SOCIAL PURITY

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XVIII, Issue 5, 1 November 1927, Page 6

SOCIAL PURITY

(Speech to Synod, by Canon Maclean. ) I make no apology for asking- SyiU'Ct to devote considerable time to this subject, because we all know it is of the tirst importance. 1 wish Synod to give it the most careful and serious consideration. We are asked to consider and vote on a report presented to last General Synod. The first and most important paragraph reads: "Having, regard to the fact that sexual impurity is due, lv a large measure, to the fact that sexual knowledge is generally acquired from the nvire m the gutter, your committee have considered whether a formula cannot be obtained whereby the knowledge of sexual matters may be communicated to adolescents through a wholesome channel." I am not going to base my remarks on this suggestion because 1 want to ask you to face the whole question, but 1 want to draw your attention to the first sentence. Although it is very nearly true ais it stands, the fact that it stands as the only reason given, and as the basis of what follows, makes it m effect false. It is only one of three reasons, for the problem or sexual impurity is due to one. or more of three causes :-— 1. The first and greatest is the sexual instinct itself, enormously powerful, capable of sublimation, but not capable of repression. Every psychologist is agreed that instincts cannot be killed. They can only be guMed into good or bad channels. The instinct is always present. 2. Second comes what the report before us mentions, that evil communications, and other incitements (it may be added)) 'tend to evil channels of outlet for the instinct. 3. Third comes lack of self-control, and self-control does not exist m isoia T

tion for one instinct at a time. It is a quality of the whole character, capable of great development, and where it exists it is of use for guiding *lhe outlet of all instincts*. These throe form, the basis from which we must work: First, the instinct itself. Second, the influence on it of evil incitement Third, the question of self-control. These are the materials of our prob((•nv, and it is a weakness of the report tii at it considers the second thing only, isolated from the other two. If the instinct were not there, there would he no problem, and it Is important to remember that it is a natural instinct, "implanted by God, capable of being hallowed -and directed aright." It is m itself normal and good. It is not it watertight compartment; it is part of. the whole personality, and we may do infinite harm unless we remember this. Every conclusion must be qualified by this consideration, we are dealing- with that very intricate and delicately adjusted thing, human personality. Bearlug this m. nvind we can consider this very difficult . question of sexual education.. I have sought the advice of the most competent psychologist I know, a professor of psychology at a great university, and I have his authority for stating thait "scarcely a traditional psychologist anywhere advocates mass instruction about sex as a means to the government of sexual desire. Most of them believe that information about sex may well prove an excitant of the instinct by turning attention upon it." There are one or two exceptional schools m England where this instruction is given as part of the ordinary lessons by a headmaster or mistress who has specialised m it, but these are quite exceptional people, and the instruction is given as part of a long course dealing with reproduction m plants and anneals. Here the ground is very carefully prepared, the most favourable atmosphere created, and the actual sex instruction given m relation to the whole question thus "placing it" properly and ' guarding against undue prominence. It is quite clear that those who give mass instruction m this way would not contemplate for a moment an isolated lesson given by an outside teacher. Facing this weight of evidence I would never venture to attract such a thing, and would do my utmost to prevent it occurring. All the evidence that T have been able to get points to it being harmful. The suggestion m the report that a doctor and a lawyer should assist- by describing the penalties which the in> nioral incur also callis for comment. To

*iupte niy professor again— "All the fcividence goes to. show that m the moment of temptation that kind of knowledge is useless, forgotten, overlooked." In fact abundant experience I -roves, that grown men with a much fuller knowledge than could be debcribed to children, and even m face f*f actual personal experience of the penalties, are mot thereby deterred from immorality. Again T would stress that we are dealing with. human nature as it actually is. This effort of repression by fear is however, something nvuch worse 1 than useless. Repression by fear does not inculcate purity, it only drives impur--ILy to seek safe channels ; and, most important of all, the repressions of ic?ar and disgrace exaggerate the damage so much that they become the chief harm. 1 believe I am right m saying that the leading alienists are iioav convinced that the sexual lunatics m our asylums are mad, not from the physical results of immorality, but f'ronv the workings of the repressions of fear and disgrace upon their minds. In the face of this evidence I would propose to the Synod to dissent from tho suggestions embodied m the report. What are we to suggest m its place? We ought not to deal with anything less than the whole question of social purity, und it is a much wider thing than the report before us contemplates. Even if we extend it to the many cases of illegitimacy and divorce which come into public knowledge we are still only dealing with the most obvious symptoms of a wide-spread evil. It is an evil that has been widespread all through human history, and it is one of the evils which the Church exists to cure and is curing. Our social life is, I believe, purer to-day than it has been m most ages, ami we have nvuch reason for hope. Tho spread of that life which the Church exists to teach is the greatest wort for purity and the most efficient that we can do. We need, however, a more definite public opinion m the church on the question of divorce, and one that is more truly based than is now the case. It is wrong to consider the . question of divorce as if it were a primary question — it is the sacrament or marriage that is the primary question. If we are clear as to the true nature of Christian marriage, the terms m which marriage is made, and tiie nature of the promises which are solemnly made before God, then we have detenrintul tho primary question, and m sq doingwe have denned the subject of divorce . It is idle to discuss divorce as an institution for our business is the In-.

