Whereas the spirit of a christian ought to be calm, and quiet, and composed, to fit it for the duties of religion." They believed also, "that such promiscuous assemblages of men and women were not favourable to virtue; for that the sparks of the passions were there blown into a flame." Tertullian, from whom some of the above opinions are taken, gives an invitation to those who were fond of public spectacles, in nearly the following terms.
Are you fond, says he, of the scenic doctrine, or of theatrical sights and compositions?
We have plenty of books for you to read.

We can give you works in prose and in verse.

We can give you apothegms and hymns.

We cannot to besure, give you fictitious plots or fables, but we can give you truths.

We cannot give you strophies, or the winding dances of the chorus, but we can give you simplicities, or plain and straightforward paths.