an that of
really vitally interesting the teen age boy in the missionary
enterprises of the church. Missionary enthusiasts, here and there, have
doubtless had success in interesting numbers of boys, but, in spite of
this, the average, red-blooded, everyday, wide-awake fellow that
inhabits our homes, fills our streets, and honors our Sunday schools,
has little or no conception of missions, or even cares enough to make
any effort to discover what missions really signify. To the average boy
missions spell heathen and a collection and little more. There is no
real life interest, or even contact enough to develop an interest in the
subject. This is a Hunt, harsh analysis of the situation, but it is
both honest and true.

Giving money is not a genuine criterion of interest. I have known lots
of boys who contributed two cents a week to help the other fellow, not
because it was a conviction, but because it was a necessary thing to
keep in good standing on the posted bulletin, and thus to maintain the
regard and esteem of leader and comrades.

Business men and social leaders have been known to hesitate in
subscribing to funds until the subscription list had been perused by
them, when the list of names already secured has caused them to make
generous additions to the fund. The Sunday school offering is a poor
index of Sunday school enthusiasm. Giving money--even more than one can
afford to give--is not always real self-sacrifice. Sometimes it is
self-saving. At any rate, it is not the reliable guide of a boy's
interest.

Maybe we shall never get boys to understand the word Missions. Perhaps
it is hopelessly confused with heathen--a poor, unfortunate,
know-nothing, worth-little crowd of black or yellow people--who can
never amount to anything, unless money be given to put grit enough into
them to get them to try to live right--a pretty doubtful investment,
after all. Yes, this is the logic of the average boy, due to the
information of the non-christian's degradation, lack of initiative, low
ideals, and poor morals, as set forth by the returned missionary. Even
the fact that one or two folks, by reason of the missionary's work, have
been raised to better things, affords no promise of rejoicing on the
part of the boy. The American teen age boy shuns "kids," "dagoes,"
"hunkies," and everything that seems to him to be inferior. He may
occasionally give them a little pity, but he associates himself in
thought and interest and condu