27 JANUARY 1894, Page 12

Shall we attend Theatres? By J. F. T. Hallowes, M.A.

(C. Caswell, Birmingham.)—Mr. Hallowes, as may be supposed, answers his question with an absolute " No !" and argues his case with no little force. That the average morality of the drama sinks rather than rises, and that the stage is a very dangerous life, are propositions which it would be difficult to deny. Supposing that they are conceded, does it follow that the Christian man should avoid the theatre ? That is not quite so plain as Mr. Hallowes thinks. We have to deal with life as it is. The stage always has been an institution of civilised society, and probably always will be. What is to be done then? It depends very much on the theory of religion which we hold. If civilised society is only the world veneered over, and the Christian is safer and better the less he has to do with it, then his course is plain. He must keep aloof, of course, persuading as many as he can to keep aloof with him. But does not this really mean a very narrow Calvinism? The mass of mankind will never give these things up. Are we to leave them to grow worse and worse, or do our best to raise them ? Then there is the difficulty of vocation. There seem to be people who are born to be actors, singers, acrobats,—ministers generally to those pleasures which Mr. Hallowes condemns without exception, born to be that and nothing else. What of them ? But we are very much obliged to Mr. Hallowes for his lucid and temperate argument.