Show STAGE AND PULPIT the two most potent factors on tho moral condition of mankind from times immemorial havo been tho theater and tho church lucli a there is dissimilar in thear present exterior aspect and interior arrangement we must not forgot that ab various epochs in the history of mankind the two intimately blended and formed one divino service the very cradle of the dramatic art lies in the shadow ol 01 the altar of dionysus bacchus to whom the ancient greeks would sacrifice a he sacrifice with dances and out of which sprung tragedy i rajas the lie goat od the pom song all through tho middle age the very cathedrals and min of the church were the stages of dramatized representation of biblical subjects choso whoso performance would sometimes extend over whole days and weeks and engage hundreds of still tho clerical profession would at times decomo oblivious of the great services which the drama had rendered it in emphasizing moral precepts with unsurpassed and irac ei force abe timo was when actors were social pariahs paria hs being denied not the and distinctions of social rank in life bill the comforts and consolations bithe church when dying and dead from this degradation tho theatre cal fraternity have gradually risen until their now occupy full standing and enjoy untainted reputation in the and comedian is no more synonymous of mountebank vagabond or outlaw ddll there are gentlemen of rev end title and irreverent temper whom jealousy over the success of the flage induces to fling their ecclesiastical sias venom at the followers ef theopis such a one gets a solid takedown take down in the detroit free press of a recent date mr stuart robson the celebrated actor in that popular journal defends his profession against the at tacks of a clergyman of that city who impugned the morality of actors and actresses lie gets back on the clerical gentleman in a rather severe manner his attack on tho edege is quoted as saying that the green room of the theater is often no belter than the infamous third circle that in borao theartres theatres the atres opens directly into the house of bhame Is it not time for the clergy to stop their misrepresentations of a profession choso whoso moral record by actual statistics ie far sus to their own if there is reason for supposing that the door of tho theatre opens into the house of shame is there not stronger reason for supposing that the doors of many churches possess alie same questionable qualities if we may judge by the largo of clerical scoundrels who use them if weare known how do the actor and preacher egand before the law of god and man there ie scarcely a prison in this country or europa that does members of the cloth some arc imprisoned for theft many for murder but the principal occupation of these unfortunate gentlemen eorms to have been the destruction of homes and tho betrayal of innocence though the greater number of these criminals escape legal punishment through the holy horror that many clerical bodies have afan exposure not that they desire to shield brother chadband oh no but if it were known scandal would be brought on tho church it was thia policy which the reverend kalloch in boston some n ngo from tho churche churchs condemnation dem nation but alie ing law loving citizens were less borgil inguid thie pious who denounced the theatre us house of cliame was forted to fly from a city which he had the last sunday school speech made by that reverend rascal cowley alie pious glutton who has systematically starving poor children was a warning against the sinfulness of the play houe person s of this dabs heartily indorse the reverend view of the stage in this connection it may not be amiss to that I challenge the reverend to name a single state arkon which numbers among te inmates an actor and I will contribute to tho irish famine fund if he can o a single state prison that does not hold pi eacher in conclusion if the reverend pierson that tho influences ol 01 the stage are so demoralizing and of the pulpit so elevating how do he account for tho small percentage of convicted crime among the played play ef and tho very largo I of convicted crimo among the bk fryy tho pulpit hae been thundering against the enago for years and yet it As intelligence the drama the a denounced it a covenant with hell the ia aa the beloved of heaven otal wick edue of tho preacher has the world huiR ring beautiful and inspired works of tho hayo left an in fluency for glod which will to the end of time |