CHURCH AND STAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18298, 15 January 1923, Page 8

CHURCH AND STAGE.

A MISSIONER'S OPINIONS! VALUE OF GOOD PLAYS. .: "1 always envy the playwright his Wonderful opportunities. *' - said- tho - Rev. jasper ,;- Calder, city,- missiorier/ speaking last evening at the Princess. Theatre to a/crowded/ cpngiegatioii On " The Church and the Stage," / said .'th©' stage . reached a type-' of • person whom organised '"Christianity seldom; $ new/ reached. It I a good play>' .to 'teach as much real.Christianity as many sermons, ( V-. ... Proceeding; ■ .the': speaker' said the evil ; vice of; selfishness, ;, the .father of most sins, was never so roundly : condemned as in,that wonderful play, "A Messago from Mais." v.He,/vividly described the pla.y in question, pointing oUt -that' li made ) lasting; impression on all who,, witnessed /it/ The- reason for the tre- : mendous "pull" which,the actor had over the parson was that; the former made his characters -absolutely live before - his audiences, while, perhaps; quite erroneously, the clergy were regarded as theorists and ' dogmatists./ ■" - ■ *• 'In these days 'of uncertainty,.in recon-struc-tion a/ good, sound propagafidist play might do inuch ; for ~the, community -in social, reform as i the •: famous "Damaged Goods* did. . Curiously -enough many of the, plays, of our /forefathers ■\vret!&, handledand produced by, the .church,' This was not, hard, to understand, as it- was the church's former method of -"putting over" a (practical sermon in'.dramatic form.; The /speaker said /that many : theatrical people. were / "sterling good Christians. It ; was ■ possible -in, London to ■ witness a very large number Of communipants Qt;; an early service :at St.; -Agnes, Kennington, which' was the favourite- church of the profession. " - ' Speaking personally, 7 said Mr. Calder, ,he had nothing-,but praise for the - general all-rounds management;: arid ■'-■ good conduct of .■'•theatrical profession. On .rare. -occasions/ one heard expressions from the. stage which had been better.: left out, but these were the exceptions. '■ "" : ', -"■■•■•:■■ - : :// //; / - -/ ;: { ■-.";.,-■/•'•''-,'., ■■■-■ /:.'-,■ ■/ ■',-:/,'..,"/:..:-'". ' '■*>—.■■/: