PLEASURE AND PURITANISM

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21715, 24 February 1936, Page 10

PLEASURE AND PURITANISM

IMPORTANCE OF LENT IN CHURCH LIFE SERMON BY THE REV. F. N. TAYLOR The tenets of the Church did not condemn pleasure, though they counselled moderation and caution in the pursuit of enjoyment, and the function of Lent, which was now approaching, was to provide a time for the regimentation of the soul, by the putting aside of pleasure, said the Rev. F. N. Taylor, in his address at St. Luke's Anglican Church last evening. His subject was "Libertines, Wowsers, or Christian Ascetics," and the text was 1 Corinthians, 9, 27: "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest by any means, when I have preached to' others, I myself should be castaway." The natural man was a libertine and there had not been wanting those who regarded the indulgence of pleasant sensation as a reasonable attitude to life, said the preacher. For instance, this had been the doctrine of the Epicureans, who advised their followers to enjoy life while it remained and who considered that the pursuit of pleasure was the main aim of life. This was also the philosophy of many, if not most, in all civilised countries to-day; and it would be reasonable if there were no after-life and no God above. But it was possible also to go to the other extreme in condemning pleasure and joy, merely because they were being abused, and the philosophy of that order was generally known as Puritanism. Though it was principally to be found in the Protestant world, it was not limited to that sphere, and at various times distinct tendencies toward. Puritanism had appeared within the Catholic Church, which had, however, never accepted it. The religion of those who banned pleasure seemed cruel and harsh, but it was I at least consistent and one had reispect for those who had carried it out. In Puritanism there was no cult of pleasure, the sole joy being in duty and in service to God and generally it appeared as a hard, unsympathetic attitude to human life.

Joyous Christians "It has been so prominent in English and especially in New Zealand Christianity that the man in the street thinks that all Christians are like that and is surprised to find that a devout Christian is joyous, and that a churchman takes a delight in outdoor games," continued Mr Taylor r But in fact, there was nothing in the Christian Church that made necessary a narrow, killjoy Puritanism. The Anglican Church proclaimed the religion of incarnation, that God came down from Heaven and shared the life, including all the pleasures, of the world, except those of sin. "Is the Church rightly liable to the charge of telling its people that they may do what they like?" he asked. "The Church has always had tenets and discipline, it says that we may even glorify God by enjoying ourselves, but it warns of the dangers of selfishness and lust." Christians must be guarded and the desires of the body must always be subordinate to the needs of the higher part of man. The Church had regulations about the pursuit of pleasure, but it did not have entire prohibitions on pleasure. Though self-denial was not the principal part of Lent, it was a very important part, he said. It was a training time, a refresher course for Christ's soldiers, a period when pleasure was not condemned but put aside. "We live in an age of self-indulgence and luxury, when amusement is prominent and even dominant, but it is not the main purpose of life. We must take ourselves to task, and if we find that pleasure is becoming the chief aim of our existence, we must check ourselves. If we find that it is getting a hold on us, it is time to say to ourselves: 'Liet us see who is the master, the body or the soul.' "The primary purpose of Lent is to provide spiritual refreshment; it is a time of abstinence to let the soul have a better chance," said Mr Taylor. "We shall not have kept Lent well if we' are not a little nearer God at the end of it than at the beginning."