Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-02
STACEFOLk WARM.
Actors Object to Being Termed
Unclean by Rev. Charles
+. Aked.
HEAP GOALS OF FIRE
Sothern Retorts That He Has Had
Ministers in Company and
Found Them Good.

In speaking Of the injustice OF pref
udice the Rev. DIR. Charles b. Aked,
pastor OF the Fifth Avenue Baptist
church Of New York. the church at
tended by John D. Rockefeller, said:
"Take the case OF actors and ac-
tresses. All Christian people put them
under the ban. All Christian people
regard them as unclean, and tell you
that Christian people have no right TO
be surprised If they act as though they
were unclean."
The statement has aroused the lead
ing figures Of the stage as few other
utterances have done in recent years.
The general attitude is that DIR.
Aked's statement belongs to the time
when the English statutes classed
actors as vagabonds.
When %. Fl. Sothern commented on
the matter Miss Julia Marlowe was
present and smiled frequent approval
OF the actors satirical remarks.
''Until read DR.. Akeds statement
did not know actors and actresses as
class had been placed under a ban
by all Christian people ana that all
Christian people regard them as I'M
clean,'" said Sotheru. But IL we are
it is eminently proper for him to plead
our cause In the pulpit, that we may
get fair chance.
Ciorsymen on the Stage.
"But this occurs to me. Though one
continually hears of eccentric conduct
on the part Of persons connected with
the church, there has not been, so far
as am aware, any unkindly criticism
OF those persons by the men and wo-
men Of the stage. We have looked
charitabiy upon these backslidings as
the result Of ordinary human frailties.
We have never thought Of ostracizing
these church people as class. have
some delightful friends among the
clergy.
II have had In my companies three
clergymen, and we found them very
wen behaved. There really was moth
ing objectionable about them. One
clergyman came to me while was
preparing The Proud Prince and
asked for an engagement. he said he
wished to exchange the pulpit for the
stage, for just what reason 1 cannot
now recollect. Perhaps it was his
voice.
81 thought Of taking him, and he
fastened to friends TO tell OF his good
luck. He returned next day and said
his friends thought he had better with
draw because he might not find the
people in the company proper persons
to associate with. / replied in all
good humor that be need not let that |
deter him from earning his living with
us, as the important thing might prove
to be whether the people in the COM
pany would wish TO associate with
him. Besides said /, admitting we
are a depraved lot, this is the place |
for you. a clergyman. right here in our |
sinful midst Redeem US, act with us, |
pray with lis, save u.s.
HE was a good natured. stupid look |
ing sort OF fellow, and he laughed and |
went away and left us to our wicked |
ness. Well, he meant we'll. DR.. Aked |
means well. We all mean well. 1t is
good to know that we are unclean-we |
can now begin to reform.
Clergyman and Actors In Jaiis.
"Some time ago a clergyman started |
some such discussion as this, and the |
next day there appeared in the records
Of a legislative debate a statement
that 1000 churchmen were confined In |
ja1ls, inebriate asylums or kindred in
stituttons. At that time there were
Int three actors In the country con-
fined in like places"
Miss Rose Coghlan, a distinguished