REGENT THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 107, 9 May 1933, Page 10

REGENT THEATRE

Hb SIGN OF THE CROSS.’’ Stories of the birth of Christianity end the stern battles fought to keep •at alive still wield powerful influence |<ver the generations of to-day. The I whole structure of man’s civilisation land well-being is deep rooted in the {Christian faith, and a recounting of |the struggles of the martyrs of oll|’ torho carried the “Sign of the < ross” through the merciless power of old Pome, stirs to very full life the infinite faith of Christian races in the Ijpower of God. If the faith of these «arly Christians had been loosely held; if their eves had not seen and understood; if the yoke of Rome had been ouo whit lesser in its ruthlessness: if the sacrifice of Christ on the lonely Hill of Calvary had been of lesser purpose—then Christianity and all it has meant to the world would not have lasted these countless years and remained the same potent power. Because of these things people are ■keenly interested in a retelling of the >arlv struggles of followers of Christ >n the days of the ruthless Caesars, lender such circumstances it is natural to find big audiences thronging Be Regent Theatre to see Cecil B. de ille’e world-famed Paramount picre—“The Sign of the Cross.” In this vehicle of the screen a noted director has exploited the persecution of Christians to retell the world the basic principles of the Christian faith. In days life the present such a picture is desirable. It is true that the theme Sa cruel and that the actual power of Christ is not revealed in miracles. But the picture is a powerful reminder of the infinite quality of the Christian faith, as a faith. It displays the power of a belief so strong that it could send men and women without fear into an 1 arena of wild beasts. With heads held proudly, and lips singing hymns of adoration to God on high, the martyred Christians mounted the steps from dungeons to the Coloseum. and there, before Nero and his profligate hosts, male and female, were done to death.