PURITANISM AND CONDUCT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21908, 8 October 1936, Page 13

PURITANISM AND CONDUCT

PRESENT-DAY CONFLICTS

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS TO BAPTIST UNION

(PIUSB3 ASSOCIATION

AUCKLAND. October 7. The puritan attitude to conduct and* its relationship to important moral and spiritual questions of the present day was the main feature of the presidential address on "Puritanism and To-day,” which was delivered by the Rev. A. Anstice. of Christchurch, at the first session of the fifty-fourth annual assembly of the Baptist Unit® of New Zealand, which opened tonight. There are nearly *2OO delegates from the Baptist churches at the Dominion.

Appreciation of the services pvw by Dr. Charles North as president was expressed in a resolution. “The break-up of Christian home life is a sad ana disastrous feature of to-day, and presents the most pressing problem to the church, Sunday school, and social wyker ahte sff Mr Anstice. He said that the honour of the creation of home life as tt was known at its best belonged ism and was so credited to the Puritans by Impartial historians. He dealt at length with the . history of Puritanism and the principles that guided Puritans in their faith. •

Sphere of Cenflkt “This is where a quiet but very real conflict is in process to-day m am own and other communions,” said Hr Anstice, referring to the Puritan, attitude to conduct “There is a very definite sphere in the realm conduct in which this conflict is evident It is in sex relationships, Inctucung the sanctity erf the marriage tic and the integrity and dignity of home life, recreation, and Pleasure, and chiefly m relation to Sabbath observance, drinking, and gambling, the uses of drama, and the effects of suggestive worksof fiction, and business probity and sincerity in all human relationships.” . ' Mr Anstice said the list might be enlarged, and’ much might be said under each heading, but the issue with. Baptist people might be stated in a few well-defined queries. Practical Issues Should Christians dance, play cards* gamble, or mix in a world of frivolity? How much of the Christian’s time should be devoted to sport and amusements?* Should not a church member be scrupulously honest and truthful? These and others might be: at this moment live issues in the different churches.

'The word prejudice Is lightly used in a careless age, but we must not lose sight of the truth that the Puritans were Bible-lovers, and their prejudices are Bible prejudices,” continued Mr Anstice. “Have we, who have been spoken of as the extreme wing of Puritanism, a word of authoritative! and intelligent guidance to give today on these important moral and spiritual questions? “For not alone is the attitude of the Christian to worldliness involved. Sociology and, in fact, science generally as it is exercised concerning the. well-being of mankind must take mke* also of conduct"