Article August 4, 1928 Issue

Signs of the Times

with contributions from William Lawrence, J. C. Penney, A. Grant Evans

[Bishop William Lawrence, as quoted in the Traveler, Boston, Massachusetts]

Think what the spirit of appreciation was to Jacob and what it was to Jesus. Not many years ago many boys used to run away from boarding schools here in New England. We don't find so much of this to-day. I believe the trouble was that the boys did n't think they were being appreciated. Of course there is such a thing as overdoing appreciation, but nevertheless a little of it will sometimes bring out the element of love and character in a person that otherwise would not show. I am sure a child will respond to an appreciative parent. Often we are disturbed by our young people to-day. But they are only reacting from the conventionalities of the last generation. Sometimes they are wrong, but they have in them the elements of hope and the desire to do right. We should try to gain their confidence. We ought to create in them a desire for finer things. Let us do our best to lead them into the next generation with liberties and individualism, but without evils. We must remember that Christ [Jesus] is the proponent, above all others, of the right of individual opinion. Another thing we should remember is the appreciation of those we disagree with. They believe they are right just the same as we do. Don't stand from a distance and shout charges at people. Perhaps if you get closer and talk things over with them you will find they are right. And about the offenders against the law? How are we going to bring them back and make them good citizens? Put them in prison? What comes after that? We should be careful how we punish offenders. Of course they should be made to realize the wrong they have done, but we want them to become good citizens again. There is more of a danger to the state when they come out of prison and are not good citizens.

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