The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-17
UK. HENDRIX SPEAKS. ON THE CHURCH AND. M | TON PICTURES.
Movies Here to Stay, States Pastor-Work of National Board of CensorS Is
 Commended

drlX, the pastor, uellNereu lue eeS- ond of a series of Sunday evening addresses on present day religious problems, his subject being, "The Church and Motion Pictures Dr.. Hendrix said in part:
 "The motion picture is empnatical- ly and tremendously here. You may like 1t or abominate it, but you ean- not ignore it. Within the brief Him. it's of a quarter of Q century this thing has covered the earth and gathered as its patrons the young and the old, the rich and the poor' In every nation. Any thing that touches men and women mentally and emotlonally as does moving pie lures. demands the most earnest and discriminating attention of religious leaders.
 The unparalleled popularity of this movement is a revelation of the unsatisfied desires of the masses or our people for recreation. Prior To the movies there was no form or amusement which accommodated It. self to the cultural and financial limitations of the masses. Even 8 tyro ought to understand that the eX- ctss!ve and eXtravagapt patronage is the logical outcome of pent-up de- sires. For good or for evil the masses are going to make up for lost tune at play.
 Good and Evil Frnits
 The motion picture has borne al- ready an abundant harvest of beth good and evil fruits. Because 1t Is so poent an educator, and because it speaks to such numbers, 1t has be- come an immeasurable force in mold ing public opinion and popular senti- ment. Who will-te us how much 1t did in informing our people on the issues of the World war, and in kindling and replenishing the fires of patriotic devotion at home and in camp.
 While the temperance forces made no effort to enlist the movies in the national campaign for prohibition, thousands of men and women and children saw again and again the dark story of the fruits of the liquor traffic thrown on the screen. The moral influence of this was all the more powerful because 1t was no part of the purpose of the theatre to enter into this temperance propa- ganda.
 Capital and Labor
 "The struggles of the industrial world have been often and impress sively exhibited on the screen. Both capital and labor has complained, no doubt justly, at some things that have been exhibited, but on the whole the public has been enlightede and Q A..s t..s ,,l3 3.41 at,I ire h a C been created.
 with the great majority of these pictures the religious element has figured. Sometimes the picture has had an ugly realism, offensive alike to art and morals. Tn many others and indeed in most of the better dramas. the fruits of sin have been shown with such fairness that the whole picture is an appealing moral lesson. Some have been shockingly and inexcusably bad. Probably the largest single offense has been the poisoning of the innocent minds of children and youth with things for which they were not ready.
 Reasonable Censorship
 'Farly in the development of this great business 1t became obvious that the public welfare demanded a reasonable and an effective censor ship. Upon the whole the work of the national board of censors has been very gratifying. No form of cen snrshlp will ever meet with even approximate satisfaction. But in spite of all the complaints pro and con, I venture the assertion that the American people will never suffer commercial inte ts to market sue cessfully stream of salaclous films. Ia, A,r piled with adequate machinery for aLating nuisances, and will doubt loss protect itself Very few of us realize the situation well enough to formulate-a workable censorship.
 Constructive Attitude
 Tn the elevation of public taste we have. the prime factor of the problem. The church, I take it. will sooner or later reach constructive attitude toward the whole problem of recreation. Here We must accept the admonition to overcome evil with good Unhappily for the world, religion and the human instinct for recreation have never reached an un- derstanding with each other.
 With much of the recreation that has been and Is, religion could not have any agreement. But the church is recreant that leaves to goddess commercialism the exploitation of this ncradicable instinct so inti- mately related to moral character.
 Happily for us, public schools and civic bodies are beginning to provide wholesome play. Drama leagues are really making an impression on the community. We shall have doubtless many awkward and abortive efforts, but some of us will live to see the day when movies will hold high place in the moral esteem of the peo- pie, and hold membership in our most effective churches"