THE CHURCH AND AMUSEMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1138, 27 May 1911, Page 9

THE CHURCH AND AMUSEMENTS.

SOME OPINIONS. - "Should the Church provide amusements for its young people?" was argued at the Congregational Church, Prahran, Victoria. The. leading ministers of tho various denominations were asked to give their views on this matter, and injury letters wore received. Archbishop Can" (R.C.) pointed out that tile Catholic Church had spout in thai parish £20,000 in erecting halls and club-rooms for men and boys and girls. While they spared neither money nor labour in providing for the social enjoyment of the, young, they never fell into the error of believing that the Church was established primarily or principally for this purpose. Rev. P. C. Spun- (Baptist) said that the Church should provide a social life for her young people, and recreation must, of course, be part of this social life. The greatest difficulty was in persuading the young people, to regard life as a sacred trust. Rev. C. Tregear (Methodist) wroto that his and experience unhesitatingly said "Yes." Make the Church a homo or rallying ground of the young. Young folk were always on the? lookout for pleasure, hence hotel parlours, billiard rooms, dance halls. Could the Church not present them with amusement free . from such moral peril? Rev. Professor Adam (Presbyterian) was of opinion that the Church should seek to organise its young people into societies for the promotion of their intellectual, moral, and spiritual welfare. Rev. J. W. Joiies complained that he had not been provided with tho definition of tho word "amusement." He could not agree with Archibald Brown that "Amusements ivcro of tho devil." "Abusement" was of tho devil, and, unfortunately, there was a great deal of that in Australia. It was tho business of the Chmeli to cam for the whole being of its young manhood and womanhood. Mr. J. T. Packer (on the negative side) objected to tho blatant way in which some of the ministers bad argued that tho Church should provide amusements. Tho Church, in doing that, would be lowering itself. Besides, tlu> dabbling of the Church in amusements would do amusements a great deal of harm.