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aging the tendencies of youth–
erase existing sins?
lf
youth is hell–
bent, does parental example and
sanction alter the path toward hell?
Or does it, rather , signify merely
that the parents are sliding down on
the same toboggan?
Youth is subjected, primarily, to
four major inftuences-the home–
the school-the church-and out–
sirle friends, activities and amuse–
ments. So much for the effect of
the modern-day borne life. We have
not had much to say about the reli–
gious inftuence of the borne life–
but then, there is so little of that in
the average borne, i t simp l y
requires no mention!
The School lnfluence
Now for the second inftuence–
the school. Even in the grades and
high schools today, the evolution–
ary concept is planted, ready-man–
ufactured, into the absorbent
minds of youth. Not necessarily
EVOLUTION-nOt by that name.
But the evolutionary concept
dominates every branch of study
in the school currículum today.
That concept is the basic point of
view that denies t he miracles of
the Bible- denies the Creation
account of Genesis, denies the
authority of revelation.
lt
is the point of view that
teaches, instead, that for millions of
years man has been slowly, steadily
climbing upward. Civilized man
once was what the savage is today.
Between that prehistoric day of
dim antiquity and the present, man
has passed through the Old Stone
Age, the New Stone Age and the
others through which evolutionary
science imagines life has traveled.
The chief god, or gospel, of this
concept is PROGRESS. Everything is,
by natural law, getting constantly
better and better. Progress is the
gospel of the age! The basis of this
concept is NATURALISM and the
reign of natural law, as opposed to
supernaturalism and possible inter–
fere nce by a divine Creator with
the work of his own Creation.
In high school, I say, the young
folks are given this CONCEPT.
It
forms the basis of any study that it
might involve. T his point of view is
merely taken for granted. Not pre-
10
sented, as such, supported by argu–
ments, and propagated into accep–
tance. Just simply assumed as a
matter of course and taught as a
universally known , commonly ac–
cepted FACT.
In college, the student gets evo–
lution straight- without any de–
ception or nicknames. A year or
two of college, and he is a rare
student indeed who is not a thor–
ough convert to the doctrine of evo–
lution.
lf he ever held to fundamental
religious beliefs, they are shattered
to bits by now! His eyes are sud–
denly "opened." He now views his
old religion in the light of an igno–
rant superstition- a foolish bit of
folklore, not unlike the Santa Claus
myth. He may be shaken, bewil–
dered , upset. But his disillusion–
ment is complete. His hope of an
eternity in " Heaven" is blasted as a
foolish , chi ldish dream. Sorne few
go out and commit suicide.
But most of them, perhaps hav–
ing exercised a certai n self–
restraint, due to religious convic–
tions, until now, simply tbrow
restraint to the winds! l f they have
not done so sooner, they now hop
on the bandwagon and join the
frenzied gang.
What' s Wrong with Churches
Now what about the churches?
What is
their
contribution to the
modern tendencies of youth? In
former generations, the churches
held more or less of a balancing,
restraining influence upon adoles–
cents. The church, especially in the
smaller communities, was a sort of
social center. The young folk, most
of them, attended Sunday school.
In church they often heard inspir–
ing, interest ing, fiery sermons.
But that's all changed today. The
averag~
church is now about two–
thirds empty, the other third being
populated with gray heads. The
average sermon today is, lifeless,
boring, lacking in fire and power.
The chu rch no longer serves a
social need . The automobile,
9
good
roads, modern movies, dances and
entertainments, have usurped the
churches' social ministration. The
teenagers are no longer interested.
Sorne churches have attempted
to compete with the Jure of modern
amusements by bringing movies,
amateur plays, dances and other
entertainments into the church.
But, in the amusement game, our
churches have proved themselves
pitiful novices. The crowd still pre–
fers its entertainment where it is
presented with professional and
worldly skill. Other churches have
attempted to meet the second great
competitor-the fast-spreading
" inte llectual" skepticism- by turn–
ing modernist,'
0
and throwing to
the four winds all that is vital in
fundamental Christian doctrine.
The churches, today, have
proved themselves incapable of
meeting the modern problems of
youth.
Two outstanding lures have
robbed the chu rches of the young
people-modern amusements and
modern "rationalistic" skepticism,
the outgrowth of evolution. The
churches have failed to meet these
momentous new snares because
tbey bave been wanting in sound
doctrine. They have turned the
Bible upside down.
Sound Bible truth would have
met- at every turn of the road–
t his so-called newer knowledge,
which has sprung from evolution–
ary teachings.
Sound Bib le teaching wou ld
have kept the ministers, the church
leaders, full of spiritual POWER.
It
would have fired them with vigor,
with interest, with heart-warming,
sou l-satisfying church services. Our
young people are simply
heart-hun–
gry- that's all that's wr ong.
They're empty- and they want to
be filled up and warmed in the
inner man. The churches have
failed them. They don 't under–
stand- how can we expect that
they should?-and they are merely
seeking the spiri t ual food they
real–
/y
need, in movies, in dances, in
wild entertainment, in "necking,"
sex and debauchery, and all too
often finding the "inspiration" in
bootleg liquor! They're getting–
and buying at a dear price-cheap
(Continued on page 36)
• These wcre l hcn in lhe early Slage of develop–
ment.
•• The ' 'Modcrnist" movcmcnl was jusl geuing
under way. Today il is in dominance.
The
PLAIN TRUTH