THE CHURCH AND THE THEATRE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4342, 18 February 1875, Page 2

THE CHURCH AND THE THEATRE.

(From the New York tferald, November 22.) One very important result has come from the prominence we have lately given to the Sunday question, viz., a very free expression of public opinion on the subject. Almost every class of society has been heard from. The workman who toils all the week, who not only feels disinclined to attend service on Sunday morning, but to whom physical rest at.home seems to be a necessity ; the minister, whose earnest endeavor is to sanctify the hurrying, bustling, and wearing life of the, masses, by. the high and holy associations which make the one day in seven fragrant, hopeful, and serene; as well as the actor and the business-man, have spoken freely on this topic. That good will come from a discussion of this kind, carried on in a spirit of fairness and impartial criticism, no one will doubt. The community is prepared for it, and recent movements to open our theatres for dramatic representations of the better sort, and our', concert-halls for musical entertainments, • which seem to be called sacred more on account of the day than for any other reason, it must be confessed render it imperative to take some action either of approval or disapproval. ' It is needless for us to say that we have verylittle sympathy with either extreme in i!h,e multiplicity of positions taken.- The Herald desires simply to subserve the public interest and to seek the public welfare by the most direct means and in the most economical way. We have no patience whacever with that wholesale denunciation of the theatre, which is at once short-sighted and unwise, and which lays one open to the charge of entire ignorance of the drama and of its practical effects. It may be fairly said of the ministers. that they are talking in the dark when they denounce the drama as an unmitigated eviL They confess that they have never been to the theatre, that they know of its. allurements and its temptations only by hearsay,. and yet they venture, we think rashly, to express as decided an opinion as they would on a subject with which they are' perfectly familiar. , It must be confessed, also, that in the heat of the controversy the advocates of the drama are somewhat inclined to draw a veil over the demoralizing influences which are actually connected with the theatre. What the people want is to get at the real merits of the question, and an honest statement of facts, with an equally honest confession of any evils that may exist, is the shortest road to a settlement of the problem that will be satisfactory to all. It is very earnestly argued by some, and the argument is not without force, that if anything can be done to entice those who form the lower stratum of society out of the beer-shops,' the rum cellars, and the houses of a still more questionable character, it should be done at once. It is certain that the present missionary force is inadequate to such a result. Either the missionaries are not zealous, enough or their number is too small, or religion itself, even in its primary stage, fails to awaken any sense of moral responsibility in these people. Whatever may be the cause of the fact it is apparent to every one who takes the trouble to walk through these districts,that any change whatever would be for the' better. If by a concert or a spectacular representation or anything else that is attractive they can be drawn away from bad liquor, with a probable brawl and a possible murder as a consequence, then it would seem to be well to tolerate the concert rather than to be mawkish about it and be compelled to tolerate the brawl aud the murder. It has seemed to us that anything which leads a man up from actual crime is better than anything which leaves him there. The end in this case certainly justifies the means, and amusement, which is not immoral in its tendency is better than vicious company and vicious practices. If the Church can and will devise some mean 3 by which these people can be drawn into their chapels and taught the rudiments of a religious life it will, of course, accomplish the most desirable of all results ; but, if this is impossible, the next best result to be achieved is the

ingathering:of these people into any"placewhere the immediate influence will be better than foul companionship and drunkenness. A word can also bo said. for the middle classes, so called. A very large proportion of them, for some reason or other, do not attend church. Religious worship is either too expensive or too fashionable, or not sufficiently attractive, and they prefer to remain at home or to walk in the park. The simple fact with which we have to do is.that they are not attendants upon Divine worship. The question naturally arises—and it s a question of great moment, and should receive careful attention—would it not be a step n the right direction to open all our libraries and reading rooms, that this class of tho community may have an opportunity to educate themselves ? If they will not be religious, shall they, therefore, be ignorant ? If we have done our best to attract them to tho church and failed, shall we therefore close every door of improvement against them? Is it better that they should do nothing but sleep and gossip than that they should have at least the incentive to intellectual culture ? A library and a reading room are steps towards the church, and steps up from their present level: If we cannot get what we want, shall we insist on having nothing, or gratefully accept the best thing to be had under the circumstances ? All these questions are to be answered without prejudice and without bigotry. They demand the thoughtful consideration of our best minds, for the answer will involve very important issues.