BOYS' BRIGADES by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 12, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 18.

"BOYS' BRIGADES."

By Editor

AMONG the many organizations and societies for the purpose of seeking to make up for the lack of spirituality in the churches, the "Boys' Brigades" are the latest. The following editorial from the Morning Times, of Oakland, will give the reader an idea of this new thing, and will furnish the thoughtful with some food for reflection. The possibilities which the Times suggests are by no means fanciful when we consider how much the churches are coming to depend upon civil instead of spiritual power:—

A new departure is being inaugurated in the churches. "Boys' Brigades," as they are called, are being organized and drilled; in some cases by the pastors themselves, and in others by laymen who have been trained in a military school. The drum and fife are called for, and light-weight guns, with bayonets attached, are in demand. Coming up from the ferry the other day, the car in which we rode was nearly filled with well-grown boys, under the lead of a gentleman in black, who bore a veiled banner. In response to an inquiry we were told that this was a "Boys' Brigade" from San Francisco coming over to visit and have a companion drill with a "Boys' Brigade" on this side of the bay. Whereunto will this thing grow? Is the church of the future to be militant only in name, or in deed and in fact? Are carnal weapons to supplement or be substituted for spiritual weapons in coming evangelistic campaigns?

In some of the churches we are told brass bands are formed, martial as well as sacred music is practiced—all the young men being members of the congregation. Are these church bands in training to furnish music for the marching of the "coming army of the Lord"? Is the old idea of the millennium, the "golden age," the reign of peace, when swords shall be "beaten into plowshares," and men shall learn the arts of war no more, to be given up and an appeal made to the "God of battles"? Is the day at hand when the overcoming of evil with good shall no longer be even talked of by our reverend clergy, but the exhortation and instruction of the pulpit to the church members and church sympathizers shall be, "Let him that hath no sword sell his garment if needful and buy one"?

If this thing goes on and proves popular, as it promises to be, and especially if the spirit of emulation and competition is roused between orthodox and liberals, Protestants and Catholics, how long will it be before our sanctuaries will be bristling with a religious militia, and a magazine and an armory shall be considered as essential to a Christian temple with modern improvements as a Sunday-school room and a kitchen are now?

These questions are suggested by the recent remark of a prominent clergyman of this section, who, after witnessing the military drill of the "Boys' Brigade" by the pastor of a Congregational Church, said, "These boys could be trusted to shoot the right way if a mob were wicked."

We are not alarmists, but such drills and such remarks by the clergy set one to thinking what the probable result would be if this church "fad" should develop into a religio-military craze. Then, suppose there should be serious trouble some day on the Sunday question, or that of prohibition, or of the Bible in the schools, or of God in the Constitution, how much help could be expected from these "Boy Brigades" and Young Men Christian Battalions? Would it be safe in a time of great excitement to call out the church military contingents? In case of a mob and a riot could the baptized and battalionized boys be depended on always to "shoot the right way"? Perhaps so and perhaps not. Doubtful things are proverbially uncertain. One thing is sure, however, in such a case, the shots would not all be from one party or in one direction.