"A HUNDRED YEARS AGO”

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6865, 21 March 1929, Page 8

"A HUNDRED YEARS AGO”

W.E.A. LECTURE TO-NIGHT. The sixth lecture of the series "A Hundred Years Ago,” will be delivered by Mr A. E. Mander in St. Andrew’s Memorial Hall to-night at S p.m. Mr J. Murray, rector of tho P.N.B.H.S. will occupy the chair Mr Mander will review conditions existing during the garly part of the nineteenth century, viewed from a moral standpoint. It has been said that ours is a worthless, pleasure-loving generation, and that times have changed from the days of our mod 1 grandparents! Changed, yes indeed, but in what way? How, for instance does it compare with earlier generations? Is the moral state of the community better or worse than it was 100 years ago? These questions are of such great importance that it is grossly unjust to ourselves, unfair to our children to accept without question the common assertion that wc are morally degenerating. The lecturer will help us to decide for ourselves by giving facts—facts, for example, on drunkenness. Is it not well known that no "gentleman” 100 years ago would go to bed sober; no labourer of that period would spend his Saturday night outside a public house. Then Mr Mander will give true facts concerning sex morality. It mav he that in tho "good old days” prudery was mistaken for piety; that ignorance was mistaken for innocence. A comparison will be made by the speaker of the standards of morals to-day, of tho level of honesty, etc., ole., to the standard existing in the early nineteenth cento rv.

This lecture -will bo ovon of greater interest than the preceding ones on account of the personal feeling alwavs connected with this subioct. On this occasion a very large attendance is antioinated owing to the ever increasing popularity of the W.E.A. in this centre and the exceptional interest of the snlviect to be dealt with. This will be the last lecture before Easter there being no address on the 28th inst.. and patrons are reminded that the next lecture will be delivered on Thursdav, April 4th.