“THIS NEW FREEDOM OF YOUTH”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 122, 21 February 1928, Page 8

“THIS NEW FREEDOM OF YOUTH”

NECESSITY FOR CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE METHODIST CONFERENCE CONCERNED Dominion Special Service. Christchurch, February 20. At the Methodist Conference to-day there was a lengthy, and at times very spirited, discussion in committee on tlie evils of modern dancing. It was resolved for the guidance of the young people in their social and recreational life that the conference issue the following positive and constructional statement :—

“This conference appreciates the larger and truer conception of Christianity, which relates it to the whole of life and thus includes physical education, sports, and amusements and social relationships. It is the task of our religion to cultivate body, mind, and spirit in the interest of complete Christian personality. “The conference approves the action of the Young Women’s and Young Men’s Bible Class movements in their appointment of a committee to apply its attention to raising the standard of programmes at church socials, and trusts that steps will be taken to train a special leadership for social and recreational life. In these days of the new freedom of youth and multiplied opportunities for pleasure, a great responsibility rests upon all who are associated with organisations for sport and amusement to use their influence to promote by these means a clean and healthv citizenship. This conference is concerned that there exists in the community a spirit of vulgarity and greed which is strongly organised to exploit the lower passions of human nature for monetary gain, with the result that multitudes of young people, innocent and unwary, become the victims of potent temptation almost before they have become aware of its presence and its peril. Against all such subtle and powerful perversions of true sport and recreation, our Church stands in uncompromising opposition. “The conference respects the rights of individual conscience in the matter of conduct, but at the same time we stress the need to educate the Christian conscience.”