The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-02-19
ANDERSON AND 4THE ANDERsoN.'

Anderson is to be congratulated on the opening
Of her splendid new theatre. There is not finer
one in the State, and one which will give more
pleasure 10 the people Of any city than The Ander
son Will to Anderson. The capacity for play and
enjoyment is one OF the faculties given ran by an
all-wise creator and furnishing proper and legit-
mate forms of amusement is of the functions OF
we'll organized society. The time was when It
was thought an evil for people to be amused, and
the Quaker idea of long face and devoutness with
out having the monotony broken with heathfui en-
joyment. was deemed proper and religious. This
idea has been wonderfully changed, and today in
many churches there are forms OF amusement
which few years ago would not have been tolerat-
ed anywhere by the members OF the church The
idea today Is to give people the right kind of en-
toymant inside the church il possible and outside
II necessary.
As means for amusement and as an educa-
tor few agencies are more valuable than the
theatre coupled with the right kind OF motion pic
lures. OF course this means that there must be
shown the right kind OF plays, the proper comedies
tragedies and operas Holding the mirror up to
nature" In Its many forms is quite proper and high
'iy educational That Manager Bleich. backed by q
healthy public sentiment. will do this no one
doubts. II he does not he Will not long conduct
popular house. But knowing him as we do we
have no hesitancy In assuring the public that tho
attractions at The Anderson will be the best OBJ
sssEak.e.
It was gratifying 10 have present ON the ouonine
night the very great audience. who were fully In
sympathy with the progressive spirit OF the new
theatre building, and to feel that the public is back
OF the progressive spirit which actuated Chairman
Fowler and the other members Of the building COM
mittee as we'll es the liberal supporters who made
1t possible. II
The invocation delivered by DR.. Kinard, president
OF Anderson College. was so good and expressed SO
appropriately the thought which should have been
uppermost m the minds OF the people who saw the
new theatre in its true spirit. that we give it in
foil. The words Of the prayer were as follows:
20 Lord. our Father. the Father of all men in
every age and cline, the Father OF us ALL when we
work and when we play, when we weep and when
we laugh. look down upon US aud bless u.s.
I'm thy great mercy thou hast created us with q
capacity for suffering and capacity for enjoyment
and we. can worship thee In both
I'VE pray thee to help us to remefnber thee not
only In sorrow. but also ii. our glndness
I'VE thank thee for the many ways In which thou
hast enabled us to learn the truth, and Tor MI the
means by which our souls are stirred to sympathy
to pity and to noble deeds
To night we thank thee especially for the men
and women, who through their art upon the stage.
have shown us life as II really Is. and have awaken
ed In us noble aspirations that we might not other
wise have felt s9sas.
And now. our Father. the people OF this city
have bnilded them q playhouse. In which they may
gather fol the pleasure that It gives them. We
pray thee to nteet with do rs we gather here from
te to time. and enisyen within us the social In
stinet with which thou hast so graciousIy Messed
us SIS ssi IS
I'VE pray thee to bless this house.; let no evil
thing como nigh &C. Make It q power for good, ana
not 2 power for evil in the life OF this city.
n .sInstruct and guide those who shali cnnteni Il
70 the end thst thy SHAH be gioried ana this
people blessed Ame1a