoral? Do you take it as
heresay? Did 1t ever strike you that
II all that was said about you behind
your back was true. that you would
be as far away from the straight and
narrow path as these stage people
are? Did You ever try to trace one
OF those ~they say" rumors to it's
source? II you did. did you run it
down? II so did you not find '.the
three black crows?" But II there are
some immoral ones ON the stage. do
you not also find some ON the street? |
In the homes? In the churches? In |
the pulpits? Are all OF these to be
because q percentage i'm |
an callings of life is corrupt? Think |
est thOu that the eighteen ON whom /