Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed ; for what I will, I will, and there's an end. — Shakespeare The SUNDAY-NIGHT PROBLEM Rev. K. E. Wall Pastor, First Congregational Church, Zancsville, Ohio ONE of the greatest problems that confronts the church today is that of the Sunday-evening service. The faithful few are always in evidence, but the great mass of our young people are attracted elsewhere. A few years ago our churches were crowded on Sunday evenings, and the "protracted meetings" were just about the most interesting event of the year. In those days folks had no other place to go. As times have changed people's interests have greatly widened. Hundreds of things unheard of a few years ago are now bidding for time and attention. There are innumerable attractions on Sunday evening — and for this reason folks all over the land are no longer interested in merely a sermon and the stereotyped service of yesterday. When we meet a fact coming down the road the only thing to do is to face it, not try to dodge it. Many churches and ministers are working in a groove, and yet are wondering why they get no results. The only difference between a groove and a grave is the depth. A little over two years ago I accepted the pastorate of the First Congregational Church of Zanesville. We are located in the heart of the city and surrounded by six large churches, no one of which is over a block away. At that time we had an evening congregation averaging about 35 or 40 persons. The other churches were not doing much better. Backward or Forward? Here was a challenging situation. Standing room at the motion-picture houses was at a premium. The faithful few who attended the evening service did not need it. Should we close our church on this most opportune evening of the week, or should we adapt our program to meet the situation? After careful analysis of the situation I decided that a good movingpicture outfit would aid in solving the problem. Such an idea as films in the church was entirely new to this section of the state. Pioneer work is always difficult, and we encountered much opposition and criticism from the outside. When one is on the right track he must be careless of criticism. After a time many will follow the trail that others have had the courage to blaze. After deciding on moving pictures I spent nearly two months educating my people to be of the same mind on the matter. At our annual meeting I recommended the purchase of a projection outfit and the membership voted unanimously for the plan. There were a few who did not exactly approve — neither did they object. Here is the value of preparing your people for a move of that sort. I have known ministers who did not make careful preparation, but who went ahead and, largely of their own accord, instituted this type of service. Consequently they antagonized a part of the membership, and the whole project became a miserable failure. Purchasing a Machine We then purchased a large professional machine. The difficulty with the portable type is that they are limited to only one reel, while the large machines will carry two reels wound on one spool, thereby eliminating numerous stops for reel changes. The large machines also have stereopticon equipment, which is absolutely necessary for efficient service. The Mazda lamp is to be preferred for less than a 90-foot throw. Our curtain was made of heavy unbleached muslin, the ladies sewing the strips together. We then had a plank frame built permanently in the front of the church. This frame is fastened to the wall and is covered by a heavy plush curtain, dark green in color. The curtain is opened or closed by means of a rope and pulleys. The frame is 12 by 15 feet, made of 10-inch plank and painted black. Our unbleached muslin curtain was treated by a local painter, first with two coats of paste, then with special white paint, to which a little sky blue was added. This makes an excellent curtain for our purposes, and it is certainly beautiful in appearance. Some may think this savors of the theatre. Suppose it does, at first thought. Pipe organs and violins are found in theatres also, yet we have ceased to think about that. Anything that is good and wholesome rightfully belongs in God's house, and if the rising or falling of a curtain has a dramatic appeal let us use it and consecrate it to the Master's work, and forget that the Devil ever Itad anything to do with it. Don't Make a Bad Start Do not announce the date of the first picture service until the last detail has been completed. We made that mistake twice. Each time the night arrived and some minor part of the equipment had not come or was not ready. Advertise largely and see 'to it that your first wave of enthusiasm is not blighted by a bad start. We began our picture service in February, 1920. The church was crowded to the doors. We seat 375 in our auditorium, but many nights we have turned scores away. Our picture services have been a decided success in every way. We have not instituted the regular community-night entertainments, and I am not in a position to write on that subject. The few that we have had were well attended and beneficial. Our song service on Sunday evening is partially from the screen. I find that with this method people sing much better than from the book. I choose the songs that bear on the subject of the evening. We then have a very short scripture lesson and a brief prayer, followed by a special choir number. The sermon should not exceed 15 minutes in length; 10 minutes is ordinarily long enough. The picture follows. Thus we appeal to both the eye and the ear. If there are more than two reels, thus necessitating a change, we always throw an announcement on the screen to be read during the few seconds of interval. Have window glass cut the size of slides ; lay these on white ruled paper, using a pen and variouscolored show-card inks. Interesting cartoons illustrating announcements may be made by laying the slide over small magazine illustrations and quickly tracing them on the glass. This gives people something to look at and does not leave the house in darkness. It has (Continued on page 31) 11