Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-02-08
,ss.siai correspondence Morning Journal

IsBeelal Correspondents Morhiuk sou'""'.
spokane, Wash, Feb. Your
every action gives the lie to your
nrofessed Christianity, you are either
dpnselv ignorant or maliciously I'M
truthful, as almost every statement
you made regarding theaters in your
sermon on '.Amusements' is false. You
have repeatedly perjured yourself as
a minister of the gospel, while your
course and offensive language has
aroused the disgust of every rue
christian and the ridicule of the out
slider who merely looks on"
Mrs. Harry w. Smith, daughter of
a minister and a bible student, profess
sionally known as Jessie shirley and
head of her own stock company,
which has played in spokane nearly
fonr years. c~onsecutively. reads the
foregoing indictments in an open let
ter in reply to Rev. billy" Sunday,
ex-baseball player and revivalist, who
vigorously attacked the stage and the
theatrical profession in a discourse of
two hours duration at the Spokane
tabernacle, last saturday.
After declaring that Sunday pro-
bahlv realizes that he can reach his
class Of hearers more directly by the
use of smut and slang. Mrs. Smith
says there is something irresistibly
funny in being called a NUT and a
lobster and when you hear q So
called Christian Shrek. This whole
town can go to hem you have listened
To the acme of e~louuenee.t Mrs.
Smith continues:
IF you feel hat you must attack
the theater to hold your job, look up
a few historical facts regarding the
subject, and don't become the laugh
ing stock of all well-informed people.
You state that not only the church,
but the press condemns the theater.
What do you mean by the press Do
YOU mean the Christian Advocate and
the War Cry, or that mighty power
the American Newspaper. in whose
columns Will daily be found Il review
OF the current plays, with usually an
intelligent criticism of the same? or
do you refer to the enormous list OF
monthly magazines that almost with
out exception have an interesting
dramatic department as one of the
leading features.
rNoA 'oNR fhf iloAAA - SNAA 81
condemn the stage. Not only the
Jews and Catholics, but a number OF
the Protestant sects are liberal pa
irons of h theaters, and there is
today in America a strong organiza-
ton known as the Actors Church al
lance, designed and organized by a
few predetermined clergymen with the
object of bringing the church and
state in closer touch.
The progressive Christian Of to-
day realizes the immense Influence
Of the stage. VA y, ha, ing the adj
vantage of { settings and life
like represO-",,..s, can and does
drive more sermon home than is pos
sible to the limited scope of the pull
pit. Preach me a sermon as strong,
as touching as eloquent as The Holy
city and | will listen to you
Even in the most poorly construc-
ted melodrama virtue triumphs and
vice is defeated. In that respect !
regret to say that the drama is not
always true to life. for in real life We
often see the %hypocrite and rascal
prosperous and secure, while honest
men go under. Still, the intention of
the dramatist in netting out the pro-
per amount of punishment and re-
ward is a worthy one and to be COM
mendcd
You say take - leg shows off
the stage and the thcatcrs would not
make their salt Wrong again, Mr.
Sunday. The life Of the average
musical show is but q ~fleeting n
and the few that survive owe their
longer existence to the real merit of
the musical numbers. and the wit of