Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-07-23
CHURCHES NEED GRADUATES.
BY Rey, W. X. Roger,

BY Rev. ". r. Rogers.
As multitudes OF graduates have passed
out from the college and university halls.
many of our alert religious workers have
found themselves asking: why do not
the ehurch??' 1t is true that some Of
them have become stanch members Of
active churches but it is also apparent
that the great mass of educated youth
passes by religious institutions.
In short, there are many conservative
minds who feel that the church is not
attracting enough of the college and uni
versity men, so that there is no more
| important and timely question that can
be asked than this what must the
church do to enlist the attention and
services of the college and university
GRADUATED"
1t seems apparent that the pulpit that
is TO attract the graduate must in the
first place, be sincere, practical and care
full in its thought. 1t is true that there
are some men who pass from college who
need primarily a more manly character,
and there may be others who, in their in
difference. are satisfied with a diploma.
But the normal college graduate comes
forth with a mind that is alert and hun
cry for truth-a mind that shrinks from
loose thought and will not respect intel
leetual timidity. The college graduate
has learned to think deeply on evolution,
and no church can gain his interest by
referring to the evolutionary theory with
merely sarcastic remark. The gradu-
ates of recent years have learned much
about psychology, and the clergyman that
would hold their respect cannot pass it
over with joke.
1t is true that the church should not be
carried away with evolution or the new
psychology; it should not transform its
pulpits into laboratories for tracing the
ascent of man and dissecting the expert
ences of the soul But at least, if il
would attract the student, ii must cease
to trifie and manifest respect for schol-
arship.
In brief, the mind of the modern col
lege graduate is characterized by mental
frankness, and if the church is to draw
college men it must meet them with q
similar candor.
There exists to-day too much of diff
ference between the teachings of the
Christian college and some of the preach
ing of the Christian pulpit. The college
is eager to cultivate the scientific spirit,
but often the very churches that bring
support to the institution are bitter in
their denunciation Of progressive think
ing. Yes, even the theological semina-
ries and the church do not accord as they
should; for, if on the one hand We find
that all of the seminaries request that
new light be shed on Biblical interpreta-
ton, on the other hand the very pdlpts
that mother theological schools often de.
cry an advance in Bible study as ire
| ligious.
The supreme need of our day is that
the colleges and churches adjust them
selves to each other, so that the graduate
can pass without jar or hitch from the
school to the church. If the college is too
far advanced let it slacken its step. But
if the church is tardy and numbering in
it's growth let ii move forward
If the church is TO attract the graduate
it must re member that its task is not that
of oyerthrowing what the scholar has
learned in college, but that Of adding to
what he has there acquired.
The fact is we need this army of young
graduates and thinkers in our chur-hes
to-day. But If we are to enlist their in
terest we should not OPP use scholarship,
but rather meet them tn an intellec-
tual fairness and reverence Tor truth as
well as Righteousness.