Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-06-10

give II. But no very cleverly plays
up to the newspapers. 40 that his
every sensational uttennce Is scnt
broadcast throughout tho city. Hence
the Justification. II any Is needed, for
this reply.
As quoted In the newspaper article,
DIR. Hubbard declares that the great
est crime that church can commit
Ia TO have a motion picture show on
Sunday. No distinction is made as
to tho character Of tho pictures which
may be shown. and the presumption
Ia that the showing OF motion pictures
Of any kind on Sunday constitutes "the
greatest crime that any church, can
commit" II this is true. then about
| 200 churches In this country have
committed this grnvest OF crimes. for
that many churches are using. or
have used. motion pictures In con-
nection with their Sunday services
And n very large number Of these are
Methodist Episcopal Churches. Tho
writer first became Interested In tho
use OF motion pictures while attend
ing the Methodist Centenary Expo
sition at Columbus, Ohio. where every
day demonstrations were given Of
motion pictures suitable for Sunday
use, and prominent preachers from all
over the country told OF their success
ful use OF motion pictures in connec-
ton with their Sunday evening SER
vices. But then these men had not
heard from DIR. Hubbard. I especially
recall the testimony OF DR.. G. f..
Reisncr. OF Grnce NJ. e. Church. New
York City. who declared that follow
Ing services made up of motion pic
lures. he had had conversions rang
ing In number from ten to nifty. And
this. according TO DIR. Hubbard, Is tho
greatest crime that any church can
commit"
Tho second utterance as quoted.
There Is no need to have motion
pictures in the churches on Sunday
mons. told the people OF Jesus Christ" /"
In an unbrotherly Judgment upon men
who are just as conscientious
as DIR. Hubbard dare be. who are just
as conseciated in their ministry and
preach jesus Christ Just az sincerely
and In some instances that / could
name Ms eloquent as DIR. Hubbard him
self can do. and yet do not have large
congregations on Sunday evenings,
and who cannot bring themselves 10
use the sensational methods which
the pastor Of ST. Paul's does net hesi-
tate to use.
The third statement In the article
to which I would direct attention II
this: When people go TO church they
go TO hear the Word OF God, not TO see
movie" This etatment reveals q
singular obtusene>s on the part of a
man who poses as an authority on
religious methods. Would Dr. Hubbard
have us believe that the Word of Got
can be impaired only through the ear
Docs he not know that truth can h,
: apprehended more readily through tn,
eye than through the car? Does h,
not know that some OF the Old Testa.
ment prophets acted out their mes
cages by pantomime, driving the trutf
home TO those who watched without 8
spoken word9 Docs DIR. Hubbard per
NIT the Use OF pictures in his Sunday
school. and will he define the mora
difference between a still picture an,
motion picture. and point out nov
one can be legiumately used and tn
othsr constitute a crime7 Did not ~
Hubbard permit an enacted dram,
called The Illuminated Cross" TO b
presented In his church during al
evangelistic meeting. and can he shoy
wherein q chaete, religious motion pic
= ture drama is any more repreheneibls
save that the one ia enacted In tn
, flesh. the other on the ecreen7
, Finally. DIR. Hubbard says, accorifn,
: TO the quotation. "some churches hav
motion picture machines 10 dray
crowds so they can take in large col
! lectione on Sunday" | am willing {
admit the first part of this statemen
that we use our motion picture ma
chine to draw the crowds But let m
Inquire: Why does DR.. Hubbard do tn
things that he does and say tho thing
that he Kays? Ia Il not to draw III
/ crowds7 Before ! began using motio
- pictures l talked this matter owe
with Dr. Hubbard. / explained to hir
that Mt. Salem Church has slway
been a one service church, that 10
twenty years II has been very din
I, cult TO get anything hut a very smal
4 congrcgatton IN the evenings, and
{ was going to overcome that If ! pos
sioly could. and he replied suhsta ntial
iy as follows: II don't blame you.
}. would do anything to get a crowd.
would stand on my heAd in the pulp
(. II / couldn't get II any other way.
n Perhaps Dr. Hubbard standing on hi
= head rs a more eIiifyihg sight tina
beautiful picture like The Strear
4 OF Life" or great patriotic dram
r like The Son of Democracy"
!. As TO the latter part OF that state
J. ment-l know Of no church whic
y objects 20 large collections. certainl
not DR., Hubbard's. But ] question
: he would make TO his congregatio
the statement which. with the approv.
= OF my Official. / made to mine, namel-
1 that all we hoped to do in a financi,
way was TO meet the expense OF show
ing the pictures, bur II we did not &
That, but did increase our congregs
tons and therefore our opportunity
disseminating the truth, we wou
pocket our loss and feel it none
well spent. We have just finishs
showing the picture THE Son of d,
mocracy." We broke about even :,
nancially, but we increased our n
tendance more than three-fol
brought many to the church who new
attended church before, and tn,
brought them for the first time u,
- der religious influences; for wheth
DR.. Hubbard can credit it or not.
Was a religious service. the pictur
IL Ltwax