of religious education it is highly desirable to add to the historical survey and the ethnological cross-sections of comparative religion a longitud

encies which are to integrate into religious experience are so taken in hand by the society which produces and envelops the new life that the student of religion must deal with a social produc

rsonality, a growing selective power, a plus that comes out of the unmapped laboratory of creation, that may so arrange, transmute, and enrich the commonplace elements of the socio-religious matrix as to amount to genius. But, neverthe

he community, and crushes out idealism also damns the souls of little children. It requires no deep investigation of modern society to prove that this is being done, and the guilt

l boy is indisposed to talk about the affairs of his inner life. Probably they are too chaotic to formulate even to himself. If he is unspoiled he clothes his soul with a spiritual modesty which some of his sentimental elders might wel

is process will be in the nature of crisis according to the strength of the opposition encountered in the personal moral struggle, and in opposing social conditions. Nothing but calamity can forestall this progressive moral adjustment to the whole wor

gard to profanity, lying, impurity, or some particular moral weakness or maladjustment and his struggle centers on that. Being often defeated under the adolescent sense--pressure and confusion, he naturally seeks help, and help from the highes

e real priest of boyhood will certainly stand near by at this all-important time, but he will always manifest a refined respect for the birth-chamber of the soul. In patient and hopeful sympathy, in friendship that is personal and not professional, knowing that the door of the heart is opened o

ether which is so pronounced in every other field must not be ignored here. The ideal club will be bringing the boy toward the altar of the church and at the right point al

o enhanced when the ceremony of induction is made formal and impressive to a degree that shall not be surpassed in his entrance into any other organization. By all means the boy should not be neglected after he has been received into the church. Mistakes of th

p for review in later adolescence. If his inherited theology corresponds to experience and verifies itself in the light of the scientific methods of school and college no great difficulty will be experienced. But if it does not square with the youth's

to lessen its dangers and to preserve a substantial continuity of religious experience from childhood through youth and to the end of life. It is

r, reverence, and worship, his acquisition of choice religious literature by memorizing--can these interests be prop

s less difficult to criticize the indiscriminate use of the Bible in instructing the young than to set forth the type of education in religion which will satisfy alike

der and beauty. Creatorship and the expression of the divine will in the normal processes are taken for granted. The orderly world is to him proof of mind and method; and perhaps the first mistake in the average religious teaching is

not be given artificial ranking. Nor should any belief contrary to his reason be imposed as an obligation. But the ever-open possibility of things that surpass present human comprehension should be preserved, and

, a rich measure of harmony. Through such experience he discovers to himself the joy of being at one with God. He has proof of the constructive power of righteousness, a

s known to him. To be master of himself and to exercise a control that is more and more spiritual, to get the better of things and circumstances, to reduce his world to obedience to his gr

d day in and day out in the family. And enlargement of the concentric circles that bound his life only demonstrates over and over again the social nature of goodness. On this basis sufficient inspiration

ood but inimical to the resistless spirit of inquiry and speculation which breaks out in reflective youth. Childhood needs a religion of deeds. If a religion of dogma and detached sentiment is substituted the youth may some day awake to the fact that he can throw the whole

make mention of a problem which lies very close to personal religion and social welfare. On the one hand the very altruism which is exalted and glorified in religion has its physical basis in the sex life, and on th

aders, however, are showing increased concern over this difficult problem, and there is good ground to believe that prud

secrecy rather stimulates curiosity, and often amounts to the plain implication that everything that has to do with the perpetuation of our species is of necessity evil and shameful. This "conspiracy of silence" makes against true virtue. Religious instruction, b

en so associated in religious thinking that it has been practically impossible for the religious mind to entertain any favorable consideration of the physical conditions of human genesis. Very naturally that which is und

tence or to bring it into intelligent accord with the divine will? Is it not conceivable that in this field, as in every other that is normal to human life, there will be a gain

