The Challenge of Our Youth

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 7, 1 August 1950, Page 1

The Challenge of Our Youth

The young people of today, apart from the privileged few, in our Churches and Temperance Societies, are growing up quite unaware of the grave and deceptive qualities of alcoholic liquor. The tremendous power of the liquor trade advertising and propaganda has so glorified drinking, as to camouflage the truth of its evil results. The radio, the newspapers and motion pictures all tend to make our youth believe drinking is the proper thing. On every hand, throughout the cities and country, there are temptations of major proportions facing them and the greatest of these evils are the Drink menace and the gambling habit. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union of this and every land lias a gigantic responsibility resting upon it, for there never was a time in history when there was a greater challenge to work for the Master, in this field of service. We have the facts, but what are we doing about it? The need for educating children and adolescents in the harmful effects of alcohol is a fact we cannot escape. Dr. Haven Emerson says, “By the gradual building up of informed and prepared minds in children at the early grades, the intricate and involved effects of alcohol on human conduct and social behaviour, can be taught in the later years of schooling, without any reaction when they later meet the challenge of the drinking environment.

Convictions must be sufficiently strong to give self-justification for saying, “No, thank you,’’ when alcoholic drinks are offered. “Where have w’e failed?'" cried an agonised parent in a Children’s Court. “Where?” Yes, if we want our young people to grow up and become upright, honest and responsible citizens, we must find time and ways of implanting in their minds, the principles of the Christian Faith, of righteousness and of temperance. Wc have the facts and we have the channels, but we need workers .with \ision and determination to reach out to the children and youth of today. Unless we, who are members of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, will face the issue and step in, in every district of our Dominion and educate our boys and girls to the dangers that confront them, while impressing upon them the saving value of the love of Jesus Christ, they will become the drinkers of tomorrow. Will we, as Unions, take up the challenge ? “An angel paused on his onward flight. With a seed of love and truth and light, And cried: ‘Oh, w’here shall this seed be sown That it bear most fruit when fully grow’n ?’ The Saviour heard, and He said, as He smiled, ‘Place it for Me, in the heart of a child.”’