Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-11
The Modern stage


x,,,,,, A. sixty wears ago the pulpit
,hpDaered against theatre going. Hardly
a sermon was preached that did no' al, a..
lude to the Decentralization Oh s1ss 10
.,d its dangers to young minus anu
NJ vas a heroic minister who dared 10
disrrtninate or apologize for historic
nlavs or attend a theatre himself hs
fscsd active opposition and often received
oD~n rebuke- II he was lenient even IN
criticism Of actors -.
I onee knew a minister who was taken
from the pastOrate OF a fine church anu
~eut 10 q colored mission toeIore tiie
van because he decided TO see game
OF billiards played. never heN ,l1s ~.
messed such a performance IN MS ne.
Ne attended himself by saying ne
,xsnted 10 fully understand what ne was
expected 10 denounee from the pulpit ana
he was not going 60 cry aloud ana spAte
not on simple hears2y
II goes without saying that no cnureh
member would have been allowed 10 al
tnpa theatres without suffering church
trial fifty years ago In Georgia bu'
times have changed and people nave
changed with them. You hear but little
ssta~ about tbeatre-Eoing in our large
towns. and the pulpit has become very
conservative on card parties. etc. etc.
have INDUCED In these retrospective
thonebts tonight after reading late ar
ticIe that has just appeared in popular
and widely circulated magazine on the
dowrnward tendency Of modern stage lie
in New York city. and the popularity OF
suggestive. 'smutty" plays IN That gresl
retropolitan center. Women are saio ~
nose IN fesh-colored tights. and even I'M
dress before the multitude with perfect
- hzFt de-
rpnrv Love affairs between -half=mar-
RED folks and their. afanities are NEST
aupefisfng TO the crowds which throng
those spacious theatres Sensual ana
~urre~tive illusions are well received py
sudfencss Of men and women. married
and unmarried and they go together 10
be amused after a day OF business OF
social excitement. 10 be further Followed
BY midnight wine suPpers after the play
Is over. .,,,
once heard a society woman say, 'lf
7 had a Young daughter and she had
danced with a man all the evening, arld
re had been wine drinking, / certainly
would not allow her to be accompanied
home BY him alone in carriage aIter
ire dance was over" / did not feel II
race~sarv TO ask for further explanation
Of the subject after her remarks
I would. however. say that no younS
woman can attend theatre play "het
lust and adultery are exploited IN the
glare and glitter 'of excellent music and
GORGEOUS display. and come back. home
as bean in her mind and thoughts as
W 4 she started. and defy contradiction
IN I further say that she walks IN
sIippery places IL she continues TO feed
her mentality upon such abnormal excite
rneut and IL accustomed TO its demoraliz-
ing infiuense.
A broken-hearted mother once confded
her grief 10 me after a promising son hal
lost his place and dropped into inebriety
and disgrace. and she attributed his
downfall to constant theatre going, where
he sought and eraved the excitement
that attends such stage displays, and the
lax moral atmosphere around men and
women actors. who absorbed his atten-
ton. II our preachers were too strict
half century ago. have they not grown
too lax now. when the stage has become
as immoral as it was in the time OF
Charles IL