FOR SOCIAL PURITY,

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 93, 21 April 1911, Page 3

FOR SOCIAL PURITY,

WOEK OF THE C.E.M.S. BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT APPROVED. ("BI TELEGKAPH — PBEBS ASSOCIATION.'J CHRISTCHURCH, 20th April. At the Church of England Men's Society Conference to-day a vole of thanks was accorded to the .Rev. W. Curzon-Siggers (Dunedin) for his oiler to place the services of the Rev. C. J. Bush-King (Dunedin) at the disposal of the Diocesan Synods in establishing Church of England Men's Society institutes at the Territorial and training camps. It was decided to recommend each diocesan council to appoint two members to form a standing committee to deal with tho work of fcraiing such institutes. Mr. W. Walton (Wellington) moved: "That this conference recognises the great need of definite organised work among boys, and requests the diocesan councils io give the mallei' their earnest and careful consideration, with the object of founding branches of tit. Oswald's Guild, or other suitable guilds, among Ihe juniois, •who are the iuture membeis . of the C.E.M.S." Mr. Walton slated that the T.M.C.A. and Boys' Guilds, were not a connecting link between the boys and the Church. The p'ropobed 'guilds would supply the missing link. During a lengthy discussion a number of speakers i-poke in high terms of the results of the Boy Scout movement. The Eev. C. J. Bush-King (Dunedin) remarked that it had been stated by a delegate that the Scout movement was elastic in that it got boys of all denominations, and of no denomination, and that it attracted boys away from choir practice and attendance at church services. These lads should not bs allowed to go away from church for want of pioper The Church had a splendid opportunity in tie request of the Defence Department that, it should form cadet corps for lads between 14 anil IS years, of age. A start had bc-en made with that in Dune-din. He urged that care should be taken not to increase night meetings for lads. ihe Rev. 11. de LambeiL sanl that the control of boys in Sundpy-schools had been rendered mi;ch easier sin<_e ihe establishment of the Scout movement. The Rev. W. 'H. Orbell (Wools-lon) said there was nothing in the Scout movement that was likeiy to lead lads to degenerate. He considered the effect of it was entirly good. The motion was carried. The fcub-committoe, consisting of the Eev. H. G. Blackburne (Wellington), the Rev. W. Curzon-Sigg&rs (Duni-dm), Messrs. W. Stewart (Waimate), "W. Nash (Wellington), and J. C. Adams (Christchurch), which was appointed yosterdaj'j presented tho following recommendations : — (1) That in each branch of the C.E.M.S. a becietary, or a small subcommittee, ba elected, who shall initiaU eocioi "jpurity work; and choul-d bring th«

aims and objects of the White Cross League before its members. (2) That the diocesan councils be requested to arrango for a vigilance committee, to further the cause of purity, and to take action against the sal* of preventives, suggestive literature, post-cards, etc., and to protest against any posters or plays that have an immoral tendency ; sucli committees should ako endeavour to lend a helping hand to young men that nve in temptation owing to their surroundings, to protect gh'ls wherever possible from men with evil intentions, and to assist in suppressing houses of ill-fame. (3) That the following forms of work i are also recommended by tlie committee : — (a) Judicious circulation of literature issued by the. White Cioss League, especially the following : "A Letter to a Lad," "The Testimony of Medical Men," "Life," "The Power of Womanhood," "Talks for Children" (three volumes, for ages 7, 12, and 15, by Compton), "A Physician's Advice to his Daughters," by Dr. Rupp (viz., Publishing .Company), lb) The organisation of meetings for men to be addressed by suitable speakers on this subject. It is suggested that /in each diocese the names of those willing to speak at such meetings or to address C.E.M.S. branches should be notified by the Diocesan Council, (c) Last, but the most important, that the members be urged to do all possible in their power by prayer and example, by conversation and influence, to set a higher standard of purity and morality among men. The report was received, and ifc was decided to forward it to the various diocesan councils for their consideration.