IMMORAL BOOKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 439, 23 February 1909, Page 7

IMMORAL BOOKS.

, ' STRONG CONDEMNATION. s ' PABTORAU BY BISHOP CRIMES. , BEVERE CRITICISM OF SOME RECENT ' ■ - , (it? TELEORAriI—I'KES3 4830CtATI0K.l " * Chrlstchurch, February 22. The Roman Catholic Bishop' of Christchurch (Dr. Grimes), 'in his pastoral for 1909, which has' just been published, loade a, powerful attack on tho immoial literature' of the day. "Is it not deplorable," he asks, to society flooded with licentious and obscono productions consecrated to tho idolising of tho grossest passions,, and doctrines the most degrading? 'Who'can behold unmoved •the crowd of shameless ' writers who seem to have no othor mission in life than to ', sully, attacking all that, is puro and "noble and holy? Sworn foes of o\ery idea of order, duty, and justice, thoy prostitute their talent or their pen to the service, nay, to the very justifying, of tho unclean i vice which they would fain make attractive by the expounding of guilty theories or the depicting - of morals moro guilty and moro dangerous still. Writers of littlo or no talent often make capital out of tho evil ' passions and conupt inclinations of fallen nature to draw renders.' by the bait of immorality. ' A few days ago a well-known citizen of Christchurch brought 'under our ' notjeo some, of the navels eagerly devoured by thousands in our Dominion. A noble- ' minded layman, he assured us that it was with a sense of loathing and disgust that he ventured to bring them . before us. He , so solely in tho interests of morality. Ho says, speaking of,ona'of these novels: 'It is, ono of a series in. which tho sacrecli ness if -marriaco is, hold in contempt and opprobrium.' _ 111 it the sin of adultery is held to bo a necessity, and indulging of tho passions to be, a 'fulfilment of' the demands of Nature.- -The whole tendency of /'the' volume is a degradation of God's highest creature to tho,level of,the> brute. In ' another, written, too, .by a woman, thero is not a clean thought or .expression in the whole of its pages. Of another, by the same author, he says; 'It is one of the filthiest productions of the' age.' ' From a cursory perusal ~of its polluted pages, we 1 ourselves must p'ronounco it a horrid, blasphemous parody p|i the sinless life of our Blessed Redeemer. Speaking of another novel of a similar' kind, the above-mentioned gentleman says: 'The author displays a prurient ■ mind, wallowing in-filth and un-. deaness.' ' "His Lordship goes on to enumerate works that should be avoided. '"Beside, ,, .ho says,

tnoso nitny proauctions, tne mero title or nhich brings a blnsh to a Christian cheek, those licentious pamphlets which stain tho very hands of those that'touch thorn, works ' 'which everyone uitrT tho least remnant of self-respect 'spurns with tho disdain they , deserve and the indignation they inspired"— i one should turn "away from: * (1) Most of the current literature whether it be what is known as yellow-backs teem- ! ing with licentiousness, the gilt-leaved sensational novels, the* bulky reviews of the flippant monthlies, weeklies, 1 or dailies, which-carp , at tho holiest and most lawful on earth. , , . ~ - , i . ' !<. (2) Newspapers and pamphlets whose t auti-Ghristian and sickly page 3 either feed ,the cold, poliehed.,pride of the intellect, , inculcate- a wretchedly ompty sentimentality, ' and openly or secretly , unfold tho most , Tracked, irreligfqus principles.> (3) Books which stupidly 'pretend to forethe future and explain signs or dreams or any such liko superstitious fooleries. , . (4) Thoso falso or far-fetched interpretav tions of tho inspired writings and of tliejr holiest dogmas. We must remember that . it ig of faith that no scripture is of private interpretation. > v > ,(5) Pages whioh to-day belch forth some horrid calnmmes against persons consecrated to tho service of tho Most High—scandalous deeds sprung only,from the wicked brain , of 'the writer., Sorao historical lies a thou- / Band, times refuted yet a thousand times - ;..Arepeatodtwith-tho'Sam6-holdness and bit- * terness. ■ - c , 7 (6) Thoso illustrations which havo become to us what the amphitheatre was to , the Romans of old, slaughterhouses i for men and dons of mfamy for women, whilst Christians were flung to the lions to pander to the passions of the bloodthirsty Romans; I pages 'wherein the engraver's satanic skill is used 'at one time to caricature the rites and. ceremonies of our'holy religion, at an--1 other to display the grossest forms of vice t or the 'most painful and loathsome scenes of wretchedness and ciimo. • • (7) 'Poems or fables which under the narno of histories are penned to -cnkinclle the'most inflammable passions in our nature. (8) Books which, under pretonco of encouraging virtue, defy yico, 'foment and strengthen that passion which is the chief spring of every other., (9) Most bf tho cheap trash called novels vhieh to catch the jou'ng and thoughtless aro filled with scenes of love and blood and thunder, amidst which the greatest monsters are held up &s. heroes of humanity. (10) Most of the prurient literature of tho oay, tho perusal whereof is meant-to heat tho blood, inflame.the senses, and throw a halo of false, sickly sentimentality around , tho day dreams of youth. (11)-Books and pamphlots which, while ' professing to treat of necessary domestio relations, covertly pander to the worst inetinots, and dcfilo with the slime of an ia- , lernal fancy.. (12) Books which talk in a fascinating manner of naught but the maxims of a corrupt'world, tho artifices of the devil and the flesh.' ; (13) Novels which so vividly describe tho weaknesses and extravagant transports of _ lovo, another name and cloak for brutal lust on tho altars whereof the readors aro led as willing victims ready to sacrifice to this degrading vico every, dearest instinct, every noblest affection of their soul. Honour and ambition are shown prostrate at its feet, and the noblest of God's creatures ronrcEonted,grovelling m tho lowest state of intatuation till this passion becomes their only thought day and night, the only object of their worship tho chief aim, tho solo end. of their very existence - (14) Novels urging tho imitation of ideals which our reason and common senEo assure us never had nor could haro any foundation in tact. , (15) Works which under tho plea of, informing tho mind and developing the imagination blunt the powore of genius and spoil the purest sympathies of nature, substituting in their stead unresisting slimsh propensities called sensibility, which would have us excuse affections or vices alike hateful to God, to. His angels, and to upiight men. (Iβ) Books or papers relating words and - deeds that no true Christian would for the World ever wish to hear, or behold, or bear tho responsibility of publishing the same. (17) In fine, whatever is as eagerly Bought and cherished by tho depraved as they aro despised and contemned by the good. Their name is legion. After dealing trenchantly with the pretexts assigned as an excii6o for immoral and dangerous reading, his Lordship sajs:— "May we not avail ourselves of this occasion to recognise tho excellence of our locM press. Though their policy on the education question is strongly opposed to ours, i\e gladly proclaim that as a true typo of jouri lialism thoy will compare most favourablv *?i T-. th . e i ,0 prcSß oi tho Empire, and ol all inp;lish-spraking lands. Ably edited, ant generally impartial, their columns are invpmbly closed to whatever might please prurient minds or make ns fear to seo them w the hands of ever tho youngest of out Sock."