THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 91, 11 January 1919, Page 8

THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD

Sir,—The following tnkeu from ! the "Scotsman" (September 28) may interest such of your readers as aro concerned as .to Hie Church and its inflnenco 111 tho world of tho future:— ■

"How ran a boy of twenty-three, snatched from his uncompleted collegia course, 'mid with no experience of ; life and no knowledge of tho human heart, be expected to lie a sympathetic nnd capable guide, philosopher, and friend to tlio soldier? This question is asked in 'Cameos from Camps,' by tlio Rov. W, Kingscote Greenland. (Published at. the Memorial Hall; Is. Gd.) But.' (says a writer in t.ho 'Daily Mail') it is tho kind of question everybody lias wanted to osk for years—not with regard to soldiers, but with regard to themselves. TTow can people of experience bo expected to go and bo preached at by raw inexperience? Youth in- tho • pulpit was all very well in the days when people had little 'learning,' and the boy from college could teach them something. To know what the young people think is necessary education for older people, but not in tho form of sormons. The young clergy know they aro too young. Fear the boys who liove taken up (be 'sword in the middle nf their clerical training. They are thankful for this experience of life, for this clinnco of knowing other men. Some of them realise that they had lo choose thoir vocation too soon, find they will never go back to tho Church, Many aro agreed.-thaty o jnairwould be bettor to havo nnother proies."

sion first—to 6orve his apprenticeship to life before be attempts to show the way of life to other men." Personally, I have always felt that no candidate for t'j.e priesthood or ministry should be ordained until he was thirty years of age, and- really, knew his own mind (if lie had- one), ond something of life and the human mind generally.— EXCELSIOR.