The Theater

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 16, 1915

A MOST excellent answer has been given by the Sunday School Times to a query from one of its subscribers on the question of Christians’ attending the theater. We quote:—

The fundamental objection to attending plays lies not in the character of any play witnessed, but in the fact that it is a play at all. The objection rests upon acting as a life work. It is an unworthy and demoralizing effort to devote one’s life to seeming to be another person than oneself. Even though the character simulated is a good character, acting is poorer business, always, than being. Therefore any play that necessitates the profession of acting, as all professional plays do, is open to this fundamental objection. And to attend such a play is so far to indorse and encourage a profession which is unworthy, and the tendency of which is harmful in its effect upon its own members. From this standpoint, just where any line can fairly be drawn between plays does not appear.

To this answer of the Sunday School Times we say, Amen. The Christian’s duty is not to discriminate between plays. Our example must tell for more than the nicety of our discrimination between plays given in a theater. Those who take us for an example may not have the fine powers of discernment which we pride ourselves in possessing, and at the first might not be able to discriminate, and at the last might not care to. We are not to draw the line between plays, but between attending them and not attending them. There will then be no difficulty on the part of any in understanding our example.