Moral Value of Amusements

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 8, 31 December 1889, Page 3

Moral Value of Amusements

* On this subject the following observations occur in a paper on the Relative Morals of City : and Country, --in the Perm Monthly, an American periodical : — " The love of amusement is natural to the human mind, and like all other natural tastes and appetites, is given' to us by pur Creator for some wise and benevolent purpose. Proper amusements tend to health of body and mind The moral nature is benefitted by * amusement, by preventing it becoming morbid and sickly on the one haud, and- by arresting it from low and corrupting tendencies on the other. ■ It is - said that before the theatre Was" established in San Francisco the town was giyen to the lowest reyelry and •debauchery, and that brawls and murders were of increasing occurrence. The rea : son was, men had no other resorts for ■amusement than to the low dens of iniquity, with which the town was flooded. When the theatre was established they were attracted to it, were amused, and entertained, and the morals of tbe town rapidly improved! All approval of -the ' theatre must' be predicated of a welll-con--ducted theatre, where the decencies and . proprieties of life are respected, and where at least a "harmless, if not an improving moral tone, is blended with amusement. Kis not, perhaps, too much to say, that in a great community like" this we could better aftord to spare one of om* many churches than cone of our few well-con-ducted theatres. The ill consequences fo .society in fche one case would pz*obab]y be greater than in ' the- other. ■ Man is held from evil by employment and amusement, as well. as by moral teaching, and * -each must play its part, and supplement the other in the great work of rescuing , - man from the destructive tendencies of sin. And observation, I think, will confirm that where "men and women do not mingle aruu&erneufc with -labor fchey either j>ervert labor to selfish and excessive snd, or become morbid and one-sided in their general views. In the consideration of this question, whatever has been said ias been predicated upon an- equal uumber of population, whether' of city or - -country, and' is intended to include, as a part of the couutry, the country towns."