The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-03
PRED|CTSANE ERA
|NCONVERS|ON
Of Stone
Rev. DR.. Clifford, Mountain
Pastor, Who Took Actor Into
His Church, Gives Views.


In the belief of the pastor sUhO
received Fred Stone into the
church, the event ranks IN I'M
portnnce Nth the signing of the
Magma ChGrtn and may eventually
make possible cooperation be-
tween the pulpit and the stage.
BY DIR. CECIL LESLIE CLIFFORD,
Pastor Of Mountain View Methodist
Episcopal Church.
written Exclusively for and Copyrighted,
1923. by International News Service.)
BUTTE, Mont, March 1.-The
in its rush for gold and quest for
pleasure and listen to a most
startling announcement.
A pulpit among the rugged ranges
Of the Rocky mountains six thous-
and feet above the sea was d fit
ting place for a message which
should arrest the attention of the
reading world. In these times,
which ''are out Of joint and from
such a world-ovrlooking position,
Fred A. Stone, the great actor,
announced his decision to lead a
Christian life and to give one tenth
of his income to God for his work.
There have been great crucial
events in history-when King John
signed the Magma Charta in Eng
land, when Luther wrote his ninety
six theses, and when Lincoln issued
the emancipation proclamation. But
when an internationally known
leader of the theatrical world made
such confession and declaration
it also marked a new era in human
history.
OUTLINED IN EARLY EVENTS.
Earlier events furnish the out
lines for a thrilling, dramatic story.
Fred A. Stone was born forty-nine
years ago in Denver, Col. With
persistence he worked his way
through school as a cowboy, =
leader in athletics and in the dra-
matte profession and up to high
level of success until he is known
internationally.
Snowbound on the prairies of the
Dakotas gave him opportunity for
big thinking; he purchased Bible
at Billings and on Saturday, Feb.
ruary II, in the study of Noun
tain View Methodist Episcopal
Church in Butte. Men, in the at
h
his life to God.
to a sermon on divine principles
regarding property ownership in
which was stressed the Bible teach
ing that all followers should give
one-tenth of their income to finance
the Divine enterprise OF Christian
izing the world.
From the pulpit of Mountain
View Church. following the ses-
sion of the Sunday School, he made
brief address which is being
echoed around the world.
The action of Mr. Stone undoubt-
edly will have more influence on
thousands of thinking people. Es-
pecially will this be TRUE among the
people Of his profession.
VICTIMS OF SYSTEM.
AS he says, there are many
splendid people on the stage and in
the movies. Unfortunately, how
ever, the organization has been
given little chance for moral ex-
preston. Like the politician who
becomes a tool OF his party, so
people on the stage have largely
been victims of the system.
Greed has impelled the promot-
ers to make an appeal to the crowd
through gun play, sex suggestion
and the thrills Of crime. The re-
sulting rottenness has shamed and
alarmed discriminative people in
revelations OF the past weeks.
The motives and ideals of the
play world need renoyating, and we
must have more than the employ
ment OF highly paid officials to
whitewash the business.
The whole enterprise must be
lifted from the gutter OF booze
parties, hcentious orgies, scandalous
divorces and infectious crime, to a
level Of real service and helnf,,I
ministry.
1t is time for the theatrical world
to clean up for the good of society
and also for it's own future. The
splendid decision of Mr.. Fred Stone
will have a wholesome influence.