Moral Collapse.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XI, Issue 3, 1 September 1920, Page 316

Moral Collapse.

The editor of the April " Commonwealth tells us that:— lt All about us lie the 1 signs of a moral collapse. There can be no doubt about it. We have sunk. The most disastrous aspect of the whole niatter is the patient attitude of public opinion towards vice m its various manif estar tions. Everywhere there is evident a temper which frankly accepts, things as they are. Of indignation, of passionate and prophetic revolt, of holywrath there is nowhere any trace." That this attitude is not universal the "Commonwealth" is itself an evidence, but there is only too much truth m the editor's words. Even good and personally clean-living men are too often affected by the prevailing materialistic unbelief and inclined to agree that the only thing to do is to admit that immorality must and will exist, and the only thing to be done is to render it as little harmful as can be. It is scarcely necessary to; point out that this attitude, if. persisted m, injures not only the Christian morality, but applies also to Christian idealism, i.e., to Christianity "itself. . - It is an open secret that strenuous efforts from outside will be made to induce the Bishops m the Lambeth Conference to relax the strictness of their attitude on marriage and sexual questions, and to conform more closely to the lowered public opinion of the day; The attitude of the ' '.Times "is frankly non Christian, and the Bishops are fighting a losing battle on the Divorce Bill m a House of Lords which cares for none of these things. —"Church Standard." ../..•■ What is the remedy? There is only one remedy — moral and religious education. Can it be got m our secular schools ? No ! Is it being given m the homes? No! How can we provide it and save som6 of the- next generation from the evils of this? How can we prevent public opinion . from falling still lower m its ideals? How can we raise it to something near the Christian standard? There is only one way. All denominations must fearlessly "advocate and establish- Christian schools* We may do a little by

plain speaking to the present generation but the immoral cancer has struck its roots too deep for us ;to effect iriuch, our chief hope lies- m making the next and succeeding generations *clean by giving the children higher ideals. - : ■• ' : . : - : \