South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-01
YOUTH NEEDS THE
CHURCH ALLISON
Pastor Feels Many Attend as
Though They Are Confer
ring 2 Favor.

The fact that the youth needs the
church and it's religious. views more
than the church needs the youth. was
brought out by Rev. George William
Allison. pastor of Hope Presbyterian
church. Sunday evening in his sermon
on the subject, The Religion OF
Youth"
There is no fact so painful to those
engaged in Christian work as the ap-
parent loss 10 the church of the life
OF its youth, with their vigOr and en-
thusiasm The majority of our youth
have failed TO heed the warning OF
the ancient collector Of wisdom who
said in his advice TO youth. 'Remem-
Der now thy Creator in the days of
thy youth, while the evil days come
not And probably the parents share
the responsibility OF this failure by
reason of the fact that they have not
given the child the proper training at
home, by instruction and by example.
Train up a child in the way he should
60 ard when he is old he will not
depart from it, And the church has
failed 10 make its services sufficiently
attractive or adapted 10 the mind and
heart of the youth. So child, parents
and church share the responsibility
for this alarming failure TO bring the
life Of the youth under the sway of
religion.
at is pitiable to watch the life OF
the youth who has no religious re-
straint or constraint. 1t is a shame
full story of deterioration of charac-
ter. 1t is not enough that the child
for a few brief years be taught the
Bible in our Bible schools; he needs
also the training Of reverence and
worship in the church. with a COM
mittment of his life to Jesus Christ
Duty OF Church To Save.
THE duty of the church is TO save
the world. And if it is ever to fulfill
its task, il must save the child and
the youth. With each added year
after the age of 16. it becomes less
I likely that the youth will ever be
saved. How about that boy or girl
my young friend?
And in addition to the probability
of later conversion becoming less
! hopeful, is the fact that with each
years postponed acceptance of Jesus
Christ the number of years OF service
we can render to Him becomes less.
The younger we give our lives to Him
the more we can accomplish for Him.
Thus the life given TO Christ at the
age of ID may expect, according to
actuaries life insurance tables, a serv-
ice OF about 40 years. If you wait
until you are so years old. you can ex-
pect but five years more OF life for
Christ.
''The youth needs the church great
deal worse than the church needs the
youth. Yet many attend church as
| though they by their presence were
comforting a favor upon the church.
Ii is but their duty and to their per-
sonal profit TO do So Remember now
/ thy Creatorr
Duty Is To Fear God.
After analyZing the different lines
of endeavOr into which one might go
/ for satisfaction in life, the ancient
! Ecclesiastes said, Let us hear the
/ conclusion of the whole matter: Fear
| God and keep His commandments;
! that is the whole duty of man. While
| that primarily meant the ten COM
mandments of Moses, may be substl-
| tute in our Christian enlightenment
the two comprehensive commands of
Jesus? He said Thou shalt love the
/ Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul.
mind and strength Thou shalt love
| thy neighbor as myself Here is at
once the duty and the opportunity of
youth. Remember now thy Creator
| before your desire shall fall and your
| life has become ugly and unattrac-
tive to yourself and others. We pre-
/ sent you the Christ of incompatible
/ splendor of character, and ask your
allegiance to Him as your ideal and
your personal saviour. Rise up and
/ follow HIM"