The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-22

cate as rolloWs.
The editor Of the Advocate has
maintained an open mind in refer
ence to the movies He has not
felt that he could condemn absolutely
all moving picture shows. for while.
sad TO relate. there are very many
picture shows which pollute and de-
grade, there are manv other pictures
which do not damage the behofder.
but instruct and In some cases up
lift They undoubtedly have an edu-
cattonal value, and the possibilities
for moral education are practically
unlimited. Moreover, the writer be-
lteves that the church cannot afford
to allow the moving pictures to be-
come simply another tool OF the devil
for the degradation of pleasure.
/ When Intolerance" was first pre-
sented in Richmond the editor attend
ed mt the suggestion OF some friends
IN other sections, who wrote him that
they thought the play was very dan
gerous, and that II was an attack
upon reform movements. Notwlth-
standing these letters. however. the
writer was not "a prejudiced witness.
He had witnessed the birth OF n Ma
ton" AMI while there were some dead
flies In the ointment of that play, yet
on the whole he thought the effect
was good.
Mass Of Misrepresentation.
But while intolerance. II any
thing. excels The Birth Of a Nation"
as a gorgeous, stupendous. and In a
certain sense magnificent spectacle, 1t
is mass Of Misrepresentation OF his
tory. of Scripture, and OF modern re-
form movem ents,
Bald Pervcrsion o Scripture.
While the reports which have come
down to us concerning the grandeur
and the magnifcence OF the city of
Babylon justify Mr.. Griffith In the re-
markable pictures he gives OF the
palaces, temples. dancing, soldiery and
the battles, etc, Of Babylonian life.
It IS difficult to understand how he
can represent BelshaZZar as a hero,
and as victim OF intolerance" and
treachery, because of his liberty-lov
ing views. Mr. Gritnths pictures are
direct Misrepresentation of the
Scripture account OF Belshazzar and
his downfall. Belshazzar was not de-
stroyed because he WAS opposed to
the priests of Baai
Relshazzar was giving great feast,
which terminated in drunken frolic.
aud in the midst OF this revel. he sent
and brought the golden vessels which
had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar
ont of the Temple OF Jehovah at Je-
rllsalen. and to show his contempt
for the God Of the Jews he used these
vessels To drink wine out of them.
The Scripture narrative declares that
Z Daniel told Belshazzar that when he
had reached this height of implety
then was the hand sent from him
. Jehovahl and this writing was writ
ten: Meme Meme. Tekei Tpharsn,'
} and Daniel stated that the meaning
: Of these words was.
"Mene"--God has numbered thy
3 Kingdom and finished It. .Tekei'' -
Thou art weighed in the balances and
found wanting.
"Peres' kingdom is divides
= and given unto the Medes and Per
slams
= And then the sacred narrative con-
tinues ar follows: That very night
was Beishaz2ar, this king Of the Chal-
leans. slain. and Darius, tho Medlan.
'ook the kingdom
Not Hero But IA Monumental Failure
I The Bible plainly and uneuuivocally
feclares that God overthrow Bel
, - all Gods dealings with Nebuchad~
uezzar yet he had worshipped the
gods Of silver and gold. OF wood, iron
O and stone. and because "the God in
nhase hand thy breath H. and whose
are all thy ways hast thou not giori-
= Ned"
Belshazzar is one of the most IN
glorious characters mentioned In
I DDS Word. end ranks side by side
with Herod Of whom we are told
that Immediately the angel Of the
r Lord snoto him, because he gave not
God the glory and he was eaten OF
worms and gave up the ghost"
/ n Mr.. Grifffth simply wished to pre-
scnt some thrilling pictures. showing
he great walls the engines OF war.
! tY1e horrible battle scenes, the half
nude and fully nude dances and did
not care anything about historical ac-
! curacy, re might. of course, tusr as
we'll have grouped his scenery around
Felshazyar az around any other per
son OF any other name. But as cor
rect historical representation, he
- could hardly have missed the mark
any more widely than in his attempt
TO teach the lesson OF 'Tntolerance''
by ascrihing the downfall of Bal
shazzar TO the intolerant mario VIII ess
of the priests Of Bas' In view of
/ some other scenes In the play, one
might we'll think that n Mr. Grtffith
had dared he would have pictured
. Daniel, the prophet OF Jehovah, con-
samning Belshaszat and his drunken
jewellers. as 81 striking example Of the
, Intolerance OF jehovah IN Himself
destroying Belshazzar because of his
Impiety and idolatry.
Attack Upon Reformers
with this utter failure in his inter-
rotation of history and Scripture,
r one need not he surprised at the at
tacks made by Mr., Griffith upon the
reform movements Of the present day.
The writer does not charge that Mr.
Griflth was paid n great sum of
money by the liquor traf1c and by
the men engaged IN the white slave
rade to prepare and present this pic
ture. He does not know Mr.. Griffith
cr his resources, or his relation - the
liquor traffic What he does know,
3 nd what he does not hesitate to as
eert. Is that If the liquor traffic and
the white slave trade had wanted to
present a play to the American pub
| Tic In defense Of their indctensible
/ raff1C hey could have well afford
> ID to pay Mr.. Grifith good part OF
The 1--WE million dollars which they
arc willing to spend yearly for ad-
vertising purposes. The sections Of
the picture which pretend TO represent
certain scenes In the life Of the Lord
! Jesus Christ. and certain other scenes
ttn the present time connected with
~