BORED BY CHURCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 292, 10 December 1929, Page 10

BORED BY CHURCH.

YOUTH OF TO-DAY. OUTSPOKEN COMMENT. SIMPLE GOSPEL WANTED. The declaration that modern girls were bored with the monotony of the Church was made by Miss Jean Beggs, secretary of the Auckland Young. Women's Christian Association, when the attitude of the youth of"* to-day toward the Church was under discussion at last evening's meeting of the Council of Christian Congregations. Miss Beggs said modern girls were critical of the Church, and found the sermons-tedious, the prayers rambling, l and the church architecture dismal.. If the more interested considered the importance of prayers, its value to them was only the peace of mind which it might give. The minister of to-day secured loyalty, hot because of his profession, but in spite of it. His ministerial status • was not an asset but a liability. It was an important function of the Church to give the young people a sense of belonging to it. This, however, was not to be confused with possessing them body and soul. So far as sermons were concerned, the trouble was that the ministers told youth what to do, when they really wanted to know what the minister himself would do. Miss Beggs, in launching an appeal to church 'authorities to make more use of the young people in church services, said they should be shown that they were doing something worth while. It was, not reasonable to expect young folk to retain their interest if they were compelled to sit back and watch their elders. ;. ' Referring to youth as being on trial before a jury for lack of interest in the Church Mr. Vernon T. Drew, secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association said the majority of. young people would not. guilty to ,the charge. Others would plead guilty under extenuating circumstances. The young man of to-day demanded something that would conform to the changed conditions of the present time. While interested in religion, he wanted simple gospel unencumbered with doctrinal controversies He. did not favour compromising on th<

subject, however. The Church, by stooping to all manner of means to gain his interest, was lowering its dignity. An appeal to elders to look with sympathy instead of detachment at the young people, was made by Mr. J. W. I Hyland, who gave his opinion as a Bible class worker. Neglect of the Church to consider the vitality of youth work was'evident. , Whatever ailed the, youth of to-day was undoubtedly, the fault of the older generation, said Rev. E. P. Blamire's, "Secretary, of the Council of Religious Education. The . spiritual welfare of the country should be assured as the physical condition had been, by attention from infancy. What the Church required was a Plunket movement in its religious' education... . This would assist to spread its influence- upon the young people from their -most-impressionable age.