Miserable Messes of Pottage

Many literary societies are in reality young theaters on a cheap scale, and they create in the youth a taste for the stage. While writing upon this point, my eye falls upon the following striking incident from real life:-

"'It is of no use, Mrs. W., I have tried again and again, and I cannot become a Christian.'

"'So you said a year ago, yet you thought there was nothing in the way.'

"'I don't think there is now, but I don't feel any different from what I did then, and I don't believe I ever shall be a Christian.'

"The first speaker was a bright girl somewhat over twenty, who, on a previous visit nearly a year before, had confided to her elder friend her earnest desire to become a Christian. Of her evident sincerity there could be no doubt, and the visitor was sorely puzzled to understand why her young friend had not yet found peace. The two were standing by the half-opened door of the Sunday-school room, where a rehearsal for an 'entertainment' was in progress; and the girl, looking in, seemed suddenly to find there a suggestion for further thought.

"'I believe,' she said hesitatingly, 'there is one thing I cannot give up.'

"'Give it up at once, dear.'

"'But I can't.'

"'Come to Jesus first then, and he will give you the power.'

"'I don't want him to. I believe if I knew I should die and be lost in three weeks from tonight, I would rather be lost than give up my passion.'

"'And what is this dearly loved thing, worth so much more than your salvation?'

"'Oh, it isn't worth more, only I love it more, and I can't and won't give it up. It's that I--I want to be an actress; I know I have the talent; I've always hoped the way would open for me to go upon the stage, and I can't help hoping so still.'

"'Do you think it would be wrong for you to do so, provided the way did open?'

"'I don't know that it would be a sin; but I couldn't do it and be a Christian; the two things don't go together.'

"'How did you come by such a taste? I am sure you do not belong to a theater-going family?'

"'Oh no! my father and mother are Methodists; they always disapproved of the theater. I've been in Sunday-school all my life. They used to make me sing and recite at the entertainments when I was four years old, and I acted the angel and fairy parts in the dialogues; and when I grew older, I always arranged the tableaux, charades, etc. Then I joined a set of sociables got up by our church young people. At first we did "Mrs. Jarley's Wax-works," and sung "Pinafore" for the benefit of the church; and then we got more ambitious, studied, and had private theatricals, and last winter we hired Mason's Hall and gave a series of Shakespearean performances, which cleared off a large part of the church debt. But that's only second-class work, after all. I want to do the real thing, to go upon the stage as a profession. My father won't hear of it; but I hope some time the way will be opened that I may realize my heart's desire.'

"'And meantime, will you not come to Jesus and be saved?"

"'No, I cannot do it and keep to this hope, and I will not give this up.'

"And so the visitor turned sadly away, thinking for what miserable messes of pottage men and women are willing to sell their glorious birthright as children of God; thinking also of the seeds which are being sowed in our Sunday-schools, the tares among the wheat, and the terrible harvest that may yet spring up from this well-meant but injudicious seed-sowing." {RH, January 4, 1881 par. 23}