The Theatre

The Theatre
from an old manual

Plays and Theatrical Amusments may be counted among the most dangerous occasions of sin which young persons have to avoid in the world. They are sometimes a stumbling-block to their piety and good resolutions, because it is now too much the custom to employ advice, solicitations, and even authority, to overcome every reluctance on this head.

The opinion of the most learned and holy doctors of the Church has, at all times, been in opposition to theatrical amusements. By St. Augustine they are styled, "the pest of souls; the ruin of virtue and decorum:" and St. Chrysostom denominates them "the fuel of the passions, and the pomps of Satan, which Christians solemnly renounce." -- Notwithstanding this, it is a melancholy truth, that there are persons now found, who are so insensible to the real interests of their daughters, sisters, and other female friends, as to authorize, and even procure the presence of such diversions. An eminent prelate of the present day, whose profound erudition and invaluable writings already rank him among the most zealous and efficient defenders of religion and morality, loudly condemns this practice. He expresses astonishment at the inconsistency of those parents, who first, by a Christian education, provide their children with the means of saving their souls, and afterwards expose them to the evident risk of being eternally lost, by permitting them to frequent stage representations. "Those parents," continues he, "deserve no pity, if their children ultimately disappoint their hopes; because they have to reproach themselves with industriously eradicating the early lessons of virtue and morality they had received, and implanting those of the world, the flesh, and the devil, by conducting them to the head school, where these lessons are taught, viz. the play-house." However, as it is in every one's power, aided by divine grace, to resist solicitations on this head, as well as every other temptation, their success with respect to many young persons, must be attributed to want of resolution on their part. It is true, that curiosity to witness these exhibitions, as well as the desire and love of amusement, are quite natural to youth; so much so, that the best instructed young persons must rather ambition the merit overcoming such inclinations, than the privilege of not feeling them. But, at the same time, they should remember, that this is a victory which the Almighty requires; and consequently, a steady determination never to assist at theatrical amusements, should be one of their most particular resolutions on entering the world. They are not ignorant of the various and solid reasons which exist for making and keeping such a resolution. Among those the following should be particularly impressed on their minds:

First, the risk they run, by frequenting the theatre, of losing what should be dearer to them than life itself, the grace of God, and the love of virtue; because, as St. Augustine observes, "it is at the theatre that the flesh and the devil assault the minds and hearts of young people, by every means calculated to instil the poison of vice; to enervate the soul, and flatter the passions, by a general and simultaneous movement of all the allurements and charms of the senses."

Secondly, the bad example which the appearance of a well-instructed Catholic would give in a play-house, as likewise the scandal which it may occasion, by leading the others to indulge without scruple in amusements, of which the before hesitated to partake.

It may not be amiss here to caution young persons against the arguments generally made use of in favor of theatrical amusements; that by examining at leisure the emptiness and insufficiency of those arguments, they may not afterwards be influenced by their apparent plausibility. Young persons, for example, must expect to be told, that going to plays is not sinful, because many excellent characters frequent the theatre without scruple. -- It is unfortunately too true, that this dangerous practice is patronized, though it can never be authorized, by some Catholics, from whom a different like of conduct should be expected; but that circumstance does not in the least diminish its danger or its guilt. If precedent were a sufficient excuse before God for any sin, what crime is there that may not be committed with impunity? Therefore, so far from being decided, in this respect, by the opinion and practice of others, young persons should act consistently with the principles which were early impressed on their minds; and though the example of all those whom, in other respects, they consider most worthy of there deference and imitation, were alleged a motive for going to plays, they should answer, as Bossuet did to Louis XIV. on a similar occasion: "Sire, there are great examples for going to the theatre, but great reasons for staying away."

Young persons will be told, in the next place, that they may safely frequent the theatre, because the stage has undergone considerable improvement; that it is no longer what it formerly was -- and that good plays cannot injure any one. Allowing that there were such a wonder exhibited as a play perfectly good in itself, it is certain that it would be impossible to find one perfectly safe in all its appendages, such as scenery, dress, action, &c. Those circumstances alone constitute a great portion of the danger of the stage -- they communicate a fatal interest to the most insipid plays, and an infallible poison to those which are in themselves less dangerous. On this account alone the theatre should always be dreaded and shunned, particularly by young females, who are much more exposed to be injured by such circumstances, than by the play itself. But, even independent of those circumstances, the fact cannot be concealed, that however purified the plays of the present day may be from the old leaven, yet the far greater number are full of immoral sentiments, and always turn on some passion, from whose contagious influence, it would indeed be difficult to guard the heart of any female who witnesses those representations.

A third argument adduced in favour of plays is, the experience of persons who affirm that they frequent the theatre without being in the least injured by that practice. Those who make that assertion, must get credit, either for great insincerity, or great blindness. A holy father defines the theatre to be "Satan's own field of battle, whereon those who expose themselves in the combat, must engage their enemy with every species of advantage on his side, which his infernal malice can devise;" and divines expressly declare, that a Christian who frequents the theatre, can only avoid falling into sin, by an escape as wonderful as it is rare; consequently, those who produce their own experience, in contradiction to the decision of divines -- in opposition to the opinion of the holy Fathers, and likewise to the testimony of many persons who frequented the theatre, only to regret the practice in their sincere conversion, give great reasons to apprehend that they endeavour to deceive themselves as well as others; or else, that their souls having become already the victims of these dangerous amusements, are dead in sin, and on that account insensible to new wounds.

All that remains to be said on this subject, is, that young persons should earnestly beg of God to enable them to rise superior to all ridicule or solicitation on this head, and to act, on occasions of temptation, with the Christian firmness, which God will reward, and the world itself must admire.