THE BIOGRAPH IN CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 155, 18 November 1912, Page 8

THE BIOGRAPH IN CHURCH.

INNOVATION IX SYDNEY. OVERFLOWING CONOUEGATIONS. Sydney; November 7. Moving pictures, as an important part of the Sunday evening service at his church, have been introduced by the Ri'v. I\ H. Cowling, a fimgrogntionnl minister at Woollahra, a suburb of Sydney. The evening service at this church used to be poorly attended; it has been cnr.vu.'d to ovD'Howim; siii'-e the innovation.

Mr Cowling holds that the church lias not advanced with the time, and must be modernised. lie had noticed, Jig told an interviewer, that the biograph was successfully used in many ; English and American churches, and he could see no reason why, if no fault could bo found with the subjects displayed, complaints i should me made against using it here. I"I am satisfied the church," he said, "wants to remember that it. is a fisherman, not a hunter. The spirit of the [church service and church enterprise is I exceedingly narrow. Some people would [ run the church on prayer meetings, but the time has eoine when people must I take a broader view of the position. The I teaching of Christ does not exclude pleasure from the people, because His first public appearance was at a wedding > feast, where He provided wine to make Die guests happy. His work was to bring happiness to all the people. Therefore, if we provide the people with happiness while, they are getting their instruction. we are just following the example He set." A number of clergymen have condemned Mr. Cowling's '•music-hall methods," but at least two other Sydney clergymen are supporters of the innovation.

"Certainly I'm in full accord with religious picture services," answered the Rev. S. Varcoe-Cock. "I believe that the time, has come when the church has to go to the masses. 'The biograph is a way of attracting people. I believe that if you have a large congregation you have a greater chance of winning a greater number of souls." The Rev. T. Rillhouse Taylor remarked that anything (with limitation, of course) which would wake people up 'and send them to church was good. "I think we are too ready, especially in a young country like this," he said, "to ! act along old-fashioned methods, and we should not decry anything that is good |simply because it is new."