Evolutionary Ethics.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 25, 1892, Unnumbered Page

2. “Evolutionary Ethics,” by the Rev. J. Bates. The Chairman said they would all agree with him that the paper was a very valuable one, and no doubt some of the members would like

to say something on it. The question of teaching morality in the public schools was one which must press itself on their attention throughout Australasia. Dr. Bakewell said he had been a member of this Institute for the last seventeen or eighteen years, and he must say that this paper read by Mr. Bates was a new departure, and brought them to a higher plane. He must congratulate Mr. Bates on opening up this inquiry with a paper which was so crammed with valuable and much original thought. In fact, the reasoning was too close to allow them to take it all in; but he quite agreed with Mr. Bates's ideas of the system of teaching morality in the State schools. They had got rid of religion and of morality as a subject of education. On visiting the French war-ship “Dubourdieu” recently, he observed “Amor patriæ” painted on the poop and on different parts of the ship. That kept constantly before the officers' and sailors' minds their duty of patriotism; and if they brought before the minds of their youths certain systems of morality they would never lose them. He was aware that copybook morality was often ridiculed, but he held that maxims imprinted on the memory in early youth were never lost. There was a higher system of morality than that propounded here, and if it was taught in the public schools it would make a great effect on the rising generation. Their young people were growing up without a code of ethics; they did not go to church, and they heard no system of morality from their parents. The French were going to work the right way, and something of the kind it was necessary to adopt here. He briefly criticized some points in the paper, but concluded by congratulating Mr. Bates for his excellent and thoughtful paper. Mr. Josiah Martin agreed with Dr. Bakewell that it was impossible to follow in one night the chain of argument and thought contained in the paper read by the Rev. Mr. Bates on one of the most important subjects that could be brought forward. He was obliged to him for opening a subject which would form matter for many evenings discussion, and he would like that it should be held over, as he might be able to add some personal observations on the subject. The Rev. Mr. Campbell also spoke in the same direction, warmly eulogizing the author. Mr. Thomas Peacock also agreed as to the value of the paper, but thought it would be better discussed after consideration. He did not agree with a statement made by one of the speakers that the teaching in their public schools was void of morality, for a glance at the school-books would show differently. They contained lessons of high morality, and it was not correct to say that morality was banished from their schools. The paper, however, was a most valuable one, and well deserved consideration.