Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-06-28
SUNDAY MOVIES
PAY IN CHURCH
Are Shown Every Sunday Evening
At One of the Four Churches
in McGregor.
NO EMPTY 2EWS
FOUND ANY MORE
Full House Present Each Sunday
Evening. Collections Average
Up Well. One Night S5S
Was Given.

McGregor, loWa-lh ree nuldISa
years ago, the church faced the IN
PRODUCTION OF the machine made
Bible. Two hundred years later 1t
faced another innovation in having
machine made music. Now. the new
er invention of machine made pic
lures is challenging the church.
I'VE are told that so per cent Of
the American public read no books
after leaving school, and at the same
time that so per cen. Of the Amer
lean public see motion pictures ev-
cry week.
THE conclusion seems to be that
the present generation is learning
from the screen, rather than from
books. So, should we not be just as
ready to equip our churches with pro-
jectors as we are to install organs,
pianos and Libraries?
"Our young people are ceasing to
say in regard to important things,
Il heard that or L read that, and 1t
will be greatly to the advantage Of
progress when those same young peo-
pie will 90 still further and say, i
saw that at our church
In such language does Rev. A. NJ.
Stock, McGregor minister, pronounce
his movie in the church credo after
two years experience in showing mo-
ton pictures every Sunday in the reg
ular service, first at Waverly, anC
the last eight months at McGregor
He has brought an end to preach
ing to empty pews, that much is Ger
tain. A full house is present each
Sunday evening. Many come primar'
lily to see the pictures, but they are
good pictures. (Mr. Stock is his own
censor-never showing anything on
the screen no matter how highly it is
recommended without first seeing i;
himself.) Selections by the choir,
congregational singing and prayer,
and short sermon pTecede the pic
lures, so the crowd which comes for
movie gets the regular church ser
vice for full measure.
McGregor with a population of
/ 400 has -four churches and msz
ton picture theatre. The theater
shows pictures Sunday nights.
No admission is charged at the
church, but silver collection is ia.
ken. All the receipts go into a fin
fund and are spent for pictures "The
better the collection, the better the
picture" Mr.. Stock tells his audi
ences. Attendance has been running
from $50 to $50. Collections are
averaging enough to obtain high class
pictures, and Mr.. Stock has found
there are many of such which are
wholly suitable to be screened in
church. One nigh: $5S was put in
the plate. Seldom has there been a
collection less than S25. Among the
PICTURES shown have been THE
Stream of Life" "The Crisis
Sentimental Tommy" "The Little
Minister The Bottom of the
World" "Evangeline," "The Blue
Bird Judge Ben LindSay's Juven-
lie Cour:," "The Higher Law and
"Humoresque."
Once month a picture is shown
Friday evening, admission of % cents
and Is cents being charged. The
Sunday school children take turns
selling tickets, any child selling ten
tickets is admitted free. The net en-
tertainmen:s go into the church fund.
A church full greets these Friday
night "pay shows" just as it does the
Sunday night film service. This Mr..
Stock thinks is good evidence that,
all other argument to The contrary,
people do want good pictures"