worth. In this process of instruction, which is nothing less than a sacred responsibility, the most common fault of the parent, physician, teacher, and pastor is that of delay. By the time a boy is eight years of age,

rust his parents to be frank and true with him in this as in everything else. By all means let the mother tell the story and not some unfortunately vicious or polluted companion. There are three reasons at least for informing him thus early in life. One is that

hour of a boy's confidence, and in response to his just curiosity, he may hallow forever the boy's conception of the marriage relation and emphasize the vast amount of tenderness and regard that is due every mo

falls to man. Sometime before the boy has reached thirteen, the father will have explained to him the facts and temptations of the pubescent period. The crime of allowing boys in middle and later a

f proper hygiene in clothing, sleeping conditions, baths, exercise, diet, and social intercourse. Plenty of exercise but not thorough exhaustion, good athletic ideals, a spare diet at night, good hours, and freedom from evil suggestion, entertainments, or reading; his time and attention healthfully occupied--these precautions, in addition to enlightenment as above

cerning the diseases that are the outcome of the social evil. After that age, talks by a reputable physician, pointing out the terrible results to oneself, his wife, and his descendants, may be fitting and helpful. The minis

per terms of friendship with the boy, it becomes his duty to tell the boy plainly and pure

d be gathered together in separate companies for instruction in sex hygiene and morality. Any education which makes no deliberate attempt to conserve human happiness and social welfare in this important respec

able diseases. If he is a true pastor, he will strive to keep the boys pure through expert instruction to parents, through personal advice, through wholesome activity and recreation, through courses on sexual hygiene in the public schools, through war on indecency in billboard, d

eligion. Thousands of honest, serious-minded men frankly confess that in modern conditions they see little hope of this battle being won without religion as a sanction of right condu

the confidence of his parents, and the trust imposed in him by his Maker. Upon honor he will deport himself toward the opposite sex as he would wish other boys to regard his own sister; and the religious teacher has it wi

tly on the boy's life, through the mighty medium of a personal friendship, can perform this saving ministry. If there were nothing more to be gained through intimate acquaintance with boys than thus fortifying t

lations. Without this, there may be fatal inconsistencies in the boy's conduct, not because he is essentially vicious, but because he has been unable to interpret high-sounding sermons and biblical ideals in terms of commo

together for a "good time," wholesome as that may be. The service ideal must be incorporated in the activities of the club. The nascent altruism of the boy should receive impetus and direction and the me

narrow ideals of the church with which the club is affiliated. Yet it is always preferable to enlist the boys in some altruistic enterprise which lies close enoug

e is, it is not best to begin with these, because of their lack of reality to him and because of his inability to participate except by proxy. It is well that he should extend himself to some faraway need by contribu

matter and alms, aiding smaller boys in the organization of their games, helping some indigent widow, giving an entertainment, selling tickets, souvenirs, or any merchantable article which they may properly handle for the purpose of devoting the profits to some immediate charity; making for sale articles in wood, metal, or leather for the same purp

ENVIRONMENT

ent and use of his musical ability instead of stifling and ignoring this valuable religious asset and rendering the boy, so far forth, useless to and estranged from the purposes and activities of the church. In church music the paid quartette alone means the way of least resistance and of least benefit, and it is a harmful device

ight otherwise be cultivated in the boy. To make a Sunday-school boy instead of a church boy is a net loss, and with the present Sunday congestion there is little likelihood of securing both of the

club is made up predominantly of boys from the church families, it will be well to have an occasional service planned especially for the boys themselves--one which they will attend in a body. Such a Sunday-evening service for boys and young men may be held regularly once a month with good

e to the best that is in them and the guaranty that the best is the normal and the God-intended life. They must qualify for a great campaign under the greatest soul that ever lived. They engage to stand with Him against sin in s

lfish misappropriation of his life, and will enter the crusade for the city that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. Happy is the minister who has boys that bring their chums to see him for the purpose of enlistment. Happy is the minister whose hand often cla