Stránka:roll 1911.djvu/271

Boy Scouts A scout should respect the conv/ct/ons' of others in matters of custom a?d religion. A Boy Scout's Religion The Boy Scouts of America mainta/n that no boy can grow into the best kind of citizenship without recognizing his obli- gation to God. The first part of the boy' scout's oath or pledge is therefore: "I promise on my honor to do my best to honor my God ?ud my country." The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe, and the grate- ful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings is neces- saryW the best type of citizen- ship ?ud is a wholesome thing in the education of the grow- ing boy. No matter what the boy may be -- Catholic, or Protestant, or Jew'-- this fun- damental need of good citi- zenship should be kept before him, The Boy Scouts of America therefore recognize the religious elemeni in the tralni?g of a boy, but it is ab- solutely non-sectarian in its attitude toward that religious training. Its policy is that ? the organization or institution Scout helping old lady across street with which the boy scout is connected shall give definite attention to his religious life. If he be a Catholic boy scout, the Catholic Church of which he is a member is the best channel for his tr?inlng. If he be a Hebrew boy, then the Synagogue will train him in the faith of his fathers. If he be a Protestant, no matter to what denomination of Protestantism he may be- long, the church of wh/ch he is an adherent or a member should be the proper organization to give ]?im a?l education in the things that pertain to his a?le?ance to God. The Boy Scouts of America, then, while recognlz/ng the fact that the boy should be taught the things that pertain to religion, insists upon the boy's rel/gious life being sthnulated and fostered by the in- stitution with which he is connected? Of course, it is a fund- amental principle of the Boy Scouts of Ame?dca to,insist on Digitized by t?JO0(? [C