Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-10-28

Object to Being Called UnCIean
by Preacher.
RESENT DR.. AKED'S REMARKS


Has Found Them Very Well Be-
haved.
In speaking of the injustice of pref
udice the Rev. DR.. Charles +. Aked.
pastor of the Fifth Avenue Baptist
church of New York. the church at
tended by John ID. 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
We're unclean.''
The statement has aroused the lead
ing figures of The stage rs few other
utteranceS have done in recent years.
The general attitude is that DR..
AkedS statement belongs to the time
when the English statutes classed
actors ~ vagaboudS
When f. II. Sothcrn commented on
the matter Miss Julia Marlowe was
prc>rur ana >miled frequent approval
uf the actors -Htirical remarks
Until ! read Dr. Aked's statement
did not know @ctorS aud actresses rs
class hua hcon placed under a ban
D., all Christian people and that all
Christian people regard them as un-
clean said Sothcrn. But If we are
II is "minently proper for him to plead
aur cause in the pulpit, that we may
get . fair chance
Clergyr0en 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
charitably upon these backslidings as
the result OF ordinary human frailties.
We have never thought of ostracizing
these church people as a class. | have
some delightful friends among the
clergy.
II have had in my companies three
clergymen, and we found them very
we'll behaved. There really was moth
iii- NbJNN li'll''bIt dbbhJ Nlltlll. Ouf
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 | cannot
now recollect Perhaps it was his
voice.
Il thought of taking him, and he
ln. ,a1 to, Sat, II III Il
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 he 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 I. admitting we
are a depraved lot, this is the place
for you, clergyman right here in our
sinful midst. Redeem US, act with us.
pray with us, save us
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 well. DR.. Aked
means well. We all mean well. 1t is
good TO know that we are unclean-we
can now begin to reform.
Clergymen and Actors IN Jails.
Some time ago 4 clergyman started
pme such discussion as this. and the
leXt day there appeared in the records
Of Il legislative debate statement
that 1000 churchmcn were confined in
iails. inebriate asylumS or kindred in
stitutions At that time there were
bat three actors in the country con
fined in like Places
Miss Rose CoGhlau, distinguished
member of an old stage family, was
incensed by DR.. Aked's sermon.
Perhaps DR.. Aked got his idea from
the fact that actors and actresses are
continually before the public and their
troubles are thoroughly aired. Consid
cradle space is given by newspapers
to the troubles of society folk. and il
newspaper interest continues to in
crease in them it won't be long before
Dr.. Aked will be able TO get up in the
pulpit anu say lhdl an NLi' iSildlio phb
society men and women under the ban
and regard them us unclcan. 1t is
merely a matter of publicity, that's
all"
Or. Aked's statements could have
been inspired only by n desire for no.
toriety." said Robert EdeSou. 1T is
strange thai a people so low in the
eyes of Christians should continually
be besieged by these very Christians
with pleas for financial aid for chari-
ties. | know of no other class of men
and women who give so freely to all
worthy charities, not only OF their
money. but their art and their time. as
Do the people of the stage"
T0PbcC0'S NEW PilIhy