The Washington times., 1924-10-08
IS To IS CALLED
DANGEROUS
ACE
Salvation Army Commissioner
Says Religion Is Only
Defense
BY MARGERY REX,

NEW YORK. Oct. Thirteen
to nineteen.
That's the dangerous age.
That IL the age, the high school
period, in which the boys and girls
Of today realize they cannot serve
two masters--God and Mammon.
SO Mamn1on. they decide, Ii the
better buy" selection.
Mammon, god Of materialisrn,
does not necessarily lead antelIi.
gent people to the brink Of baser
sins, but he does make pleasure
alone seem desirable al the chief
end Of existence. And this, Com.
missioner Thomas EstiIle, head Of
the Eastern territory Of the saliva.
ton Army. points out, 10 sufficient
Indictment. The Salvation Army
has Just closed It's conference of 4
week ct the First Presbyterian
Church here. During these sessions
Commissioner Estille has .iiacuMsed
current problems from the Arnay's
point Of view and offered solutions.
There were, Of course. two per-
sons ct the. conference named Cum.
missioner EstiIle one - Thomas
Estille. the other his beautiful
white haired wife, who has worked
with him IN the Salvation Army for
many yeare and who shares his
title. Equal rights for men and
women, by the way, have been in.
cOrporated In the Army charter
now these ssixty years. Commits
sioner Thomas Estille starts out:
Dangerous Age.
The dangerous age today Is the
teens
THAT is the inquisitive age when
the young people want to know
what's this and what's that and
what does this mean that the older
people are doing. That Is the age
when they want to see and touch
for themselves,
1.-THE danger Of that age is that
unless someone IL nearby to. direct
the sight and touch they will touch
pitch.
'IWe Of the salvation Army are
Of the opinion that 1t Is better not
to touch too much"
Mrs. Estille, equal sharer in the
title and co-worker with her hus-
band, points out that religion should
be used as something to depend
upon, almost as steadying strap
for the swaying passenger through
life to hang onto.
.'In the first place we must rely
on religion.
Our religion has no mannorisms
and no affectationss But wa hava
created q few interests FOE the
young. #
''No dancing. and the theater. we
are opposed to entertainment upon
the stage unless for educational
purposes.
1--WE offer religion and recreation,
but religion must dominate racrea-
ton. Nothing Is permitted In our
pleasures contrary to our principles.
That is Of first importance.
This is Tnaterialistic age. And
while most young people without
religion viii not give themselves up
to the baser sins they will give up
entirely to the pursuit OF pleasure"
/ Exposure to evil, the sowing Of
wild oats, Is condemned by both
Commissioners Estille. For parents
to condone this dangerous activity
on the part OF youth IL fatal. It Is
also ignorant, as stupid as the old.
fashioned idea that 1t was better to
let a child catch scarlet fever, any
way, and "haye II over with" Ter
rible results have been seen In delib-
crate exposure to both moral. and
physical illness.
To Counterfeit Mamtnon.
1t is possible-+the Estilles say,
speaking for the army--to counter
act SMammon with combination Of
religion and recreation.
I'VE have our Girl Guards, similar
to the Girl Scouts, and the Boy
Guards, like the Boy Scouts. we
have our Young Peoples Legion,
corresponding to the Christian En-.
deavor, with monthly social gather.
ings, In these meetings there is an
active religious spirit that doesn't
diminish, because they are happy
social affairs. The intense happi.
ness that religion gives Is there.
Then we have our brass bands
and our Eongsters' Brigade
Referring to the great happiness
the Estilles have found In their
work, Mrs. Estille said:
Husband and wife take the Same
title in the Salvation Army. was
an officer in the service before /
was. married, and now four OF our
elk children are active I'm the same
work. The eldest, Major William
Thomas Estelle. IL q divisional com.
mander in Great Britain. He is
forty, Also in England Is our son,
Herbert, thirty-two. He Is an adjIi.
tant.