Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-14
PURPOSE OF
CHURCH SCHOOLS
Timely Paper on Religious lnstruc-
ton In Youth.
1T Is TRULY PRACTICAL.
Ideals OF the Latter-day saiUts Real
iged In Their Religion Written
by Professor Paul
TO the Editor Of the oNews."

TO the Editor OF the News"
At some time In the education Of
young man, he should receive definite
and systematic moral and religious in
struetion The opening Of the Latter
day Saints university this season with
registration OF nearly 400. 30 early
in the year. shows that the people OF
this community are becoming aware
of the Importance Of systematic re-
ligious training for their sons and
daughters, especially at the critical
period Of lfe-the time of the change
from youth Co manhood and woman
hood. Longfeliow warned the maiden,
Standing with reluctant feet
Where the brook and river meet,
Motherhood and childhood fleet
thou child OF many prayers,
Life hath qulcksands, life hath snares."
Both young men and young women
stand in peculiar danger at this time
OF their lives
a CASE IN POINT.
In recent case, both father and
mother were united In urging n IT
daughter, u mere girl Of sixteen, to
take " with US the study OF the
scriptures, instead OF taking up with
Others the study Of Greek and Roman
mythology Eut In vain did they rea-
son with her that it was OF more Inn
portance Tor her to learn Of Jehovah
than OF Jupiter, OF Christ than OF
Apollo, OF solomon than of Neptune.
She was already influenced and her
mind was set in a contrary direction
She could not choose. She had already
chosen. Perhaps she mistrusted the
simple faith Of her parents. During her
last year at school her teacher, wo-
man OF good ability, had successfully
labored TO convince her that she needed
training only in science and history,
and not in the principles of the GOSPEL |
es understood by the Latter-day Saints. |
Her parents discovered too late that |
they had lost or were rapidly losing |
Influence over daughter who for only |
one year at this important age had |
been under lie tuition OF a teacher In |
this city who had thought Il her right |
or duty TO win the young girl from her |
childhood faith In the religion of her |
parents.
THE CRITICAL PERIOD.
After completing the public schools,
many pupils have the privilege, which
all ought 20 have, of attending some
high school or other institution, TO pre-
pare themselves more fully for the ac-
tive duties Of life and to enable them
TO live In the world Of thought and
progress OF today. The age from IL
to 20 Is usually, and | believe, correctly
considered the most important OF
persons life, II Is then that he makes
up his mind to aim az something, to be
something. III he does not form the
resolution at this time he Is most like.
ly to drift without definite purpose and
without any true objective point. II is
at this period that he usually makes his
choice whether he will serve God or
Baal. The period Of adolescence and
youth Is, repeat, the critical period OF
a youths life IL he can be impressed
at this time with the truths OF religion.
the principles Of truth and morality,
and the actual practice OF honest indus
try, his future Is reasonably secure.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
In the opinion Of the Latter-da,
Saints the public schools cannot make
adequate provision for this kind of ed
ucation. The public schools can do
very much and are, OF course. 10 be
loyalty supported; but they cannot
teach the truths Of revelation. The
public schools are supported by the