stitution of marriage; and when we are clear about the basis of marriage there is; no room for discussing the terms of breaking it. Certain principles emerge: Tt is tile church's business to uphold Christ's standard for all life. Christ's standard includes aii ideal of marriage which it is our business to teach and uphold. Children need training from iuiancy m purity, and for this purpose they need instruction about the bodies they arc to keep pure, that they may be. safe-guarded against dangers which come tnrough ignorance juwT evil! knowledge. On these principles we can safely base our suggestions as to the report. 1. Age. This instruction is best given individually: It is almost impossible to begin it too early, and it is better to be a year too early than a' day too late. It is easy to give it to young children, and it becomes harder with every year until at adolescence it is almost impossible for any but a genius t 0 give it. The natural people and the best people to give is are the parents, and the child makes it easier by asking questions. To He m answer to these questions is not a virtue but the wickedest lie imaginable. These are fundamental principles on which all authorities seem to be agreed, and if we can make them known we shall do well. 2. Matter. The teaching should be of sex facts, not of sex sins, and it .should! not be mixed up with morality, and specially not with emotion. The facts should be taught as naturally and dispassionately as, for instance, the care of the teeth. Purity is a different subject, a matter of character, and the body is only its instrument. We have made the natural physical instruction a. hundred I "lives more difficult by always mixing i' with the question of purity. Our natural modesty, the instinct of shame, is likewise God given and is a necessary check. It is a defence of innocence from the harm that might be done by unclean- conversation, and when a child is accustomed' to a modesty that is truly founded and real, 1 would, for the normal child, back the protection of disgust against any attack of impurity. In other words the best defence of a child's purity is a good home. This matter of purity is generally regarded as one m which the problem centres on the child. 1 am convinced it does nothing of the sort— the problem is the parent. Education of^the parent is more important than education, of the child, if the parent is clean and honest with a true view of the real values of life there is nothing much lesg to fear for the child.

This then. l suggest as the guiding principle: — Sex instruction should be given by parents to their children as early as possible when that information Will be taken quite as a matter of course, just one among many interesting subjects ; and' physiology should not be mixed with either morality or emotion. It should be related to the whole subject of reproduction m living things. We can be most useful if we direct our efforts to educating', parents, and have nothing to do with the dangerous short cut of mass instruction. Having cleared the ground to this extent 1 want to come to the real problem with which we have to deal, the problem that concerns us as members of Christ's Church. Have you noticed that almost everyone who specializes m this question of purity seems smeared by it somehow j something <m ( us rebels against the specialization : we feel the focussing of attention on it warps character." This is perfectly true observation I belive, because this specialization is wrong. This subject must not be considered m isolation if we want sound results, because isolating it warps our view. People who are conscious of the immor■ality of the world long to do something to cope w-th. it. and weave plans with their eyes on the symptoms, and not on the real disease Salacious conversation, for instance is only a sympton; it is not the disease itself. It is very unwise for any to be dogmatic about the way to meet the evil unless they have checked their theory by actual practice. In most matters about the unbringing of children 110 one is so dogmatic as the man or woman who has. not actually brought up children, but has an extensive observation of the mistakes of those who are doing the job. Our real problem is not a problem of sex at all, but a problem of the human soul. To isolate sex is a bad mistake. The most important factors which work towards purity are homes with the right atmosphere, and the habit of self control. These factors and no others are the nurses of purity, and they are not matters of sex but of character I want to put to you something which I have never yet- seen written, or heard said : on the subject. Our Lord sent His disciples out with a message of salvation to a Gentile society far more impure than anything within our experience, a society iii which purity was extinct. There is no trace m their activities of any special measures about sex instruction. Thoy (go iout and preach the new life of the Spirit; they teach men and women to live m union with God ; and the result of their work

is the re-discovery of purity for the Gentile world. They actually made a new standard of. purity an accomplished fact. St. Paul when he tackled Corinth attacked the stronghold of impurity — you remember the method he used. He had "to toll them that impurity was wrama> (imagine having to start as far hack as that) and his positive teaching of purity can he summed up m one sentence : "Know ye not that your bodies are shrines of the Hols Spirit?" Honestly I do not think that jvc can improve on the teaching of our Lord and St. Paul, and 1 find a modern mechanical short cut which will do the .work better. Purity is not a matter of sex instruction : it is a matter of the whole personality. Our most efficient way of coping with immorality is to do our utmost to form a sound public opinion, an informed public opinion within our Church upon the real nature and scope of the problem ; to give what help we can to parents, mainly by literature or personal conversation, for it is an impossible sermon-subject for a mixed congregation of old and young; but most of all. and far more than all- else, to teach the spiritual life lived for God. and m union with God. Our ordinary work done with all our hearts is the finest and most useful work for purity that can. be done. ''