Educational film magazine; (19-)

NEW BIBLICAL FIL^IS RELEASED International Church Film Corporation Rapidly Producing One Reel Subjects for Sermon and Sunday School Use By Hilda D. Jackson TT'IGHT new Biblical pictures have been completed by The International Church Film Corporation, 920 Broadway, New York, and soon will be shown in local churches using this service. The new films are "The Temple Builders," "The Beam in Thine Eye," "The Struggle," "The Price," "Who Loseth His Life," "The Widow's Mite," "His Birthright," "Pharisee and Publican." Each tells a dramatic modern story to which color and force is given by cutbacks of the original Bible story providing the theme. "The Temple Builders" is typical. It is the story of an educator whose life dream has been to found a college. The opportunity apparently comes, but with it there is a restriction which would mean the sacrifice of certain ideals. Rather than violate his cherished principles, the educator relinquishes his hope. His son, however, like Solomon, the son of David, is chosen to materialize the long-planned dream. The cut-back in this picture shows Nathan, the prophet, telling David the vision of the Lord who said, "I will raise up thy seed after thee. . . He will build me an house, and I will establish his throne forever." "The Beam in Thine Eye," a touching little picture of small town life, comes from Luke, 6:41—"And why be- holdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but per- ceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" "The Struggle" is from the 32nd Chapter of Genesis, "And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. . . . And he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me." "The Price" is based upon the fifth chapter of the Acts, the story of Ananias and Sapphira. "Who Loseth His Life" is a modem story drawn from Matthew, 10:39—"He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. The incident of "The Widow's Mite" is one of the most widely quoted—the poor woman who of her penury "hath cast in all the living that she hath," and the picture based on it is convincing. "Pharisee and Publican" is a modern parallel to the story of the man who exalted himself before the Lord and the one, who with downcast eyes cried, "God be merciful to me, a sinner." The picture shows two young men, one boastful and overconfident, the other quiet and unassum- ing, both suitors for the hand of the same girl. "His Birthright" is the old story of Esau and Jacob who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. In modern settings, it discloses two brothers, one of whom gives up his big opportunity in his father's business to his younger brother for a few pieces of gold. In all the Biblical cut-backs great care has been taken in the costuming of the old historical characters. The robes and settings are the result of much research and studv. SUNDAY MOVIES By Rev. James Adderley London. England "DELICIOUS people should aim at being able to co- operate with the cinema. A great deal of our ordin- ary church work would be much better done by cinema. Far better sermons than are preached from our pulpits could be preached from a screen. In my own parish it would be quite easy to observe all the rules of the church as to worship on Sunday, and yet to end the day with a visit to Covent Garden Theater to see that excellent moral film "Earthbound." I should like to see the old miracle plays well acted by a first-rate company, and then put on the screens and sent round all villages and towns of Eng- land for Sunday performances. I think that a strong representation should be made to the Pope to allow the Oberanmiergau play to be filmed so that it could be performed all over the world every Sun- day. What possible objection could even a Middlesex County councillor have to the reproduction of that per- formance on a Sundy in Twickenham or Harrow? Really it is about time we showed a little common sense in these matters and reflected on the extraordinary failure we have made of our old-fashioned Sunday. 9 9 MOVIES WIN CONVERTS AT REVIVALS %V7"HEN it comes to conducting revival meetings that are out of the ordinary, Rev. F. L. Artley, pastor of the Methodist Church at Millville, near Bloomsburg, Pa., be- lieves in up-to-date methods. He uses motion pictures as a part of the service, and is getting unusual crowds. "Othello," a five-reel Shakespearean drama, was shown, one reel a night on the nights when penitents were called. The pastor's sermon on those nights was on "The Fruit of Jealousy," the theme of the drama. The preacher is enthusiastic over the use of movies in the church, and uses his machine in the country churches as well, hooking his car to the projection machine to furnish the power in the country districts where no electricity is available. "Here in Millville," he said, "we had fifty accessions to the church, and it is interesting to note that most of them occurred on nights when the movies were shown." Every revival service he conducts in the future will be featured with movies, he declares. QTfti Wjkt SCREEN SERMONETTES "C'OUR film sermoncttcs written by Rev. Bertram Willoughby, -*- former pastor of the First Congregational Church, of Osage, Iowa, and produced l)y the Monarch Film Company, are now exclusively distributed" liy New Era Films, 21 East Seventh Street, Chicago, 111. Mr. Willoughby is now religious director of this concern after a successful experience in the Iowa town using motion pictures on Sunday nights in connection with the church service. Me built up a congregation from less than 100 to 1,200, largely throiigh carefully selected film programs. The titles of the screen sermonettes are: The Lost Chritt, Tht Ootpel of Another Chance, The Light of the World, and The Book in Which All Write. Tliese pictures are said to have been shown in churches of six denominations in all parts of the United States. The service department of New Era Fihns states that it Is prepared to answer all questions and to render a complete mo- tion picture service in the non-theatrical field. 16