So far as church work is concerned, the village boy is likely to be overlooked, as promising little toward the immediate financial support of the church and the increase of membership.  In the brief interval of two years—­the average duration of the village pastorate—­it does not seem practicable for the minister to go about a work which will require a much longer time to produce those “satisfactory results” for which churches and missionary boards clamor.  A revival effort which inflates the membership-roll, strenuous and ingenious endeavors to increase the offerings, are the barren makeshifts of a policy which does not see the distinct advantage and security in building Christian manhood from the foundation up.

It must not be thought that the minister is largely to blame for the situation as it now is.  Perpetuating institutions beyond the time of their usefulness is one of society’s worst habits, and it is not to be expected that religious organizations, which in a given stage of the development of Christian truths were vital and necessary, can easily be persuaded to surrender their identity, even after the cause that called them into being has been won.

    Men are we, and must grieve when even the shade
    Of that which once was great has passed away.

But the real religious leader who loves boys will not be balked by the pettiness and inability of denominationalism.  His hope lies not solely in the church or the churches, but largely in the intelligence, sympathy, and generosity of the unchurched citizens, whose number and importance in the small town is probably in the inverse ratio of the number of churches.  Business men of whatever creed, or of none, are remarkably responsive to any sane endeavor to create a wholesome outlet for juvenile activity, and, whether right or wrong, count such efforts as being more valuable than much of the traditional church endeavor.

The minister will first try to organize boys’ work for the whole community, but if co-operation on the part of all or of a group of the churches proves impossible, let him go ahead with such assistance as his own church and other voluntary supporters will afford, and let him still work in entire freedom from sectarian aim.  As a minister of Christ and his kingdom he must give to Christianity an interpretation which will offset provincial and narrow impressions.  He must free it from cant and from the other-worldly emphasis and bring it into the realm where boys and business men will respect it as a social factor of primary importance.

All the problems of early adolescence belong to the village boy as to every other.  He also gropes about for his vocational discovery.  How shall he gain self-control, how can he find himself?  How can he relate his life to the great perplexing world and to the God of all?  How can he win his immediate battles with temptation?  The public school throws little light upon his possible occupation, trade, or profession, nor does it deal with his moral struggle.