SOCIAL PURITY

Otago Witness, Issue 3526, 11 October 1921, Page 20

SOCIAL PURITY

STRONG ADVISORY COUNCIL ESTABLISHED. An influenti; 1 meeting in connect! in with ; T' Social i u'it\ Movei ent wu e- : in the 1 M.C.A. Rooms on I ridgy. It was attended by i riding clergy, tea - iil workers, and others, and the Rev. 11. H. Barton was in the chair. Canon N’evill, in opening tiie discus: ion, said that the development- of sexual moral idea- was really governed by the same m - as govern all other inunial habit . 1 lierefore they easily grow in and arc. fan’iy- easily eradicated from tiro minds of the young; but as the young people de- ■ v eloped the task became harder and Harder, for once the twig was bent change usually became impossible. AH British society had a convention, not a law, but a „ m £' rc '. convention, which tacitly prohibited all familiar uiscussion of all sexual matters, and especially c£ any discussion even between parents and children, who seldom or never discussed sexual matters at all. Yet between themselves grown men discussed Lie sex question perhaps more than any other, and possibly women did tiie same; yet for all that, young people were entirely excluded from this knowledge. The question naturally arose: Hero they t’nere- ! f°i' e . innocent because they were told nothing : No, they were not; they were both ignorant atul too sophisticated for almost as a universal fact they acquired sex knowledge, no from their eiders, but from obier children, and that knowledge was always knowledge, not of scientific facts, nut of obscenity. 'J hut, obscenity continued to be connected with ihe subject almost their whole lives afterwards. Ignorance did not give children a right moral tone N a -i’ result of their vast conspiracy of silence oil the part of tiie elders was that the real teachers of sex morality or, rather, sex immorality, to children were children themselves it is an undoubted fact that adults preaching to youth about sex morality did very iitlle good at all because as a rule sermons are not, usually listened to by sexual perverts, and also that tiro mere fact that it was preaching entirely did away with the benefit of the teaching involved R is equally an undoubted fact that sexual immorality among Christian nations is immense. ihe illegitimate birth rate in Vienna before the war was 51 per cent., and Vienna did not stand alone. Everywhere there is a convention that sox morality is right and equally everywhere it is violated. As a matter of fact, ail appeals to law to regulate these matters is useless. 'j he law' is more impotent to check unchastity than it is to check venereal disease. " Only with the child can a bias be created. The teaching of Christ is tiie only true ideal of sox control; but it has touched so few in modern civilisation which ignores Christ that its effect is inoperative. Therefore the question comes up, how can this bias be created without bringing in religion. Appropriate literature has been produced in very large quantities, some good, some much the reverse Most of it. seems too dangerous. A great deal of it deals in mysterious hints which only increase morbid and prurient curiosity With literature it must be either perfectly plain speaking or not speaking at all. _ Secondly by skilled teaching. If it is possible to secure the right sort of teachers much may be done, but wrong teachers do far more harm than good and are better done without. It was plain that right teaching might counteract the knowledge that all children had from other children even tnough tiie parents uid choose to forget their own childhood. Canon Novill said that he was much in sympathy with Father Coffey who sent a letter stating that the church was the tru" White Cross Society farsuperior to any semi-pagan philanthropy After Canon Novill’.- address a series of resolutions were put to ihe meeting. Dr M’Gredy moved that an Advisory Council be formed in Dunedin to dcai with the matter of sex education. Dr M’Credv gave a most interesting account of his experience of the plain speaking of the people of Mesopotamia on sex matters, nor did he think ihat it affected their morals. Mill- J- Morrell seconded, and also spoke very interestingly on the question of reticence. I lie motion was c irri d. On the motion of Mr Covvio. seconded by the Rev. E. A. Axelsen, it was resolved: “That such couir-il seek to promote sane educational work in regard to matters of sex.” Mr A. G. Butchers moved, the Rev. O. J. Bush King seconded, and it was carried, “That the council give consideration to the sex literature at present available, with a, view to guiding teachers, parents, and others as to suitable Looks.” Mr Butchers spoke of the difficulties of a head master in this delicate matter. On the motion of Mr O. D. Flamanl. seconded by Mr V. T. Drew, it was resolved (hot Ihe council confer with such other similar organisations as may be formed in Ihe dominion, with a view to furthering tile ends already indicated. The following were appointed members of the .Advisory Council, with power to add lo their number, to take the necessary steps for the carrying on of the organisa--tion: —Revs. Canon Nevil!, 11. H. Barton. Chas. -I. Bush King, G. 11. Balfour. Tulloclt Yuille, E. A. Axelsen, Dr M’Credy, Messrs T. R. Fleming, A-.. G. Butchers. J. Reid, O. D. Flumank. Y. T. Drew, -fas. M’K. Miller. live e-uinril wa- empowered to elect its own office he i'V-i s.