CHRISTIANS AND THEATER-GOING.
By M. O. Huber
To my mind one sad evidence of the decline of spirituality in the present age is the tendency of professed Christians to visit theaters. Many ask, What is the harm? I answer, What is the good? Is it not a waste of much precious time, time that might have been used in a far better way? Does it not fascinate young people, and give them a taste for worldly frivolities which often leads to a downward road? Does not the presence of professed Christians encourage others thus to squander God's mercies in worse than useless folly? Do not the innuendos used in such places, also the sensuous spectacles witnessed there, tend to defile the mind and to blunt the taste for more solid and serious exercises? Has not the theater often been the first downward step to destruction? Does not the theater de facto belong to the people of this world, who have no desire for God or His Word? Let me give the reader an incident to show what a genuine Christian thinks of such a place. Some years ago there was in Mussorie Hills a noted retired general who had been converted to God in his old age by reading some of Mr. Spurgeon's sermons. His delight was to place copies of these sermons in the hands of all the officers of the army whom he knew throughout India. One day a lady, high up in the social scale, called at his house, and said,— "General, I suppose you will be at the theater to-night?" He said, "No, madam; I am now a Christian, and have given up the devil's house for the house of God." The great lady was shocked, and said,— "What, am not I a Christian?" "Madam," was the reply, "what is a true Christian? I take a true Christian to be one who follows Christ, and I ask you, Do you think if Christ were here, He would go to the theater?" "O, no," the lady said, "He would not go." "Then, if He would not, should His people go where Christ would not go? If they dare go where He is not, they go into danger. So better not go, for it is the devil's ground. I ask you again, Would you like to die in a theater?" This touched the conscience, and the answer was, "God forbid." After all she went, hoping she would not die in such a place! Another excuse is, "People must have some enjoyment." I would ask, Are there no other and better enjoyments for the true Christian? Carrion may be relished by vultures, but the dove will flee from it; and the people who can relish theatricals remind one of him who would fain have filled himself with "the husks which the swine did eat." The sad declension in family worship is another certain sign of the down-grade tendency of the age. Does it not deeply pain one to see the fire of the family altar going out, while footballs, concerts, etc., etc., are in full swing? Are we not losing our relish for the Bible and the means of grace? It looks like it; and what will be the result?—Worldliness and popery swamping the land. What urgent need there is for a wave of earnest and united prayer all over the land on the part of God's people. M. O. HUBER.
Fresno, Cal.