Since the dawn of civilization the place of youth in world affairs has been unchallenged. Because of its energy, its enthusiasm, and its innocence, youth has rekindled the flickering torch held in the hands of the aged, and carried it on to triumph. The place of youth has been important throughout history and all great movements of civilization. Some of the ancient crusades were led by youth. The Reformation was initiated and climaxed by youth. The advent message was born and will reach its culmination through youth. "God wants the youth to become men of earnest mind, to be prepared for action in His noble work, and fitted to bear responsibilities."—Messages to Young People, p. 21.
Inasmuch as the youth hold such an important place in God's plan, why have they been so shamefully, neglected by the members and organizations of our church? The church has not held the youth as it could or can. There is no more gratifying work than that of counseling with youth and becoming their pals. Youth are attracted to older people who are sympathetic. To become a worker for youth, or better, a winner of youth, necessitates very definite qualifications. These qualifications are natural and logical, and are attainable by average human beings.
The first requirement for being able to work for young people is love. A worker for youth must have an absorbing and prevailing love for youth. The love must be that kind of love that will give itself. Just as "God so loved the world, that He gave," just so must the worker for youth give. Love is more than gratification of selfish desires. In fact, it is not gratification of self at all, but self-sacrifice. The soul winner must be so in love with youth that he will abnegate himself for youth. He will give himself for youth.
Dr. Crane says: "Without love the action of the intelligence is not at all dependable. You cannot understand anything or anybody unless you love. You can't understand people unless you love them, neither a book, nor a picture, nor your own business. Love is the light of the mind." Love draws youth to us.
The winner of youth must be sincere. Youth cannot be fooled by hearing sincerity preached and seeino-6 insincerity practiced. The winner of youth must be sincere in his devotions and in his habits. There must be consistency on the part of all. Nothing does more to disgust youth with religion than inconsistency on the part of those who profess. Sincerity includes the principle of being impartial in all dealings with youth. The worker for youth knows no age, no race, no clan, no sex, no impossible condition—he works for mankind, not a few special individuals.
Faith in youth will energize and stimulate youth to undreamed-of attainments. The worker for youth must have faith in youth. Christ said "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place ; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Matt. 17:20, 21.
Faith is confidence in God. Faith in youth is faith that God knew what He was doing when He created youth. A youth is capable of carrying responsibility. Let him know that great things are expected of him. Give him important work to do.
There is a tendency to make either infants or ancients out of youth. Fortunately, they are neither ! When I was a youth, there was a veterinarian in our neighborhood who happened to be more than just a veterinarian. He was a man of broad vision. He loved boys. He always had a large group of neighborhood boys around him. There never was a dog operation performed at his office that I did not "assist" with. He would take me into his laboratory and let me look through the microscope at bacteria and various other curiosities. When I went to college, he provided me with a dissecting set for zoology. That man was probably as influential in my choice of a career as any one person.
Why can't more of us pal with youth, acquaint them with our work, help them make the difficult decisions of life ? They will appreciate it beyond measure. The look of appreciation and satisfaction in their eyes justifies all effort.
Youth's need for recreation must be recognized. Don't expect them to sit in the corner and read some dry book for entertainment, because they won't. Youth wants a good time, and it deserves a good time. There should be many well-planned social activities for youth where all of them can take part.
Is the salvation of our youth worth the effort? How can we afford not to exert every effort for them? When we lose our youth, we lose the very lifeblood that flows in the veins and arteries of any successful enterprise. We most certainly sustain an invaluable loss to our cause when we neglect the youth. With properly directed effort, the large majority of our youth will be kept in the church, and will draw other youth to it. The following words of Edgar Guest, when applied to youth, are thought-provoking and pertinent.
*Brother Koenig is a Doctor of Science, employed by the Armour Research Laboratory in Chicago, and deeply interested in promoting work for youth.