Pat's Advice
For quite some months now the young people in the church have had a rather steady (and at times sickening) diet of Brother Pat Boone. He has been cited again and again in the pulpits, through the press, and in the trade magazines as being the epitome of dedicated young Christian manhood. Some months ago he participated in a mammoth "Church of Christ Youth Rally" in Dallas, and we were told in Abilene that for weeks and weeks after that event one of the Abilene preachers who had participated in the event gave his audiences a steady diet of "Pat Boone", Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night — almost to the point of making some wonder whether they had come to worship Christ or Pat. A recent article in the Ladies' Home Journal quotes George Hill, young assistant minister at the Manhattan Church of Christ, as saying that Pat "is a really dedicated worker for the church People in the church are deeply grateful for Pat, not only for the work he does, but because he is such a fine example for our youngsters. They admire him, listen to him, and believe what he tells them."
In that same article we have an interesting bit of advice from Pat in answer to a mother who wrote:
"Last night my daughter came home from a party in tears. She had been snubbed because she didn't know how to dance. She wants dancing lessons. I'm a widow with three other children and very little money — not enough to pay for dancing lessons. But I don't want by daughter to be unhappy — "
Pat holds a brief consultation with two pretty young members of his office staff before answering this letter.
"May I suggest as one possibility the Y. W. C. A. dancing parties for teen-agers? I'm sure your daughter will find help there, and the cost is very minor. I know you are concerned. My warmest wishes . . ."
As we have said before, the fault is probably not nearly so much Pat's as it is that of the fawning men who are seeking to exploit him. But if the worldly minded brethren are going to promote this hapless young entertainer and seek to capitalize on his current popularity to "advance the church", they need not be surprised to find Pat advising young people to "go to the church of their choice," "attend the Y. W. C. A. teen-age dancing parties", and extending Easter greetings to his Catholic friends, Passover greetings to his Jewish friends, and no doubt Moslem greetings to his Moslem friends. (You worship God in your way; I'll worship God in my way; and "There'll be a wonderful time up there, up there" when we all get to heaven!)
Now that Pat has given his approval, which "on the march" church will be the first to come out boldly with announcement of a church-sponsored dance? If it hasn't already happened, it most certainly will. And the time is not far off, either. — F.Y.T.