Evening star., 1927-11-27
MOVIES TO Be USED
FOR EVANGELISM
First Congregational Church
to Present Campaign of
Sermons on Films.

Use of motion pictures am. still pic
lures. n new religious experiment
here. il about To he tried by President
Coolidge's church. The First ConGre-
cational. As soon as the remodeled
church is ready for use which is cX
nected TO lie December IS. Rev. Jason
Noble Pierce its pastor. is planning
to hold an evanGelisiic campaign to
ran thlnu-h the week for several
weeks. the sermons being presented
on films and slides
The pictures shown will not he re
stricted to what are technically ca led
religious pictures in a narrow sense.
when a man is nursing crouch
and is sore at the world says DR..
Pierce. "he needs to l1u:h 1t will
soften his heart and open his mind.
AnG so on week nights we shall take
few minutes to show the best short
comedies we can get
DIR Pierce believes that laughter S
one of the great blessings of mankind,
ard he is stressing the importance of
the right use of it in his new cam
p9ign.
Four other features will be en-
phasiZed in the programs. On the
theory that Christians should lie wide
awake as To what iS going on IN the
world. ARA ncements have hecn made
10 show news reels AS fast as they
are relea sed. They will he the best
news reels in the city Dr. Pierce
believes. because the programs will he
fresh. being changed twice week
instead of once a week as in most
motion picture theaters.
Films to BE \on.Sectarian.
The strictly religious pictures will
he of two kinds, those designed to
help the audiences know God and
those which will help them know
their duty 10 man." All the pictures
will be non-sectarian.
DR.. Pierce expects not only to
secure the best religious pictures pro-
duced. hut he intends to make some
of his own. The projectors that are
being installed are made so that still
pictures can be shown as we'll as
movies, and he expects TO keep busy
with a camera and to project the re-
suits of his work on the screen.
The apparatus Will he the best OBJ
tainable. Two machines have been
purchased so that there will be no
interruption to change pro9rams and
so that stills and movies can he shown
alternately. The screen. the most Up
to-date one that could he bought. will
slide down in back of the pulpit and
choir, Immediately II fropt of The or
gan. Realizing that the success of
this campaign depends on perfect re-
production, the church has spared no
expense to get the best apparatus on
the American market a.
Admission to Be Free.
No admission viii be charged, but
those who see them will be given an
opportunity to contribute free-will
aff IA
quality of pictures Will depend finally
in large part on the support given to
the plan. no money will be accepted
on entrance.
In the past the church has held
evangelical services with noted speak
ers. The films Will take their place
At the same time, Or. Pierce expects |
TO continue his preaching services. He |
will preach SUNDAY and one other |
night during the Week The sermons. /
however, will probably be SUPPLE /
mented with slides ana films.
The music will be largely church !
music, although it will not be con
fined strictly 10 gospel songs. DIR. |
Pierce expects to improve on the |
music of many movie theaters by in |
Guiding the audiences in the singing, |
just as in regular church services.
Not In Competition.
The church, he emphasizes, is in
no sense in competition with the
theaters. The programs will be of
an entirely different nature and he
believes they will swell attendance Of
high grade theaters rather than take
patrons away. And although come
dies and educational films will be
shown, the emphasis will always be
on the religious side.
This is primarily evangelism" DR..
Pierce said. Evangelism through the
eye
Work on the church. which has
been completely remodeled and rein
forced for safety. is being rushed SO
that the congregations may use it
for Christmas services. The south
end. containing the Sunday School
and meeting rooms, will be ready
within ten days, and the church Off
cials hope TO have the whole build
ing completed by December Is.