Crumbling Morality

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 22, 19 October 1937, Page 3

Crumbling Morality

IOTA.

Sir, — The Bishop of Waiapu's address to the Synod on present day tendencies to shirk the responsibilities of life, coupled with Dr. O'Brien's lecture in Christchurch a little while ago on the same subject, and the Hon. W. Parry's speech in the House on the prevalence of abortion in this country, make one wonder how long we are likely to last as a nation if such evils continue unchecked. One of Mr Parry's suggestions is that in cases of abortion trial by jury shouid be abolished owing to the difficulty in getting a verdict Teturned in accordance with the evidence. This reform might do some good, but if the Law Society decided that none of its members shouid aet for the defence in such cases, perhaps more good still would .be done. Or if that were impracticable, then let society at large ostracise any lawyer who acts for an abortionist, and this niight have some effect in the right direetion. But Dr. O'Brien's suggestion that "a change of heart" is necessary, is of course, the only true solution of the problem of moral laxity, and only Christianfty can restore morals and marriage to their position of pre-emin-ence in our everyday life wThich they shouid occupy. "The Christian law," wrote Mr Gladstone, "has placed the relation of man and woman as such, in the great institution of marriage and the provision for the continuance, through the family, of the species, upon such a footing as is nowhere else to be found . . . and it is one, I am flrmly persuaded-:,' which no self-acting force, no consideration of policy, will ever be able to uphold in modern societies, when it shall have been severed from its authoritative source." Is it not because we have "severed from its authoritative source" marriage and many other things, through our strictly secular education, that we are now brought to such a demoralised state? Whon the secular influence began to get the upper hand at Oxford) and Cambridge, Oanon Liddon wrote: "I am well persuaded that the recent changes in the Universities will, in a couple of generations, quite necessarily lead to an increas'e of downright iufidelity in the educated classes of which we can at present form very little idea, and this will certainly be followed by grave social consequences. . . . Education without religion is worse than barbarism." These prophetie words were written in 1872. We see their fulfilment to-day. If this be granted, then it follows that the only remedy is a return to religious instruetion, espeeially in our primary schools, but as things are now it seems hopeless to wait for this to be done in the State schools. It remains therefore for the Chureh to face its responsibilities and by establishing its own schools,* do what it can to stem the llood of infidelity that threatens to overwhelm society. Even in England where church schools are numerous, the need for more is now being felt. "The Kouian Church lcnows the value of schools. In this she is wise. While the Church of England is losing schools, the Roman Catholics are building them. This is a very gravo matter." So writes the R*v. T. E. Lcunax, Hon. Canon of Durham in the Morning Post of Aug2o in a letter appealing for funds for this purpose. If church schools are needed in England, how nmch more so are they needed out here where they are so few and far between? If it be objected that the cost of building and equipping schools is quite beyond the financial resource of the Church of England, at any rate would it not be wise to pause and consider whether the £300,000 now proposed to be spent on building a cathedral in Wellington would not be sj)ent to better purpose in establishing schools where children could be taught their duty to God and their neighbour, which they seem to be in so mucli danger of forgetting? Would not the influence for good of such schools be in-

finitely. greater than that of a cathedral, however beautiful? Oaruinal Manning, when appointed Archbishop of Westminster and ardently desiring to §be the building of Westminster Cathedral started in his lifetime, yet said he would not begin it until the poor of his diocese were first provided with schools and orphanages and their wants attended to. Would not tho example he set there be worth copying in this country? If the Church cannot alford to build both cathedrals and schools where her children can be taught the way of salvation without let 01* hindrance, can there be any dOubt as to which of the two would be the more pleasing to Him Who dwelieth not in temples made with hands? — Yours, etc.

Waipawa, Oct. 17. 1937.