The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-10-19
STAGE FOLK ANGRY.
Object to Being Called UncIean
by Preacher.
RESENT DR.. AKED's REMARKS


haved
In speaking of the injustice of prej-i
udice the Rev Dr. Charles f. Aked,
pastor of the Fifth Avenue Baptist
church sof 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 E. Il. Sothern commented on
the matter Miss Julia Marlowe was
present and smiled frequent approval
of the actors satirieal remarks.
Until | read Dr. Aked's statement
did not know actors and actresses as
class had been placed under a ban
by all Christian people and that. all
Christian people regard them as I'M
Clean" said Sothern. "But if we are
it is eminently proper for him to plead
our cause in the pulpit, that we may
/ get a fair chance.
Clergymen 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 l 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.
81 have had in my companies three
i clergymen, and we found them very
we'll 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 / cannot
now recollect. Perhaps it was his
| voice
Il 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 he need not LET that
deter him from earning bis 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 l. 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 us, save u.s.
He was a good natured, stupid look
i ing sort of fellow. and he laughed and
:. went away and left us to our wicked
ness. Well. he meant well. DR.. Aked
means WE'LL We all mean well. 1t is
good to know that we are unclean-We
can now begin to reform.
ciergymen 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 statement
i that 1000 churchmen were confined in
: tails, inebriate asylums or kindred in
stitutions. At that time there were
but three actors in the country con-
fined in like places"
Miss Rose Coghlan, 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
f troubles are thoroughly aired. Censid-
S cradle space is given by newspapers
VI to the troubles Of society folk, and il
newspaper interest continues to in
crease in them 1t won't be long before
Dr. Aked will be able to get up in the
pulpit and say that all Christians put
society men and women under the ban
and regard them as unelean. 1t is
. merely a matter of publicity, that's
ALL"
:. CDR. Aked's statements could have
: been inspired only by desire for no
8 toriety.'' said Robert Edeson. 1T is
strange that a people so low in the
eyes of Christians should continually
be besieged by these very Christians
with pleas for financial aid for chart
I ties. know of no other class of me1
! and women who give so freely to al
worthy charities, not only OF theil
money. but their art and their time. as
|, do the people of the stage.
ToBAcco'S NEW RIVAL.