Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-14
SKEPT|C|SM HELD
WARTIME HERITAGE
Church Educational Groups
Hear Plea for Evangelism
Among Students.

Wartime skepticism of the value of
religion lies at the root of lack of ap-
probation of the values Of a religious
life by students in the colleges of the
United States, the Council of Church
Boards of Education was told at a
meeting at the Willard Hotel today.
students now attending our colleges
were two or three years old when the
war broke out, Rev. Gardiner M. Day,
assistant rector of st. Johns Church OF
WilliamstoWn, Mass, said. They in
herited skepticism regarding the value
of religion from their parents and still
retain 1t in their contacts in college
life"
DR.. Day said that a scrap" within a
church promotes a healthy condition.
THE church has always made most
progress when there was good row on.
We should always have scraps in our
churches, but they should be friendly"
Tracing the growth Of the religious
movement among student groups In the
institutions of higher learning, DR.. Day
said the present tendency Is for the
student to lean toward a definite objec-
tive In his extra-curriculum contacts.
Wants Practical Results.
"He wants only to belong to a group
that produces a practical result, such
as radio, aviation or an allied subject.
1t Is the job of the church and its
affiliated organizations to teach him
that the ideals of Jesus Christ Shout.
be the guiding factors in his life"
Martyr d. Keeler, a student at the
Union Theological Society of New York,
agreed with DR.. Day that the church
has a very real job in spreading the
student Christian movement. He said
the movement must have a definite in
tellectual appeal, and must provide
places for those who have personal and
social problems. The faculty man, Mr..
Keeler said, is in the ideal position TO
lead the undergraduate TO a proper
valuation Of Christian life and religion.
Student Needs Leader.
1.-THE young student" he said, may
have trends Of thought. along indie
pendent lines, but there may be no
one to lead him. The man who works
with students must have an intimate
knowledge of student life"
In a situation such as this, Mr.. Keel
er said, the faculty man and the local
pastor find their field for spreading
teachings OF the value Of q Christian
life. The function of the church. in
addition to taking an active part in
the work. also should be to furnish
material for study by students.
Cathedral Visit Planned.
A union mass meeting at the Willard
this aft ernoon was to be followed by
q visit to the Washington Cathedral.
Sessions of the Association OF Ameri-
can Colleges will open at the Willard
tomorrow morning, followed by a re-
ception by President Hoover at the
White House to the delegates.
At 4:30 tomorrow afternoon the dele
gates will be the guests of the Ameri-
can Association of University Women
for tea at the club house, 1884 street,
and on Thursday at 1890 pm. they
will be received at the Pan-American
Union.
Seeks Liberal Culture.
Modern college training has a two
fold mission in UNCONVENTIONAL institu-
tons, DR.. Boothe c. Davis, president Of
the Council Of Church Boards of Edu-
cation. said yesterday. These col
leges," he said must set standards of
liberal culture, forms of scholarship and
ideals for citizenship and public service
in century when all the world Is a
neighbofhood and all men are brothers
and fellow citizens as never before. We
must maintain colleges with cultural
ideals, standards of scholarship and
adequate equipment for making effec-
tive intellectual growth, with freedom of
initiative in thought and expression.
Furthermore, the church Is largely de-
pendent upon our Christian colleges for
a trained, loyal and effective leader
ship"
DR.. Davis said the function Of the
college is to preserve loyalties to church.
family, State and Nation, while adjust
ing them to new areas of truth, rather
than to create such loyalties in minds
previously devoid of them.
Churches are said to be guilty Of ed,i-
cational malpractice, DR.. Robert Kelly.
executive secretary of the council, said.
1T is said they are guilty of indoctrina-
ton, OF dogmatism, OF coercion. They
perpetuate certain brands and interpre-
tations of truth by determining the
thinking OF inexperienced and unsus-
pecting youth.
Religious Associations.
ITO avoid this danger, shall christian
education become thoroughly objective?
Shall 1t refuse to associate itself with
or disassociate itself from the entire
expressiOnal side of religion? Shall 1t
become a pure science? We are solemn
~ told that on the college level it
should. Medical students, of course,
need hospitals in their studies, law
students need courts, engineering stu
dents need bridges and tunnels But
for christian education there must be
no laboratory work, no contacts with or
utilization Of churches or other mediums
Of religious expression.
us religion only fit for q glass case
in museum?
Shall college students" he continued,
"be allowed to develop keen apprecia-
ton and form personal attachments in
literature and language, in biology and
history, In social science and the fine
arts, but be forcibly stopped from all
i religion"
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