TYRANNY OF AGE

Evening Star, Issue 18048, 16 August 1922, Page 9

TYRANNY OF AGE

BALD HEADS IN PULPIT AND PARLIAMENT. BATH, June .19. In a remarkable sermon at Trowbridge Unitarian Church, the pastor, the Rev. H. G. Woodford, denounced tho tyranny of old age. He commented that the Parliaments of Europe yrere still composed largely of aged men, who did not recognise the "partnership of youth.

Domination of the aged, lie declared, is killing organised religion in every denomination. X’opes are not elected till they are almost within sight of the graye. This inspires a safe theology and keep.t'' any of the “long, long thoughts” of youth from upsetting established tradition.'

“I have been told of a church in this vicinity,” he said, “ which has never been known to have a minister who does not possess a. hoard or a bald head. These are. in no way dishonorable except when they represent an oldish condition of mind and soul, which has become incapable of welcoming new truth, and this, unfortunately, is too_ often the condition of aged leaders of religious thought. “On Calvary’s cross there was seen a tragedy which has been enacted all through human history—the tragedy of beautiful youth crushed and crucified by entrenched old age. Let us treat our modern Christs differently. We may kill youth by lack of encouragement and trust, and rob the world of its saviours.”

He urged the aged to depart from their seats of authority and dictatorship, and make room for_ the new thought of a younger generation.