The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-04
FORD AFF|RNS
FAITH IN GOD;
PLANS CHURCH
Capitalist Says He Will Build
Religious Edifice Memorial
To Father and Mother
LAUDs FAR EAST MISSIONS
Says Efforts in Orient Build
Foundation for Big Com
merce in His Automobiles
By WILLIAM L. STIDGER,
Pastor of st. Marks Methodist Church,
Detroit. Written Expressly for
Universal Service.

By WILLIAM L. STIDGER,
Pastor of st. Marks Methodist Church
Detroit. Written Expressly for
Universal Service.
DETROIT, Feb. 81 wanted to
know about Henry Ford's religion
Thomas Carlisle said the chief
thing about a man was his re-
ligion.
I said to Mr.. Ford: "They say
you are an infidel. ! heard q
man say that only yesterday.
BELIEVES IN CHRIST.
He came back at once, quiet
voiced, but with sincerity; in the
presence of several of his execu-
tives, he said: 81 believe in God
{ and in Jesus Christ. was brought
up in the church. I am even now
planning to build a church in
memory of my father and mother"
That is interesting news in the
light of the fact that some say you
are opposed to giving money. to
put into church buildings. Tell
me about it," / asked.
The graves of my mother and
father are here in this township
he said. They are cutting the
Cemetery up into lots. 1 want to
preserve the burial plot of my
parents by building stone church.
Mr. Ford, the people are greatly
interested in what you think about
church and religion. I hear that
question asked on every hand, just
as they asked ii about Lincoln and
Roosevelt, and your friend John
Burroughs. They viii be glad to
hear that you are building a church,
memorial to your parents. Will
you give me liberty to make the
first announcement of this PLAN
Yes, you may. At first it was
only to be small chapel. But
the idea kept growing in my mind
land now it is going to be fair
sized edifice''
Win it be modern church with
social equipment?" I asked.
PLANS PRACTICAL CHURCH.
Yes. it will be community
church, but I am going to turn
It over to my friends, the Metho.
dists out here. 1t will be a seven
day-a-week church; built of stone;
beautiful. but useful and practical.
Il win have rooms. for social activi-
ties and place the young people
viii like to go to and feel at home.
My father and mother would like
that
Mr.. Ford's father was warden of
the Episcopal Church at Dearborn,
and one of the founders of another
At BEDFORD. / said to him:
Mr. Ford, / want to ask you a
rather personal question. am
trying to imagine that I am rep
resentlng the great mass of every
day Americans and if they were
here / know that they would want
10 know. What do you feel about
what we generally call religion?
Just what is your reaction to itR'
REACTION ELECTRIC.
It is like electricity. 1 do not
understand electricity. l am great
ly interested in electricity. | want
to know all l can about it. l see
its results in that electric light
there. / see it turn the wheels
of commerce. / know. that it lights
up the dark paths, / know that
it warns us and makes the world
better. l see its results, even
though 1 do not understand it.
That is about the way l feel about
religion"
You feel about the same way
that the rest of us do then-the
way Lincoln felt?"
Mr.. Ford would not allow the
parallel TO be made. He said: "Oh,
they compare everybody with Lin
coln."
What do you think about the
so-called charity that the church
talks so much about?" / asked him.
Il believe in the kind If charity
THAT helps man to help himself;
that gives him a decent job with a
living wage so he won't need char
lily. You give man something
and you hurt him. You give him
q job and you make a man out of
him. If you want to make a man
an enemy hand him something for
nothing"
LIKES PREACHING.
What is your reaction TO hear.
ing a preacher stand up in a
pulpit and preach?" Il asked him
expecting to get much different
answer than | did. / expected &c
get the practical business mans
answer; that he liked action rather
than words, and doing rather than
preaching. I had heard that OF
him. l rather expected him 1C
have contempt for preaching
the same kind of contempt that
many men in France had for some
preachers who preached TO then
but who had never seen the front
lines.
He said: II like to hear preach
ers preach. I always feel better
no matter who the preacher is. i
does me good. feel better al
ways"
But they tell me that you dc
not go to church much
Il used to go when we liveC
in Detroit, but now I'm pretty
tired on. Sundays and rest. Blu
] usually listen TO some radio ser
mon from Detroit or Pittsburgh o.
Chicago. But get me right.
like preaching. 1t makes me fee
better"
:. FAVORS BIG CHURCHES.
AS"Mr Ford, it has been said by
recent writer that you are oppose,
to large church buildings. Is tina
frue?"
"It is not true. for the simpI
reason that it gives men work an
it turns over more money and
makes for healthy activity. BIZ
sides, when the church is built
T,olonrs IN the. coYnYnIInffy n,