The Inexperience of Youth

William. H. Ziegler

December 1940

William H. Ziegler edited The Christian Conservator, the denominational magazine, from 1925-1949. He was a fascinating man whose pen was both articulate and frank.

Today in every church there are young men in the ministry who, in their inexperience, feel that if they could just break through the hold fogy methods and ways of the ancient fossils that bestrew the paths of the church, the church would bound forward in success. Failure is due to the old men and the old ways. They would determine that which is essential and designate that which is not. They, forsooth, have a vision that the aged pastors and leaders have never had!

They feel that if they had the hand and the rein, things would move forward. They insist that if the church abides in its old ways and gives heed to the old fossils, the church will be utterly destroyed. True enough, in every church every generation of preachers produces its inefficients, those who have gotten into a rut and will die in it.

Usually, when we come down to bedrock and get their meaning, disrobed of superfluous words and claims, we find that their special reference is to methods, which they have as yet failed to fully separate from enduring principles.

There are methods in abundance that may be changed and never touch the soul and mission of the church. They are non-essential and accommodate themselves to the times and conditions in which we live. Many may profitably be changed from time to time. But we talk too lightly of methods and fail to discriminate between those which are essential and those which are not.