GIRLS AND THE CHURCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1929, Page 12

GIRLS AND THE CHURCH

Y.W.CA.’S LEADER CANDID. (Special to “Star.") AUCKLAND, December 11. “Modern girls are critical of the church, and find sermons tedious, prayers rambling, and church architecture dismal,” said Miss Jean Begg, Secretary of the Auckland Young Women's Christian Association, when the attitude of the youth of to-day toward the church was discussed, at a meeting of the Council of Christian Congregations. . “Modern girls,” she continued, “were bored witlx the monotony of the church and if the more interested ones considered the importance of prayer, its value to them was only the peace of mind, which it might give. A ministex- of to-day secured loyalty not because of his profession, but in' spite of it, and his ministerial status was not an asset but a liability. It was the important duty of the church to give the young people a sense of belonging to it, but this was not to be confused with possessing them body and soul. The trouble with sermons was that ministers told them what to do, when they really wanted to know what the minister himself would do.” Miss Begg made a strong appeal to church authorities to make more use of the young people, demonstrating that they were receiving some interest and doiixg something worth while. Youth was a period of energy and it was not reasonable to expect young folk to retain their interest, if they had to sit back and watch their elders.