"MODERN MOLOCHS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 82, 6 April 1914, Page 7

"MODERN MOLOCHS.

rrr-FAXu or chxi-breh. A WARNING TO PARENTS. The sacrificing of child life iwas a theme taken up by the Eev. Howard Elliott in the counße of an anniversary service at the Mount Eden Baptist Church last His text iwae based on the divine injunction: "Tfeou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Moloch!" Aiter explaining that it was the Wdeoue custom of Israelitish days to offer up children as sacrifices in the fire of the god Moloch, the speaker commented upon the contrast presented by the customs of modern times. ~Sawx-day-s the child was a primary- 'consideration for the influencing of social conditions. There were societies for the furtherance of the science of eugenics, and for the protection of child-life, etc, while the medical inspection of school children and the improvement of hygienic conditions were foremost considerations. There were! some parents who actually objected to the (medical inspection of their children whHe at school, but he would say to them in the lan-gua-ge. of the Bible: "O, thou fools, who are eiow of heart to believe." He considered it was well for the country that the health of its children eihould 'be so highly thought of.

There tsws another "Moloch" which children were in danger of, the preacher continued, and that was the spirit of commercialism. If some people had their way, the classics wonld Dβ euperoeded in our educational eyetem by eabjects making for proficiency in contmerce, and tie modern child mc impressed with the idea that tie must go on and speeddly make himself capable of earning money. That was a very mercenary conception of education, and, too often, unfortunately, parents overlooked the need f<* r other forme of mental, moral, and spiritual training.

The altar of pleasure was also another fintirce of grave danger to the childlif c of the community. T&e speaker eaid be feared that nuinWe of children were being sacrifice..! for the gratification of parental desires for pleasure. There ■were, for instance, the moving pictures. Many parents took their children to the pn-tures on fc;>o pretext that the little ones liked to go. bu; be believed that dn m&ny cases it was primarily because the paiente wanted to go themselves. The same applied to C-nnday excursions. It wuii the common cry of parents that they did not have time during the week to enjoy the fresh air, but he would remind them ttijn working hours were continually being reduced, and lew men v/ere occupied for more than 48 hours per week. It was possible, therefore, to have outings in the tfreeh air during the week. Thie tendency to make light at the Kabbaith was an unfortunate sign of the times because the nations who had prospered most throughout ail ages were those which had preserved a regard for the day of rest. When referring to moving picture*, the preacher eaid that while it wag iby come that they were instructive, he felt convinced that the proportion of pictures which worked an undesirable influence on the childmind wae overwhelmingly large. "Only a day or two ago," said the preacher, " I asked a little <boy if he wwnt to the pictures, and if co, whirih he liked best He replied, 'Oh, yes, I go once a week, and sometimes twice. I like the pictures when there were fights between Red Indians, and where tie men shoot each other with guns. When lam a. man I'll have a gun, and will be able to shoot' oe quick as any of them." Was not thia, eeked Sir. Elliott, a tragic indication of the possible effects of the elate of pictures which predominated in cinematography. He urged parents to consider -iv-ell before submitting their children to the altars of eacrifice to which he had drawn attention.