The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-04-16
Youth Turns to
Church for Help,
Lead ~ : yiares
Q
DIR. CA ). at All Saints,
Ss' ~ -lappers Are Re-
~ Notes New Move
L DIT by Young People.

s%Of-~
the interest of youth, the end of
those doctrines and customs Is in
sight" said Rev. DR.. William r.
Gardner, whose annual address at the
conference of educational leaders of
the Episcopal church in this city last
week resulted in a series of striking
resolutions on unshaekling religious
thought in n sermon on THE Youth
Movement in the Church." at All
Saints Episcopal church yesterday
morning.
IF they have no vital truth they
become side eddies in the stream OF
human interest" DIR. Gardner con-
tinued. IF they have vital truth.
youth finds it and clothes it in new
phrases and figures and stories. and
makes it an asset in human endeavor.
Il believe we stand today in the
presence OF one OF the great youth
movements of history But some OF
us don't realize 1t. We have lived
out our time. we look about us and
the morals and manners of the young
people shock us. We talk about the
moral breakdown OF youth" All this
is but the repetition of history. The
youth movement is in every nation.
Youth Demands Chance.
1T springs from the avowal of the
young people that the church should
give boys and girls chance to talk
together. work together and play
together.
Among the reasons for this spon-
taneous turning of youth toward the
church place first the problems rails
ed by the new ideals of equality. and
especially equality Of the sexes. Boys
and girls today are facing a dawning
age when equality as a political and
social theory is being tried as never
before. In many cases they are earn
ing the same amount of money and II
not. the girl. II she has any pride,
thinks she should earn as much as
the boy
Marriage TO some does not mean
that the woman must change her
point of view, her interests or habits.
or even give up her work: all these
she takes along with her into her
married life. Living together means
adjustments. shrewd and sometimes
delightful bargains in which each
looks upon the other as possessed Of
rights which must be recognized"
Vote Is Responsibility.
'.The responsibility of voting causes
the girl 10 test the opinions of the
boy with quizzical questions. On the
other hJna, iias ~ has p sense OF q
new responsibility that in some way
he must help the girls 10 do tlH poll
tical job which has been given them.
These boys and girls see the married
woman in tie office. they read Of the
events OF the divorce courts. they
see the growing power OF woman in
the state and in subtle way they
feel that the whole problem of the
equality OF the sexes is their problem
Naturally they look around for con-
ditions where they can meet and talk
and work and play together. The
church offers one Of these conditions
but # does more. Il offers ideals of
right relationship between humans.
regardless Of sex"
The youth movement in the church.
DIR. Gardner declared. intends to re-
store some of the joy and eheerfulness
that have been taken out Of Chris
tianity. Most Christians all over the
world. and especially II they come
from New England. have a conselen-
tious feeling that unless goodness Is
accompanied by a due amount OF
discomfort 1t IS not goodness. The
youth OF the day has repudiated this
idea,n he said He dwelt upon the
Importance Of the athletic movement
among the youth Of today and of the
large part that clean healthy amuse-
ment Is playing in the youth move
ment In the church.
Modernism Plays Part
. Turning 10 another phase OF the
movement. ~. Gardner ascribed as
a third factor I'm the movement
the interfering OF religious knowl-
edge In groups of clergymen and
students" he said. This Is called
and girl today there IS eeaseless In
ward questioning about everything.
and religion does not escape. The
youth OF today has added 10 the
child's natural curiosity the inquisi-
tive habit.
'The ways OF thinking on the Bible
and religion are unfcttered and there
are signs that we shall have rush
like that OF the gold mining days. of
youthful intellect toward the most
fruitful and least known field OF
human thought. the field OF religion.
between l6 and Is are not interested
ia religion Is to b. blind TO ships that
carry the finest signal of hope. They
may not he interested In your religion
or mine. but they are deeply interest
ed In the religion needed by their own
age. The genius OF religion is that
lt must be conserved and passed on
to the next generation. The genius
of youth Is that 1t must adapt that
religion 20 its own needs, II there is
to be growth in truth.
Boys and girls today. yes. even tho
flnppers. want TO be right: boys and
girls turn TO the church because they
believe that II il tower for right.
The turning OF youth toward the
church. the seeking OF It's methods of
power for right. are creating n second
reformation In religious thinking
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