Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-07-13

by request we publish the follow
ing extracts from the leading article
aid. written by Rcv. I'rancis T.. Clark.
DID,. LL.D.. founder and president nf
Christian Endeavor. now holding
their sixth dccennial world convcn-
tion in New York. We take pleasur"
in publishing these extracts because
we feel sure that all our churches. as
well as all right-thinking people. are
in accord on this subject TO us
there seems to I've absolutely no
question about it. The quotation fol-
lows:
'The lax social customs whicl
have lately come in like Il food have
put many young souls in peril and
reduced the temperature Of their re-
ligious zeal. The many recent col
umns in the Literary Digest, devoted
to extracts from hundreds Of rclig-
ions and secular plNerS al over the
rN'ni,N. re-" "GIuR iao hjGeNuS owls
VI 'he m"la.n &onsNaI dance and
u1nN !"G@ratjvo movie shows Shuuld
awaken all ChriSuun pooplr to tit,
ntNAUu 10 tnu YOU III .. Ia. ANA IL
ture generations.
Forty years ago. though the Civil
War, with its aftermath Of laxness.
was not very long past. even high
society was comparatively modest.
while ordinary social life was scarce
~ tainted by the glaring sensuous
evils OF to-day. Then young people
e .Joyed homely. wholesome, health
giving. mind-Quickening games, such
rs the sister OF Theodore Roosevelt,
describes rs played in their family
circle. Now many young folks U
was tempted to say MOST instead OF
MANY. but | hope that is not true),
enjoy only the indecent dance in in
decent clothes. to the most reckless
and senSuous Of Jazz music, and in
the fetid atmosphere Of public ball
room.
This may be thought dismal
catalogue Of influences that to-day
the young. but would not
end on the pessinnstic key Obsta-
cleS are things to overcome. Ditn-
cultieS. conquered. strengthen char
the seductive evils Of the day, which
in measure inevitably follow such
4 war rs we have witnessed. many
have stood stronger. purcr, for the
test
We may he pardoned for making
4 suggestion to the ministers Of the
Gospel in connection with the above,
for our comments upon which we
were not asked. II has often occurred
to Ms that probably our ministers AMI
leaders in church work are seeking
to correct evils while standing too
much aloof from them. The presence
or one or two ministers Of the Cos
pei and a few really c0nsccratcd
thriStian women at some Of the
dances given even within our own
county and community would very
quickly eliminate many Of the fea-
lures that are complained of as OH
l"rl!nnahlc. AS a matter Of fact. we
believe We need. more than anything
else, the pastoral relation Of our
miniStcrS-thcir personal contact.
IN the daily--and nightly--lvcs OF
the young, in their pleasures and
gayetics. We would not rob youth
OF one pleasure or Il single JOY. Bat
we would like to see the lows and
pleasures OF youth purified. There
are those. OF course, who will tell MS
that II we purify and cleanse the
pleasures OF youth we will but he
extracting the pleasure from the life
OF the children and youth OF our dav
What sad commentary on the life
OF to-day! What slur upon the
moral stamina Of Youthful America,
1t Is but to say that tho young OF
our country can find no pleasure but
In sin. no JOY in anything save that
which Is tainted with lax morality.
We do not know tha, what wa
have said will do any good. We hope