Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-06-25
FRAMING OF THE YOUNG
Religious Education Of Children, Bulwark
Of National Life, Much Neglected.
DEAN BEtcHtR URGES DUTY OF PARENTS
Christian Culture of the Child He
Holds 20 be Sole solution OF
vital Problems of Public
Interest.

eighty per cent Of children under AZ
years cannot answer the simplest question
about God, the Bible, or the Church de-
clafcd Dean Beecher Of Trinity Cathedral
in his sermon Sunday morning He as
serted that the religious education Of chill
dren IL being much neglected, and In the
proper training OF youth he saw the only
possibilities for the continuance OF Chris
tianity and the remedying Of abuses in poll
ticai. business and social life
I'VE cannot tail to have observed in the
mast few months that many Of those who
nave lived many years in the community
and who have had a marked influence in
building up the city and the character OF
the people composing II. are rapidly passing
away As these servants Of church and
society lay down their arms for their we'll
earned rest there must come to every
thoughtful man the question OF who shall
take his place. In our own parish life
this question has been forced on me many
ways, and do you wonder that In my
heart therefore | feel keen sense OF
anxiety for the boys and young men VINO
are within reach Of the church and its
influence, and who in large measure, are
not now receiving the touch of the true
spirit OF stability OF faith, nobility Of char
20 God?
Future stability of state.
The future strength and character OF
our government. national and municipal,
must depend upon the education and train
ing Of the younger generation, and. as
the old faces disappear, new leaders must
rise up from among the younger ranks
Following the rule conditions change ana
into al things Of the world must come
new thought and invention.
In political life this process Of perpetual
renovation has resulted often In selfish
and lgnoble strife for office. Today we
are regarding the revealed skeleton OF
wrong-doing In both political and business
life We cannot help wondering where 1t
will all end. or what II will lead to, for in
the attempt to secure righteous investiga-
ton many innocent souls have suffered and
are suffering today.
.'In the same lack of principle character
king the political. commercial and social
aspirations Of the young men. is the quee-
ton that you and ought to consider very
seriously. Are these things to go on? We
feel we have a great reason to be alarmed
and take deep caution. The source Of the
evil Is largely the neglect of the proper
education OF our children
same THING Appbea 10 OhuFchs
What is true OF business and politics
is also true of the church. There can be
no assurance Of the prosperity of the
Christian church unless we instill in our
children a love for the principles taught
in the church. and when the children are
not in the church you cannot have them
receive the training which the church aims
to give. Many parents overlook the truth
that the usefulness of a man or woman
depends very much upon early instruction.
The weight of the responsibility seems
greater the more we think of II.
1T seems apparent that the majority OF
children today are growing up prepared to
live in direct opposition 10 the law Of God
1 know OF many homes where children
neveF hear the word of God except In
stylish profanity In matters Of faith and
morals children are made TO feel II is no
disgrace TO he ignorant. They would be
discounted at not knowing twelve times
twelve but lack OF knowledge of Christian
truths has little or no effect because they
Feel they are not much more ignorant than
their elders.
1--WE we'll know our religion is founded
and holds together on faith. 1t Is no time
for parents to haggle over technicalities, or
this or that passage, but It is time to real
ize that we, as fathers and mothers must
have something DEFINITE to hand down to
our children that they may hand down to
their children. Otherwise we shall have
lived in vain"