The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1942-07-16

a mess of things. For, consider
ing that there are many millions of
monors in the United States re-
ceiving no religious instruction what
ever, we have to admit we are MAX
ing a mess. 1T is the children whose
parents are not church goers who
drop out in the teen age. We find
that not many young people are in
fluenced by atheistic dogma who
come from homes where Sunday
Worship is the accepted program.
Parents should take not send their
children to church! &.
As to the next point, indifference
on the part of the church itself, that
is Ia regrettable fact. Christianity is
necessarily evangelistic, and if it
ceases to be so, decays. When Jesus
said "Go We into all the world and
preach the gospel (good news) to
every creature" He automatic ally
condemned the inertia of self
righteousness into which many of us
have fallen. We forget ito care if our
next door neighbor, or the man i'm
the street, or the shopkeeper has
found his God. MANY of us are afraid
to breach the subject for fear of CIV
ing offense, or for fear of ridicule!
I know hat is TRUE, for have heard
church people say it. I think that at
titude is partly because we are
FUSED" to Christianity. We have
allowed it ito become a common
thing, a habit Where are the flam-
ing missionaries and preachers, a
dozen of whom set f1te world attire,
nineteen hundred and forty two
years ago? sst
Selfsfness, with it's rating Of 4.65,
is only another phase of this indif-
ference. Naturally we are selfish or
we wouldn't be careless in this mat
ter.
Outside interests? Only one thing
to say here. We're giving God a
back seat if we put anything ahead
of our obligation Ito His Plan, the
Church. There is no excuse for it,
though I could quote a number OF
startling ones confided to me!
The failure to reach youth is a
serious problem to all denomina
tions. Some resort TO spectacular en-
tertainmeIrts to attract the teen age
group, but it has been generally
found that the honest, direct appeal
to their inherent decency and in
teIligence is the more effective
method. Remember, las th twig is
bent Very few youths will fail
to respond to good training. Father
Flanagan of Boys Town says there
is no such thing as a bad boy
and proves it.
The solution is, of course, let the
lparerlts lead them, not push them.
There is no substitute.
Question three, "W1lat keeps you
away from church," Melted the fol-
lowing figures: -
Indifference ----------L-1 4.54%
Lack Of time ---------------A--26.4 1870
Message lacks appeal -- $500
Regular attendance -44.119o
Miscellaneous --------- 5000
So not half of us go to church
regularly, And why? Because we
don't care enough, or can't take
time off from more important
things, usually late sleeping, picndcs
or visitors) and because, bluntly, we
aren't entertained by the show the
minister is putting on. We have ad-
mitted those things, so we must &C.
cept them. p.
What can be said of people who
profess Ia belief in God, yet refuse
to support His living institution? Is
the church, then, of less consequence
than the labor union, compounded Of
people with a common purpose? We
can congregate ito demand living
Kwage, reasonable working hours, q
voice in guiding OUR social order
Should we be more lax in demand
ing voice in OUR own destiny and
the destiny of the world?
Figure it out for yourself. Do you
think God is going to listen to the
excuse that you can't get out of bee
ON Sunday morning? !.
Question four, docs the Church
appeal too strongly for money!
rates a 76!47 percent negative
against a 1882 percent affirmative
Yep, almost a fourth of us have &C.
cused it of being a grIbbing, grasp
ing institution that asks for money
to buy Bible dor those who live ir
darkness, religious education for ou1
Riddles, to support OUR old people.
homes and supply " leper with medi.
cine to save him from a living death
1t is commendable that three fourth.
of us bear out the thing England re.
Gently said of Americans, that wher
they give, they gice with both hands
Aren't you glad you're among tht
majority? If we pause here to con.
slider that we are spending one hun.
dred and twenty million dollars 6
DAY for the purpose of engaging II