Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-22
FORMER ACTOR
CONDEMNS STAGE
TURNS PREACHER AND TELLS
OF OLD LIFE
Once Active Player Paints Sad Picture
Of Existence Behind the Scenes.
Says Christians Should
Avoid the Theater


spoke burning words concerning the
theater in Grace Methodist Episcopal
church Sunday, his theme being From
Stage to Pulpit"
Said the reverend speaker;
"The actor meets with many incon-
sistencies l was stopped at the stage
entrance by young woman. once, who
said:
"'sir, do you know you are a sin
nerY
" No. am To- I said.
Aren't you an actor|
"'Yes'
"'Then you are rolling to hell like
log
"'All right, Letter ROLL answered,
and passed on.
II thought over what she said. while
was making up and had just reached
the conclusion that her kind of life
YVES better than mine, even If there
were no hereafter, when l had to go
on the stage. For the first time in my
life I faltered in my lines. There sat
my young lady in n box directly in
front of me. I don't see how l can
roll to hell like a log without taking
person who supports me along
thought, and all my better thoughts left
me for the time"
Rev Mr.. Ireland began a series of
evangelistic services yesterday morning,
to continue each evening during the
week. At the opening of the service
he said with reference to the meetings.
invitation Is Urgent
"Do not merely go out and ask the
people to come to these meetings, but
dare them to come.
1T becomes the duty to forget the
things of the past and press on to the
future The only things of the past
to retain in our memories are the
truths that will aid us in successful
future with the strength and love of
God
Life is an uncertainty and we know
not whether we shall see the morrow.
Certainly, where there is life there must
be death. And how much it becomes
us to live from moment to moment in
extending the helping hand for the good
of ourselves and others.
| Now is the day of salvation.' The
young man says: There is time
enugh for me to save my soul. 1 am
young and strong
Importance Of Salvation
ITO illustrate the importance of the
present day salvation | will mention
one instance of a young man who was
|
refused to accept an invitation 10
Christ, saying that there was time
enough yet. In a few moments he fell
dead.
There are so many who refuse ia
use their brains to look into higher
things. They are afraid they will hurt
them. They don't stop to think only
about the things of interest in their
every day lives.
| ''Thpra have haaf1 111oOIy DIy;+or ,0or
ents and church members who could
not distinguish one wrong from an
| other and who have been the means
indirectly in causing their children to
be led astray. My Puritan parents, in
my New England home, belonged to
an aristocratic church OF which L was
also member when a mere boy. But
1t was in debt-and by the way, a
| church debt nowadays seems to be the
style. The church seemed to have
everything in it but Christ and clear
ance from Indebtedness. The pastor de-
cided to cancel the debt by having the
young people of the church play an
amateur drama and perform twice a
week in the opera house, to raise the
| funds.
And, of course, I was one of the
number who was drawn into the affair
by the then overruling power of pas
tor and parents. We Cancelled the
| church Indebtedness, but at the price
| of putting five of our young people
into the theatrical profession and three
young ladies' in the slums of the city,
which was a terrible price to pay for
| the church.
From this church drama I was led
to believe there was something allur-
ing In the stage. So, in a short time,
l spoke of my father about my inten-
tlons. But he was very decided in his
! horror of the stage in a regular theater.
| He did not seem to realize that the
church drama performed was the cause
| of my stand taken to try something
more brilliant before the footlights. He
gave me the choice of abandoning the
| idea of going on the stage or leaving
| the comforts of my parental home.
l chose the latter, I am sorry to say.
Evils of Stage Pictured
'Well, 1 went on the stage, and soon
became very proficient in my parts
But tell you the glitter of the stage
in sight of the audiences is very de-
ceptive. Let me take you with me be-
hind the scenes. First we come to
the stage entrance. Here we meet a
ruffian, put there to keep all intruders
off the stage. Next we will meet the
manager. who will stage anything to
make the dollar. We meet then the
| stage manager, who takes his per-
| former as an instrument to make
money Very little consideration is
given to him unless he occupies a lead
ing part The scene shifters are gem
orally men of immoral turn of mind.
AS we step into the dressing room we
come across the actor and actress, gem
orally people enthused with the teach
ings of free love. They drink, which
becomes a necessity as Il stimulant
to help them keep up to the great
physical tasks upon their bodies.
AN actor, to play his part success
fully. must he enabled to so far for
get his own personality to believe that
he really exists in the part he plays.
The character of the villain. which, by
the way is the leading and heaviest
part i'm the drama, is bound to lower
men in character. IT takes a good ac-
tor to bring the hiss from every lip.
and, unless he can do It, the hero will
get but very little applause.
Put good actor in the place of a
hero, the poor one in the place of the
villain, and your play will fall short.
Put a good actor in the place of the
villain, never mind If the hero's place
Is filled by a poor actor the contrast