Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-09-13
@Rev. DIR. Charles S. Mactariahd'

Ed Scout Commissioners.
THE war has raised anew the
Whole question Of the education and
development of our boys. physically,
' morally and spiritually. 1t is a plob-
lem and an opportunity above all
tor our churches.
Today, as never before, the nation
has begun to realize the potential
ity OF its boyhood. Pertinent indeed
is the question what will be the
effect OF this when, in a few years,
1t becomes dynamic? One instinct
lively wonders whether the boys of
this day are being properly prepared
for the unparalleled responsible. Is
SO o o to be theirs.
We feel the need of providing
our boys with a training that Will
give them physical preparedness Tor
the service of the nation with out
running the danger of imbuing them
with the spirit of militarlsm. TIE
Boy Scout Movement meets this need
of the hour. 1t has had its effec-
tiveness during the war n has
won for itself a large place i'll cur
national life. 1t is the one move
ment which, while emphasizing
physical development and moral
principle. also deepens the relation
ship OF the boy to the whole church.
Its statement of principle, its firm
Of obligation, and its whole Spirit
are such as to attach the boy more
closely to the church and secure his
interest in it's administrative
machinery is SO adjusted as to make
effective this relationship.
OF all the many good movements
engaged in the aduous task of boy
training, there is, perhaps, none
quite like the Boy Scouts of Amer
lea. This movement has mapped
out a thoroughly feasible plan, a
tical in every application, whereby
VS. will be inspired with a real de-
to become good Christian cit
I zens. The Scouting program offers
tho boy a host of wholesome act.vi-
ties in which he, as a natural boy.
is intensely interested. 1t stresses
particularly life in the open-wood-
craft, camping, hiking, and other
pursuits, whose enjoyment requires
an Intelligent acquaintanceship with
nature. A Scout does not take UP
these things in a haphazard fashion;
he soon grows to look pom nature
as the handiwork of God and derives
untold inspiration from it. when
rightly guided.
An outdoor life wisely led. gives
rise to many good works. The ideal
"a StItAC6 " AK LII oas pawn
inently in the Scouting program.
Before a boy can officially become
a Scout, he promises:
ION my honor I will do my beet
II. To do my duty to God and
my country, and to obey the Scout
Law.
2. To help other people at all
times.
8. To keep myself physically
strong, mentally awake, and NOR
ally straight"
il moi obliged to promise to do all
these things, but to do his best to do
them. This of course means that he
will try all the harder to do them,
for to do otherwise would be to con-
TESS being only ones second best.
Practically, this pledge takes the
form of the daily good turn and lar
ger acts of service. Throughout the
war. Scouts did yeoman service in
all the Liberty Loan and Thrift
Imp campaigns. They collected
frloads of fruit pits for gas mask
manufacture; they located acres of
hack walnut trees for use in max
ing gun stocks and airplane pro-
nelIers; they circulated literature
broadcast for the Committee on
Public Information.
such an influence as this brings
out the best in any community. The
bow takes pride in himself, and. as
a natural consequence, in his envi-
ronment. He straightway sets out
to better the conditions which he
finds round about him. Cleanup.
safety first, health, and other SIM
liar drives have been pushed to a
successful conclusion by Boy Scouts
in numerous cities and towns.
Scouts tackle these things, not as
matters of necessary routine, but
with a spontaneit. and enthusiasm
that inevitably brings results.
The plea of those who have this
movement nearest at heart is not
80 much for boys-it is for leader
shin for the many boys who are
eager to become Scouts. The need
for Scoutmasters was never so
urgent as it is now, at the dawn of
a veritable new era. If scouting is
TO expand until it becomes a factor
in the development of the Ameri-
can youth, leaders of the highest
\libre must step forward.
THE church is the obvious place
g turn for such leadership, and the
church need have no fear that 1t
10 expanding its energies In the