Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-15
CHURCH DECLINE
IN COLLEGES SEEN
Woman's Missionary Council
Speaker Says Keligion
Is Same.

| College students are becoming dis
satisfied with church denominations
and in many cases there is a positive
reaction against them, in the opinion
of Mrs. H. r. Steele of Nashville, Tenn,
whose work as secretary in charge of
missionary candidate work for the
Woman's Missionary Council brings her
in contact with hundreds of students
in Southern colleges.
College students are as religious as
they ever were, Mrs. Steele reported to
the council at its conference today at
the Mount Vernon Place M. E. Church
South, but they have no patience with
denominationalism"
They are not encouraged to give
their lives to missionary work." she
said. Many are questioning the flnc-
ton OF the church in the world today
and leave college with little loyalty to
the church'S program"
Young People Different.
Young people of today are not better
or worse than the general run of young
people in any day and time" she said.
They are just different, because their
environment is different.
to Christ; they are pledging themselves
to follow Him. but in many cases they
are not thinking of serving their day
and generation through the church"
Fallure IN the home, teachings in
colleges and universities and inadequate
programs of religious education in the
churches We're mentioned by Mrs. Steele
as some of the causes for decreasing in
terest among young people in church
work as a vocation.
Miss Sara Estelle Haskin, editorial
secretary, reported that the councils
magazine for children has q circula-
ton OF $4,000, an increase of 10000
over 1927.
In the field of social service the conn
ell has added farm relief to the sub
]ects Tor study. The social service pro-
gram was outlined this morning by Mrs.
w. a. Newell of GaStonia, N. c.
Progress I'm Mexico.
Increasing interest in education in
Mexico Is resulting in progress along
mission lines, despite political disturb
ances. the council was told last night
by Mrs. F. F. Stephens of Columbia.
Mo-, president, who visited that country
last year as a fraternal messenger to
Methodist women
Never in the history of Mexico has
there been noted rising tide SO pro
nounced in favor of education as now"
she said. For the year 1929, the gov
eminent has appropriated 1000 600
pesos more than in 1927, for the educa-
ton of the masses"
Mrs. Stephens was one Of five women
who went out from the council to for
elgn fields in return for visits to the
council meeting last year of representa-
tives OF other countries. Reports on
mission work being done in these coun-
tries were made to the council last
evening at meeting in Mount Vernon
Place Church, where the organization
is meeting in annual conference.
In their social service work, Mexican
women are particularly interested in
two projects" Mrs. Stephens said
securing reduction in the price of
medicines for the poor and the fitting
up of public parks for the use of in
valids The ways they raise money re-
mind one of our women. Members of
society make houSe-to- house canvass
OF orders for tamales. a favorite Next
can food. Then, society members meet
at one home, make the tamales and
deliver them.
Unless the Mexicans are of the des-
perately poor class they are happy,
singing people,"
Miss Koo Okujo of Hiroshima, Japan,
who sre.e through an interpreter, told
the delegates that the movement had
grown in Japan from small group of
women banded together II years ago to
the present missionary society of $50