PLAY AND PRESBYTERY

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 891, 10 August 1910, Page 4

PLAY AND PRESBYTERY

"OIRL FROM RECTOR'S." ITS CONDEMNATION ENDOESED. ■ At tho meeting of tho Wellington Presbytery yesterday there was a lengthy discussion on the comedy "The Girl from Rector's." Tho discussion arose first over a motion by the Rev. W. Shirer. A letter from tho Mayoress had been tabled inviting the assistance of the Presbytery in raising funds for the now children's ward at the hospital. :

Mr. Shirer then moved that tho request of the Mayoress bo commended to the, attention and interest of congregations. It was, ho remarked, a laudable object in which .worthy people wero engaged. Ho knew nothing, officially, of others. ' , '

■ Dr. Gibb then rose to. speak. He said that circumstances had arisen which would prevent him following out this recommendation. It was not necessary to go into details—the situation., that,, obtained, was patent to them all. This matter had almost passed out of the hands of the Mayoress into tho hands of the man who was responsible for tho performance in Wellington of a play, which ho ■ need 'not further 'characterise,' , having characterised- it with suilicient iucisirenpss and vigour already: Since theti Mr. Ward had been challenging tho Churches to follow the lead which he had • given. Tho speaker' for one was not prepared to accept any such challenge. TJiq itev.J. K. Elliott regretted that observations should have been madu about Mr. Ward or anybody else. The solo question before them was as to whether they wore to do, something for the little ones in hospital. He thought that they would stultify themselves as a Church.if they did not help in a movement of this kind. With regard to the condemnation of the play, he could heartily support anything that had beendone, but this was a different matter. It was a question of whether a Christian Church could or should do something for those children. The Uev. Mr. Patersou heartily supported the motion, particularly as it was left to each minister.and-his congregation to do as they pleased in the matter ■'.'•'.

The Moderator (Rev. R. Inglis) thought it hardly wise for the Presbytery to express its opinion on the matter (the play). Itwoukl be a very unfortunate thing if the' Presbytery came to a decision adverse to that desired by Dr. Gibb. . '

Dr. Gibb repudiated this consideration and contended that, absolutely irrespective of the stand which : ho had' taken, the .Presbytery should uxpresa its opinion -as it had done on licensing, bookmakers, and various other' matters affecting tko social welfare of the community. The Moderator suggested that a vote should be taken as to whether, tho subject should be admitted for further, discussion. ....'.

The Kev. Mr. Douglas remarked that they had been accused as ministers of being cowards. .

Dr. Gibb said ho looked upon this thing from a purely ecclesiastical point of view. . A vote of the kind suggested by the Moderator had never been taken' before. '~ . ■• Mr. Shirer's motion inviting congregations to support the Mayoress's scheme was carried. Legislation Invited, The Rev. Mr. Comrio then moved.. "That tho Presbytery endorses the protest which has been made by the Rev. Dr. Gibb and the Rev. J. J. North against theatrical performances of a character tending to loner the moral tone of the community and that, with a. view.to preventing the recurrence " of similar plays, tho Attorney-General's attention be drawn to tho matter." ■ Mr. Comrie said his motion outlined a position which he hoped the Presb)tery would unanimously take. He was not asking that every word spoken by Dr. Gibb and Mr. North should be endorsed, .but he thought that, their protest, in. its broad lines, had tho approval of tho Presbytery. Tho people looked jto them for guidanco, and if they lot this meeting go by and said nothing, it would be understood in the community, that they did.not support tho position taken by Dr. Gibb and Mr. North. They would incur the moral blamb of failing to stand by those who had spoken what was in, the minds of α-grcat majority of right-thinking people in this town. Ho was perfectly well aware that' attempts had been made to defend tho play and to throw dust in tho eyes of tho people , Ho would not go so far as to say that Air. .Ward was not a generous man,' but the elloet of 'his action in reference to tho Children's Hospital had been to throw dust in flic eyes of tho people. Tho play, even as staged hero, was not of a kind to be encouraged, and tho play as shown hero was not that shown in Auckland. If they failed to carry this motion they would fail in their duty to the community. Tho advertisement given to this play was a very small matter compared with tho check which it would impose on tho future production of such plays when, it cimo to lie recognised that the Christian sentiment

