The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-26
EYES ARE OPENED
 BY Y. NJ. C. A. WORK


 My work in the Young Mems Chris tian association has lifted me down from the high pulpit where we preach . CTS talk of narrow doctrines and faith, and vague traditions, where we eA- pound the arguments of ancient ideas. and where we rarely ever reach the people. It has brought me down 70 earth.
 "The real religious work lies in com munity service The idea is to work for the good of humanity, to work to improve the morale of the people. In this work the older persons get together and have what they want: the younger crowd has the kind of meeting 1t llkes. Let's build picture show. arrange for games and recreation. have ittie clubroom and let the people associate in an easy, comfortable way with each other and with God And let them believe whatever doctrines they wish as regards the denominations"
 Dr. Dickinson said there Is no use in building such elaborate and eX- pensive churches. "It seems to be for the entertainment of the Almighty he said. "and God doesn't care where you worship. I had rather preach in picture show or some similar place than at a church. for the people would rather assemble there. And there would be more people to hear me. PREACHERS SAY NOTHING-
 TOO LONG TO SAY IT
 "The great trouble is the preachers have nothing to say and it takes them too long to say it. They put nothing new in their work And when you have nothing to say the people do not like to listen, quite rightly.
 s'TO hold a congregation without foI ,afhfnp- Ia Npttinsr something for nothing, and that is stealing.
 "The whole matter resolves itself into just this: The church today Is out of touch with the world. We must catch up."
 He mentioned the instance of the Universa1ist preacher who sometime ago in New York withdrew from his denomination. and his audience ac- cepting the invitation to withdraw with him. They notified the church of their action. stating that it was not because of a change of faith, that they didn't know whether or not they ever understood the doctrine anyway. but that they were coming down from the high. narrow ruts of few mystic tra ditions and work for mankind.
 "This preacher and this congregatfon had the modern idea" he said. DECLARES HIS TIME
 WORSE THAN WASTED
 q have spent a number of years In the so-called pastoral york; continued Dr. Dickinson. land from standpoint of good done. my time was worse than wasted
 NIn our regiment at Montgomery were Baptists, MethoBists. Catholics. Presbyterinns, agnOstics, UniversaIists and others. We all worked, played sang md wor-kiped together with never a word said against any religious belief. All were treated the same. We forgot the little differences of tradf- tions and doctrines. When an- nourced an old song they aIl alike san~ enthusiastically. I have never seen so much genuine humnnity. even in thnt crude way. as was brought to light there. When you called for the renI man in them, it always respond ed..
 Dr. Dickinson said many of the charges brought against the "Y' were false and based on prejudice and envy
 "Some of the sacks might have spill ed on the way over but the organiza- ton delivered S5 per cent of the goods and did nearly all of the real work in its line that was done. It was the greatest feat that has ever been ac- complished Nothing else so much kept up the morale of our armies which was the best of any armies that ever fought--as the worf of the Young Mems Christian association. I'll grant that there were some untrust- worthy men and some crooked dealing, but where has such a tremendous prof ect been put through with so little of it? It would have been the exception if these things had not happened. Y.M. c. A. SHOWED WHERE
 "WE STAND RELIGIOUSLY"
 And another great work it did was to show us where we stand religiously and to show us the way out. No one need think that religion did not enter into this war. There can be no war without religion. Whether a man eX- presses it by getting up and shouting or by taking his gun and bayonet 10 kill another because of an outrage committed. it is the same passion that is expressing itself.
 "Our religious matters must be changed greatly. It is the outcome of the war The community service is the key. The Young Mems Christian as- sociation has enough funds to get this new sort of broad interdenomination- alism strongly under way"
 
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