Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1921-06-24
! D j III
v / A 7 | 7
WANTS IN
RELIGION
Present Generation De.
mands Faith Which is Will
ling to Answer Frankly
and Fearlessly Every Fair
Question.
(By Associated press)

DIES MONIES, Ia, June 24.-Tht
young people of today, the targets OF
so much criticism at the present time
are not the ones to blame for their at
titude, Rev. Bernard G. Clausen, pas
tor of the First Baptist Church of
Syracuse, N. Y, declared at the North
ern Baptist convention in this city.
"Men are charging that the new
generation is irreligious," he said. at
this be SO. it is futile to spend time in
blaming the youngsters. The only
sane thing for religious leaders to dc
is to find out what Il wants in its. re-
ligion."
The thing that the new generations
want most. he declared, is fearlessnessi
ut demands a religious faith which
prescribes no books, prohibits no
courses of study, bans no contacts
with the overwhelming horizons of
the words knowledge, erects no walls
about itself, but frankly and fearless
ly answers every fair question"
"The nagging, don't of outworn
pedagogy" is not the religion for 2l,''
DR.. Clausen affirmed. at insists that
religion treat of life, rather than of
death. The new generation has seen
too many of its contemporaries die,
at the glad heighth of a glorious ad-
venture, to feel the need Of a relig-
ion which believes the call of death.
1t demands faith which is willing to
be judged on the way it prepares men
for life"
When religion is able to meet these
essential requirement.. of youth. the
new generation will embrace it, Dr.
Clausen declared.
Unsettled foreign policies of gov
ernments during the last year as never
before, have affected missionary en-.
terprises. declares the 10th annual
report of the American Baptist For
eign mission society, presented today.
Political disturbances and famine in
China, an almost unparalleled financial
crisis in Japan, the inauguration of
zone of the greatest experiments in
democracy ever undertaken" following
an amazing national awakening in
India, and Mohammedan aggression
in Africa, have been factors placing
many of the society's missionaries in
a delicate position, says the report.
1t adds that financial handicapS
have been encountered in the indus
trial depression here, and in the fluc-
tuation of money exchange rates in
the Far East, food, clothing and otlie,
essentials for the missionaries jump
ing in cost as the value of silver has
dropped. Housing has also oaen q
problem.
During the year, says the report,
John D. Rockefeller made three gifts
to the society totaling $2,00O,0O0.
This sum was grouped with previous
gifts from Mr. Rockefeller in the last
two years into permanent trust fund
known as "The John D. Rockefeller
Fund" the income of which will be
used for general purposes.
George B. Huntington. the treas
urer, reports that $267,000 has been
spent during the year for relief in
China and Europe.
In China political conditions have
led to banditry and several mission
aries have been robbed. Fortunately
none have been injured. For famine
relief the society has sent 100000,
although the afflicted regions are far
from it's stations. In South China the
year marked the completion Of 60
years of work, and great celebrations
were held by the Chinese. A large
number of Oriental students are study
ing in American schools and Baptist
seminaries preparing for missionary
work in their homelands.
The report continues stating that
features of the year in Japan were the
World Sunday School convention in
Tokyo and the enlargement of the
Mabie Memorial school in Yokohama,
which is one of the leading schools in
japan.
Rev. DR.. James Franklin, secretary
for China and Japan, has been named