Why Do the Youth Go Astray?

WHY DO THE YOUTH GO ASTRAY? By Mrs. R. A. A. Rees Not long ago I heard a mother of eleven say: "If I had my life to go over again, I would not have so many children." I had thought, here is one of the (wonderful women, and with a turn of her tongue she dispelled all my illusions about her — she was ashamed of having accomplished the thing I most desired to do. "Why?" I asked. In a disgruntled tone she replied, "Oh, you can't dress so well as other people, and one must keep up with the times these days, and you can't afford to educate them." Here her husband interposed to say: "You know we sent so- arjd-so and so-and-so to high School, and they wouldn't go." This couple, each about fifty years of age, owned a fine residence and a good car, had a secure means of living, and were well fed and well dressed. It was a relief to me to find that they no longer classed them- selves as Latter-day Saints, because I could see they had departed from the ideals which their religion taught them. Is there not in this a clew as to why young people often gov wrong? What is there to inspire young people to live temperate and self-denying lives? Is ambition for position or means sufficient? Not all the time; and not much of the time. The human heart falls for something of more intrinsic value. It is ideals — ideals proceeding from a sure and divine source — that we hunger for, or we die, either in our own souls or those of our posterity. The1 sanctity of the home, th« sacredness of marriage, the bless- ing of children and many of them — these are the foundation principles of life that young people should realize. How can young people realize these principles of life? They do not get them from their ordinary associations. Will schools and colleges implant these ideals in them? Absolutely, no! Sociology, psychology, and philosophy together ;will lead them to believe that religion developed upward by a natural evolution from savagery, and that all religious creeds are man-made. Conviction of this one fact alone will tend to make them disregard all ceremony (such as marriage vows) , to depreciate all things hitherto held sacred, and to lose respect for older people. Economics will teach them the theory of Malthus, and the statistics of the poor and their sufferings in overcrowded districts will so im- press them that /they will fear to rear a family. Biology and ex- perimentation on life will lead them to believe that man is a natural outgrowth from a minute, one-celled animal, and Adam and all his descendants, together with Christ, will lose importance; the man of science will now take the place entirely of the patriarchs and prophets. Consequently, whatever science approves, or is said to approve, youth

WHY DO THE YOUTH GO ASTRAY? 107 will follow even to "sanitary contraceptive methods," seeking to cheat nature by getting her joys, and foregoing the development that natur- ally follows through pain or labor. Literature and philosophy will lead the young enthusiast to concede that religion (creed) is necessary for "the mass" of mankind, but true to his ego he will imagine that he himself is not of ! "the mass" but that he is highly educated; therefore he will be "tossed about by every wind of doctrine," and will have no foundational principles by which to guide his own life or that of his children. Competition with his fellows and the praise given the successful man of business and other affairs will set the youth toward the goal of financial success, which may involve dis- regard of home ties, marriage relations, and parental duties. Are we surprised that modern girls, even college girls, smoke and conduct themselves immorally? They have been robbed of their birth- right— natural and wholesome ideals. Why do not the colleges supply these ideals? They do not have them to supply. . They are seeking the truth, we can concede, for that is their function; but what they have is tha product of the mind of man. The young people accept what they are taught, which negatives their faith in worn-out religious dogma. Ideals are nullified, and they have no firm foundation for faith. And, "what's the use?" Why does not God speak? We Latter-day Saints know that he has spoken through Joseph Smith the Prophet, and still speaks through his prophet, when necessary to avoid misunderstanding. He has revealed the rational, the divine, and satisfying philosophy of life. There are many things we do not comprehend, and there always will be while we are earthly; but the assurance of the Spirit and the fruits of the gospel, the reward of purity, these we know. We do not believe that jail knowledge is necessary before a weak creature, whose brief span of life is but three score and ten, should subscribe to a religious faith. We believe that God has sent the Comforter to the unknowing soul of man. We believe in walking by faith as well as by sight. We believe in being scientific in the sense, as! Pasteur said, "It is a mistake not to doubt where the facts do not compel affirmation." Thus, wherein science would seem to discredit revealed truth, we are willing to wait till facts "compel affirmation." We do not give up the gospel, our "Pearl of Great Price," for the incomplete science of man. "In- deed, we may say, that we follow the admonition of Paul: We hope all things, we believe all things, [pertaining to the gospel as restored], we have endured many things, and we hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." May we keep ourselves unspotted from the world, Salt Lake City