The status of the church in its relation to youth to-day is generally
disappointing. Unless it is improved, the kingdom will become a victim
of race suicide. In certain larger lines, the world seems to be
advancing; in the simpler matters of personal ideals and moral
standards, many people think it to be losing ground.
The origin of our problem is threefold. It comes, first, from a growing
reign of carnality in the world—the seeking of wealth and pleasure at any
cost. It comes, secondly, from the surrender of erstwhile righteous as
well as indifferent homes to the notion that, since one is young but once,
he should be encouraged to spoil the only youth he is to have. It comes,
thirdly, from a condition in social institutions and community life which
makes it difficult for one to live the better life without severing the
social ties that bind him to others.
Young people cannot pass through the public schools of the average city
without making a choice between being worldly and being wall flowers. It
even seems that a young man cannot go through a great war for humanity
without having the tobacco habit forced upon him as a part of a great
propaganda for commercial purposes. Boys and girls can hardly attend a
social function without seeing indecent attire and being invited to
participate in things which deteriorate faith and ideals.
Our equipment for meeting the situation is generally inadequate. We have
plenty of organization, but it is too general, too miscellaneous, and too
much interested in funds and reports. We have too many young people’s
organizations and too little life in any of them. This is a general
trouble with Methodism. We would do better with one tenth of our present
machinery and nine times more use of that one tenth.
Our program should probably cover the following points, all of which are
old and simple: _(1) A warm spiritual life and a high personal ideal for
all_. There are no exceptions for age or youth in the standards of the
kingdom. _(2) An emphasis on family faith and practice, with a revival of
proper parental authority_. If the children must rule, let the parents at
least retain veto power in the interest of right living. _(3) A program
of community reconstruction_ which will ultimately make schools and other
public institutions as respectful of the ideals of evangelical Christians
as they now are of those of Jews and Roman Catholics. _(4) Simple but
effective organization for the recognition of the young people of the
church as a normal social group_ and for their development along the lines
indicated in the growth of Jesus—wisdom, stature, favor with God, and
favor with man. There is no better program of training than that which
includes mind, body, religious instinct, and social relationships.
Beyond this I see little that the church and its agencies can do. Nothing
is to be gained by compromising with the mind of the flesh, which is
death. We should get the right kind of attitude, organization, and
equipment. We should use them at their best and then stand our ground.
The right-minded will respond to nothing less than a Christian appeal.
The wrong-minded we shall not win anyway—until a revolution has taken
place in their point of view.