BOYS' RELIGION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 152, 16 March 1918, Page 8

BOYS' RELIGION

RUGBY HEADMASTER'S ADVICE.

Dr. David, headmaster, of Rugby, at the Teachers' Christian Union Conference recently, said that whatever faults and inadequacies are found in the rnligion of the men at the front, there is as much fault and as much .inadequacy in the faith of the nation at home. Evidence showed that the™ has been at work in. the minds of the soldiers something very ; like a repellent influence aaginst religion , ' The unattractiveness of religion is perhaps often due to some reminiscence of early repression in its name. "God will be nngrv with you" was'a most unfortunate way of putting things to children. The fenr of God is a very easv thin? 'to teach to children. But could children hear it? Ought thfiv to be expected to bear it? Instalments of ! the truth are presented to 'children before their minds are, readv to receive them. Mental growth is by stages, l'rom three to seven is the age of imasrinntinn, when the child lives in a world of Ill's own; from seven to eleven is the age of self-assertion and activity—« troublesome age. From eleven to fourteen is the age of loyMty., cooperation, friendship. . hooliganism, games, and of membership. There must be presented a conception of religion that would fit with life as seen by the. child at the time. If you ask a public school boy to refrain from unclean talk because it will hurt his pircuts he probably will not listen. Tho argument that will not fail with him is that such talk might, hurt his fellows and friends, and, though it docs not hurt him, might reinforce m someono else the strongest, temptation to which mill is liable. It is pushing the other Hlow over the cliff or handing him poison, and the boy will not do that to his worst enemy." .