Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-14
DIR. STARR ON KISSING
BOld Sermon on This Theme Heard Oy
an Immense Crowd.
,o,xc u.rrIsrS ANNIVERSARY.
,,c Union Has n Fine McchnS Nv
Pine strcct-Nectings 81 inree
school Associations spc-
-, Services In the Churches.

tul
.r,,. ,,.,rie OF Richmond are very much
,...,..s,,s .n the subject OF kissing. THIS
... .bovn by the immense throng that
co,p,s 20 Broad-strect Methodist church
s,r5ay night to hear Or. Stars eNp'Sha'
ii, ,,s meaning Of the Scripture COM
.s.l.te one another with a holy
49, Tho church was denseiy packed
la so,.r,l hundred, perhaps thousand
,.,reona were turned away for want OF
room the discourse was highly IN
tcrcsnng ono throughout
pr Starr introduced his topic with an
80, s,ncal 10 the consciences OF all
,.so necessarily WELD definite amount
,r nersonal influence, urging each one as
,,omber OF the great social compact to
,.o that gift Of power in behalf OF wei
,,o,,lsted social life. To this end the
l.sr.et sense Of propriety must be recog-
p.zed I'm public gatherings and private
t.t,rviews. inasmuch "a the very genius
az The religion OF Christ demands that
r,hi, virtue shall be defended az all
hazard against any and every possible
invasion. The native sense OF modeSN
I'm woman and the higher instinct oil
manhood I'm man must be guarded Win
Jealous care. lest the tide-gate be Hited
and all that is sacred In home lie he
rrthlcssiy swept away The practice OF
i.discriminatc kissing. wherever IL Is
tolerated, between the sexes. is fraugnt
with evident danger.
TIE YOUTH AND THE GIRLS.
"rbe youth" said Dr. starr who
thinks that n dozen girls of his neighbor-
hood are necessary 10 his eIistence, and
that he must kiss every one, is not Only
r,odeI of iudiscretOn but there can be
no innocence in d. He may think II
Gun TO remain az front gate till 10 i. NJ.
with 81 bevv of female admirers and en-
uha,lze his g0ld-nights with kisses. Then
h. my believe DO clever TO tell his old
mother that the sound Of kiss which
she heard was something else, and 50 she
would never know. or. perhaps, her cap
.trinAs would culver with emotion"
Uf Starr then went into "a discussion
81 the ,vl tendency Of the time and the
desire for absolute abolition of restraint
A.. Youth BE spoke OF the need of
luodestv and virtue. and criticised some
IL the customs Of modern society. The
Kiss. No. said. cannot claim Christian
rarentsge because II was a heather Gus
tom IS well. The Arabians of to-day are
the kissing champions of the East The
beard OF tho Bedouin receives the pressure
a. the lips of every member OF his house
hold every day in token Of submission
o. his authority. There are many theories
about the introduction of the kiss into
The religious exercises of the early Chris
tisn Church. 1t was undoubtedly designed
to be a sign Of fellowship. IT passed into
disuse. however, not because IT was
abused but on account Of the fact that
large accessions TO the various churches
rendered the continuance OF the custom
impossible I'm the social gatherings Of
Christian people In Apostolic days.
no DIVINE OBLIGATION NOW.
The Scripture command has no force
II divine obligation with 1t now, mas
much as hand -shaking has been substi-
uted In its stead. and this, as an accepted
lustom. Is altogether lacking in the ele-
nent Of noticeable familiarity.
II don't belong to the brotherhood Of
kissing pastors. said Dr.. Starr. and
when l read the other day that one of
that kind was killed by man for kissing
MS wife / thanked Heaven that / did
not belong TO IL. Don't ADMIT the slight
ast infraCtiOn OF this sanctity of home
life Allow no undue Familiarity anywhere.
Il Is Ike a ventures0me little boy wad-
ug. and going along safely till he strikes
4 hole and then somebody has 10 dive for
and FISH him our. and there is a Sunday
school scholar gone. Don't let the fine
sense of propriety be worn away. No
man has the right 10 come where pure
man Is and bring impure thoughts.
sANCTITY OF HOME LIFE.
The speaker made an earnest appeal for
the sanctity Of American home life. The
next generation is looking TO our own
for examples Of right conduCl. Those who
are next below US in the social scale
may be harmed by the effect of only
single venture among those 10 whom
they are unconsciousy looking for
model TO copy Purity Of thought is the
demand In more than one circle OF So
c.cly. and he who makes the largest CON
tr.butiOn for the public sood will not
fan 20 secure the appreciation OF all who
coFet for America the happiest homes IN
ail the world. The speaker severely criti-
osed Americans who seemed anxious 10
cs. and American men who went abroad
for wives. when there are so many noble
women "a home, and said that any man
who would thus give American girls the
eo-by should be snapped Oft for mort
cage on a mud-iat. or served up in a
cold frazzle on the half-shell for the king
q The canni6al islands. He declared that
the United states needs Christian disin-
lection. and eau stand "a sluice Of brine
10 feet deep. Ask the Lord for a back
bone strong enough 20 split a thunder
solt. and then stand up for Gods sayings.
The Young nnptists' Anniycr.ary.
The Baptist Young Peoples Union Of
richmond and Manchester celebrated its
NiSt anniversary Sunday afternoon with
most delightful service al Pine-Street
church. The building was crowded IN
overlooking. chiefly with the several local
unions and the exercises were highly in
tercsting. The splendid music Of the
Pine-Strect choir. under the direction of
Mr. L. c. Minor. was most attractive
feature Of the meeting, and the reports
and responses Of the unions showed both
enthusiasm and good work
Mr John Garland Pollard, who has been
the earnest and efficient president Of the
union since its organization, conducted
The exercises until the new officers had
been elected Then he surrendered the
Teins Of office 70 Mr. Ashby T. Ragand.
All or the officers recommended By the
Board OF Managers. and whose names
were printed in Sundays Dispatch, were
elected. The reports from the unions for
The quarter ending December 3lst made
the following showing:
Roll. liner. \. At y. Ct.
kandolph-Street .... 81 20 o. 63.5
Ncnable-St-eet .....lO2 80 20 53.5
Second church.. 20 81 81.
Calvary y - ~ &c