The aim of this book is to call the attention of ministers to theimportant place which boys' work may have in furthering the Kingdom of God.To this end an endeavor is made to quicken the minister's appreciation ofboys, to stimulate his study of them, and to suggest a few practical waysin which church work with boys may be conducted.
The author is indebted to the Union Church of Waupun, Wis., and to theFirst Baptist Church of Detroit, Mich., for the opportunity of working outin actual practice most of the suggestions incorporated in this book. He isalso indebted to many authors, especially to President G. Stanley Hall, fora point of view which throws considerable light upon boy nature. TheBoy-Scout pictures have been provided by Mr. H.H. Simmons, the others byMr. D.B. Stewart, Mrs. Joseph T. Bowen, and the author. The greatestcontribution is from the boys of both village and city with whom the authorhas had the privilege of comradeship and from whom he has learned most ofwhat is here recorded.
The material has been used in talks to teachers and clubs of varioussorts, and in the Men and Religion Forward Movement. The requests followingupon such talks and arising also from publication of most of the materialin the Biblical World have encouraged this attempt to present abrief handbook for ministers and laymen who engage in church work forboys.
ALLAN HOBEN
CHICAGO August 19, 1912
The Christian apologetic for today depends less upon the arguments ofspeculative theology and the findings of biblical science than uponsociological considerations. The church is dealing with a pragmatic publicwhich insists upon knowing what this or that institution accomplishes forthe common good. The deep and growing interest in social science, thecrying needs that it lays bare, together with socialistic dreams of humanwelfare, compel Christian workers to pay more heed to the life that now is,since individualistic views of salvation in the world to come do not fullysatisfy the modern consciousness.
Hence the ministry is compelled more and more to address itself to thesalvation of the community and the nation after the fashion of the Hebrewprophets. Lines of distinction also between what is religious and what issecular in education and in all human intercourse have become irregular o