turns of expression, apothegms in particular plays which strike the public fancy, become incorporated with the conversation and newspaper and magazine articles of the day; while many of the larger periodicals present discussions of plays, critiques of actors, etc.; and the daily papers give to the community every morning a column or two of criticism on the performances of the preceding evening, written, in many instances, with so much discrimination and in such an attractive manner as to make very interesting reading. Under these circumstances the position proper to be taken by Christians toward the Theater is much debated in almost every household. Individual Christians have to determine what it is right for them to do, and parents, guardians, and educators are obliged to decide what they may encourage or allow to those in their charge.

To whatever conclusion the conscientious Christian may come, he who assists him in the solution of the problem by a careful presentation of the subject in all its relations, will perform a real service. Believing that there is a place, and that there

is a positive demand for such a discussion as will bear the test of a rigorous examination of the principles maintained, the author submits the following chapters as the best contribution which he can make to the elucidation of this theme.

CHAPTER II.

HOW THE THEATER IS REGARDED BY THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC AND GREEK CHURCHES.

HE Roman Catholic Church, notwithstanding

THE

the blows which it has received from Mohammedanism, and more recently from the great Reformation and spread of Rationalism, is still the Church of Italy, Austria, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and South America, and is the controlling religious influence in Ireland, while it is very active in England and flourishing in the United States. As upon many subjects it is most pronounced, and on some questions has never sought to conciliate adverse opinion, it is worth while to consider its treatment of theatrical amusements. In its ritual it makes more use of dramatic representation than any other body bearing the Christian name, and in some parts of the world, at certain seasons, actually dramatizes the scenes of the crucifixion. To ordinary theatrical amusements it is tolerant, and in the countries which

are exclusively Catholic they are allowed and patronized without rebuke, by the population generally. In most or all of these countries the Theaters are open on Sunday evenings, when the most popular plays are put upon the boards and are witnessed by larger concourses than usual. But in Lent the people are dissuaded, and in fact prohibited, from going, and those who are at all devotional, or recognize the authority of the Church, either abstain wholly from plays, or studiously avoid the more frivolous, attending only on tragedies. In some countries, where the civil law is controlled by the Church of Rome, the Theaters are closed in Lent. It is a fact, however, of some interest and significance, that with few exceptions, if any, those "orders" and individuals who lay claim to peculiar devotion renounce theatrical amusements altogether. But they pursue the same course with regard to other amusements, and place abstinence from them on the same. ground on which they rest the obligation of fasting, vigils, additional prayers, masses, and divers forms of self-denial and voluntary humiliation. While the average Catholic population are allowed to attend

the Theaters, except at certain seasons, and are countenanced by the presence of their priests in so doing, many bishops, priests, and monks have strongly condemned theatrical amusements, and written weighty arguments against them, some going so far as to declare that they are "instruments of Satan," "a curse to the Church," "beguiling unstable souls;" and charging those priests who lend those amusements their influence with leading the flock of God astray. I have been told, on good authority, that there have been papal allocutions against Theaters; but, however this may be, with the exceptions above-named, the spirit of the Romish Church has been one of tolerance, if not of friendship, toward them.

The Greek Church, "predominating in all Russia, European Turkey, Greece, the Ionian Isles, and Montenegro," holds about the same relation to the Theater which characterizes the Church of Rome, and has not thought it important to instruct its people on the subject, at least to any extent perceptible to the outside world.