Great Moral Exhibition by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 26, 1864

“Great Moral Exhibition.”

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THE other day as I was waiting for the cars at Hillsdale, Mich., I observed a hand-bill posted up with the above heading in large letters. “A moral exhibition,” thought I, what kind of an exhibition can that be? Webster defines morality to be a “system or practice of moral duties; character conformed to the moral law.”

Now how can they make a public exhibition of morality? Has morality become so scarce an article in this “Christian land” that a person must pay twenty-five cents to behold an instance of it?! Not being able to decide these questions satisfactorily, I concluded to read the hand-bill for an explanation. I found it to contain, among other things, the following:

“Com. Foote, the smallest man alive. Miss Eliza Nestelle, (sister of Com. Foote,) the smallest matured lady ever known. Col. Small, though last, not least in estimation. These greatest little living wonders of the nineteenth century, have been received and seen with unbounded satisfaction by the press and public in general. They appear in thirty distinct characters, comic, and artistic, double and single dances, comic scenes, laughable burlesques, &c., arranged expressly for them, with great care to please the most fastidious tastes, among which are the following: Two French clowns, Burlesque Heenan and Sayers, Double Irish tilt, Jockey hornpipe, &c., &c. After which will be sung, March away cheerily, Gen. Scott, and Corp. Johnson, A curious song, Hark! I hear the angels sing.”

Ah! then this is the “morality of the nineteenth century is it? Quite a revolution in “morals” since Webster wrote his dictionary! But really, this hand-bill may teach us a sad, but important, lesson; as it is a good index to the morality of the present age. The most honorable and sacred names are prostituted to proclaim the most worthless, trifling, and ungodly performances.

Only think of applying the name “moral” to such a performance as the “Two French clowns! Burlesque Heenan and Sayers! Double Irish Tilt!” &c. Then to consecrate all this worse than nonsense by introducing the holy angels of God!

To cap the climax, we generally read at the bottom, “Ministers and their families admitted free.” But will not these ministers feel insulted by this offer of a free admittance to such a place? Oh, no! the offer is generally accepted; and doubtless the minister if called upon, would be ready to introduce the first “Jockey Hornpipe” with a prayer! Oh that God would open the eyes of the people to see where they are drifting.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Ithaca, Mich.