Religion: Problem No. 1

Kindly, scholarly Rev. Dr. Henry Hayes Sweets, moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. (South), has not held a pulpit since 1904 when he became his Church’s secretary of Christian Education & Ministerial Relief. On Sundays Moderator Sweets attends Highland Presbyterian Church in Louisville, where he notes that most of the worshippers are oldish, like himself (63). On this subject, which currently depresses many another minister, Dr. Sweets sermonized last week in Second Presbyterian Church, Little Rock, Ark.

“The most serious problem which is facing the churches today is to secure the attendance of young people. Expansion can come only through attraction of young people. . . . Not only is this difficulty confronting Protestant churches but the Catholic and Jewish as well. I have noticed that the average attendance . . . nowadays is between 50 and 60 years. That’s really serious.”

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