Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

ENTERTAINMENT in the CHURCH Pastor Rev. Dow B. Beene First Congregational Church, Chappaqua, New York MOTION-PICTURE entertainment for our community is given entirely by the Congregational church, which has been doing, for a period of twelve months, some unique, pioneer work. A description of our efforts may be found suggestive and helpful elsewhere. Chappaqua is an unincorporated village 32 miles from New York City, with a population of possibly 800 people scattered over a dozen square miles of territory. Its five churches have a combined membership of about 250. with their proportionate share of the world's narrowness, and bigotry, and non-progressive ideas. As is the case with other overchurched villages, much of our moral energy is expended in religious rivalries and "preaching the Gospel" to empty pews. The religious situation in general is about on an average with that found elsewhere, save that our village is prevailingly Quaker, and rather more conservative in its attitude toward innovations in the church. Theatrical Efforts Had Failed Two efforts to operate a commercial motion-picture theatre failed in a period of six months. The next effort was to be made by a man utterly devoid of moral and spiritual discrimination, and without interest in the community beyond that of financial profits. It seemed worse than pitiable for all the church members to continue to sit with folded hands and complacently compliment themselves on being heirs to future glittering diadems, while permitting such a person to select films for profit only and thus to control to a great extent the present and future moral character of the community. So the writer evolved the plan of securing the consent of his church to make an effort to meet the needs of the situation. Army experience at home and abroad during the war, and leadership in community educational work following the war, had given him knowledge that was found useful. So he began to urge publicly and privately that the church ought to be actively interested in the entire problem of community welfare. More patience was required than Job exercised — but the idea grew. The Pastor Finances His Convictions A Congregational church is one of the best religious expressions of the spirit of modern democracy. The one at Chappaqua is no exception, demanding its right to sit in judgment on everything that touches its life and work. The question of motion pictures in the church was absolutely new to the membership. None believed that success was either possible or desirable. But a written contract was finally signed granting permission to the pastor to equip the church with machines at his own expense, and run motion pictures on trial for a period of six weeks, with the understanding that if the enterprise did not commend itself to the church and community it should be discontinued, and all financial loss borne by the pastor. Two good professional machines were installed and the venture was made — with the result that, before the end of the six-weeks period, the church voluntarily adopted motion pictures as a part of its program of service to the community, and assured all indebtedness for equipment. From that time forth the people have given to the pastor excellent co-operation — though loyalty to the church or to the Lord has never been made to include loyalty to the movingpicture program. Administration As indicated above, equipment was bought on the installment plan, the pastor advancing first payment and freight. No further