THE REPERTORY SOCIETY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 299, 1 October 1935, Page 4

THE REPERTORY SOCIETY.

Sir, —Will you allow me heartily to endorse the views of others expressed in your newspaper as regards the language used by the Repertory Society in their plays? These plays, though so enjoyable in other ways, are repeatedly spoilt for a number of citizens by the needless and undesirable phrases which continually occur. There are still God-fearing folk, even in (apparently) despised Ashburton, whose most sacred ideals should be honoured ; and 1 if the Repertory Society is itself careless of sacred matters,, it should not carelessly wound the feelings of such people by this terrible misuse of the Name cf God.

The audience may comprise members of many sects, as “Call Boy” suggests, hut, if religious sects, it is impossible to conceive of their not objecting to this language, as would any truly religious man or woman. It is those not having this truth and reverence in their inmost hearts who favour the use of this blasphemy. If modernity consists of. irreverence and contempt for all higher things, then this world is certainly modern—too modern; but it can express itself in any amount of other speech which will not hurt Christion people as blasphemy hurts them. To quote “Call Boy” again: “Characterising the use of such an expression as a flippant expletive is not everybody’s idea of wrong in this modern world.” Probably it is not everybody’s idea, it is not man’s idea at all, it is God’s law; and to break the Third Commandment is as wrong to-day as it has always been, in spite of these very “modern” opinions. RESIDENT.