Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-07-07
The Church And
The Community
BY REV. jobs. KNUDSEN

Changing times and changing con-
ditions make new approaches con-
stantly necessary. We may regret
the passing of old methods, but we
must be ready to adapt ourselves to
new situations that arise out of fac
tors over which we have no control.
A farmer or businessman who does
duction and marketing, loses out.
This does not mean that we should
not work hard to remedy or change
a system that is faulty or wrong, but
it means that we should meet that
challenge with the best and most
improved methods at hand.
In a similar way, we must, in our
cultural activities, be alert in under
standing changing trends in order to
maintain their value or appeal. 1 am
not in this connection thinking of
the message of the church. The gos-
pei is ever the same; its appeal is as
great today as ever, and we must
never try to change its message to
confrom with present conditions and
ideas; to the contrary, we should try
to change our conditions and ideas
so that they might conform with the
gospel.
But I am thinking of such things
as young peoples work, for instance.
Years ago the young people of a
community could gather in large
numbers in the homes and at COM
munity activities. There was no
necessity for any special effort to
gather them; they just naturally came
whenever there was good reason
for getting together. Those were
''good old times" and all young peo-
pies activities were, in a natural and
ideal way, bound to the home, the
church, and the community. We all
heartily regret that such conditions
no longer prevail, and we long for
the fellowship that existed then.
But we must recognize that chang
ing times have made such natural
fellowship and loyalty extremely diff
ficult and well nigh impossible. Mod
ern means of transportation and the
many different influences and i'm
pulses we are subjected to, have
pulled or pushed us in many and
different directions. And the young
people are not at fault; they are
often merely drawing or suffering
the consequences of the changes
which the older generation has intro
duced. And none of us can prevent
the ever increasing development of
motor cars, radios, etc.
We cannot stop modern mechanical
development (nor do we want toy, but
we can rise to meet its challenge
We must recognize that we cannot
expect the good old times" to re-
turn merely by criticizing the new
We must create good new times" by
adapting our approach to the chang
ing times. If recreation and enter
tainment, organized on commercial
basis, lures our youth away, we must
meet its challenge with organized
effort on the basis of our church
and folk life. Unless we do, the pull
of the other will be too strong.
One trend works in our favor. The
point of saturation can be reached;
we can get our fill of mechanical and
commercialized activities and yearn
to return to sincere and personal
values. There seems to be strong and
hopeful signs that young people (and
older folks too) are firing of the
superficial diet of speed and sensa-
tionalism and are seeking back to
the deeper cultural and religious val
ues. May we be ready to meet that
yearning with our hearts and our
values intact.