SPOONING IN CHURCHES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 104, 4 May 1922, Page 10

SPOONING IN CHURCHES.

j (From Oiir Own Correspondent.)

SAN FRANCISCO, March 31. Some'"Of the members of the ministerial' bodies of the United States are endeavouring to fill up the vacant pens in their churches, and are resorting to manifold schemes to attract the young folks to the sacred edifices. With the introduction of moving pictures, the freu discussion of topics of the J day, and many other items on the programme, Borne of the American churches arc rapidly approaching theatres rather than places but now some of the churches are to be allowed for spooning, according to decisions arrived at by gatherings of ministerial bodies in some parts of the United States. The subject' came up for debate following an address delivered by Dr. Owen C. Brown, of Los Angeles, at a Baptist Church conference held in Spokane, Washington. Dr. Brown, who is editor of the Adult. Publications of the Baptist Church, told the assembled pastors to allow the Baptist Young People's Union meetings to be courting bees. Continuing, Dr. Brown said that courting should be encouraged at church functions to help young people "make' matches among themselves in the midst of good Christian influences." "Do you believe that our young people ought to be encouraged to spoon at their meetings?" Dr. Brown asked the meeting after stating his views. The response was quite generallj' affirmative. '"More courting in church would mean fewer broken homes," added Rev. John E. Smith, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Spokane. Rev. George L. White, of Los Angeles, approved courting at church under proper guidance. "The church is not the place for spooning beCR," said Dr. H. A. Smoot, pastor of the Fii'st Baptist Church in Kansas, at the <-ity of Parsons, -when told of Dr. Owen Brown's suggestion that the 8.Y.1'.U. meetings bo made a courting hour. ."We' encourage couples to attend our services," said. Dr. Smoot. "and we want them to sit together. But I don't think. the church was intended for n spooning parlour." ' Tile Rev. Herbert L. Willet, of Chicago, a lending Baptist divine and professor of Semitic literature at the University of Chicago, said that he did not believe Dr. Brown of Loe Angeles had expressed any unusual view in his address at Spoknne advocating love-mak-ing among people at church gatherings. "There is no reason why acquaintances should not be cultivated and'the social side of church life encouraged, so young people will meet each other,"' he added. "That is a perfectly, commoni place and old-fashioned ricw of it."