of tho place was alive'to tlioir iniquity. The ltev. Mr. Shirer recorded his sin- ■ cere protest, on broad grounds, against ' such performances. More perhaps had been done in the way.of quiet protest _ by members of tho Presbytery than, they.■always got credit for. : ■ -.- ■ "An Insult to the City." \ 'Hie 'Bcv. Mr. 'Kennedy Elliott said 1 that this was the first time in his experience of the Presbytery that any-, one had suggested that its -niombors wore looked upon, as cowards. Ho did no believe that anyone thought. .'that ■ of them. . In .regard to the play the posters and pictures exhibited were an,in- , , suit to. the city. Having lead. v«ry carefully, what the manager had ( said ■ he did not think' that the latter Had carried conviction or made out a good, case. Ho had. not. faced the real issue: "Is this an immoral play ?"'nor tho question: ' 'Has this ' play, been at all changed sinoe.it. was .first men-., tioned?" .■■..-■■..■■.:

Tho Her. Mr.. M'Caw said that ha : was perfectly satisfied that their brethren had done something that required to bo done, and for which they should be thanked. Those engaged in producing a play of this class might more, fitly engage, in tho equipment of a mental hospital. The How A.; Thompson regretted that the , personal .element- had been, brought into the djseussjoii. Mr. Ward's name-had boon' brought in, but Dr. Gibb.wasia, fair.onough. fighter to recognise '..that, this man .was.. bona fide in giving his,subscription.. .He- did riot think that .any. member of ,thc Prcsby-, tery was entitled to cast reflections on the motives that had.kjd Mr. -Ward to subscribe, i' • ' ■ ■ ' :-. ' .

Mr. Boith- thought 'that tho motion should embody an expression of the Presbytery's opinion on The Dominion a.nd its reports. He felt ashamed of tho paper that it'should support in any shapo or, form such a , thing as this play: .-,'. ■■'■■ > ■"•.■".'■■ ■ Mr. J. G. W.Aitken stated that ho had evidence from, a large number of people'in the city that not only were dodgers arid little circulars advertising tho.play handed to people in.the street, but actually left in homes where little children, could have picked them up. They wore of a character that should have made the iprinters thoroughly ashamed of themselves.' , He felt thai tho moral 'sense, of the community had been aroused at this juncture against theatrical, performances ' lowering u» character. ■ : : t \ ' An Utter Abomination. , : Dr. Gibb remarked that he was very glad that this motion had been submitted, and had secured the apparently/ unanimous sympathy of .the Presbytery. Of course; whether the Presbytery had been with him or against him what ho had said ho had to say "he could do no other" Be was!glad to hear, however, that the- brethren wore of opinion that. Mr. North and himself had more than niado out their case. Any failure to realise how completely they had vindicated .'the position they Lad taken up must he due to a kind of blindness. Tho evidence! which they had in hand at first was now common property, aad everybody must know now the character of this play. Action had been taken not in view of this play alone, but.against a class of similar plays that wero.uttorly reprehensible. In the interests of the moral welfare of the community they, should do their very best to make the. presentation of such plays impossible ia this city. Ho. had not the slightest doubt that the moral sense of this community had been touched. Of course, there were "feather heads," , but the judicial, although they wore not always very much: in evidence, formed a very largo section-of tho community, and tljeir sympathies would bo with the Presbytery in its present action. If the authorities had no power to prohibit the production of such plays, he had no doubt tho power would bo given them in, new legislation.' 'Plays. of this class were an utter abomination in tho sight. of God, and should be an utter abomination in the sight of.man. .This play was a glorification of adultery, and in that was only a sample of a class of plays now prevalent. In a previous public utter-' anctt' he had read a letter from a wellinformed correspondent, : who stated that charming actresses had for eomo time past been.giving themselves with, tho utmost intensity to depicting the role of tho adulterous with results to their own character and.to.tho character of the community which might bo •imagined. This sort of thing should be put an aid to, and tho sooner the bettei. 'The motion was adopted unanimous!?,