LEAGUE OF MOTHERS.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 17, 20 September 1928, Page 7

LEAGUE OF MOTHERS.

Glorious weather, a keen local interest I in the activities of the league, and, I above all, a desire to hear the founder and Dominion president (Her Excellency \ Lady Alice Fergusson) speak on '' The ' Sanctity of Marriage were the chief J factors that accounted for the large as- ' semblage of women (some 250) at the Lower Hutt branch of the league on Thursday. The spring flowers, cheery rooms, and the . atmosphere that comes from the warmth of women's welcome created a special interest, with the result that when the president, Mrs. H. W. Kersley, expressed pleasure at Her Excellency's second visit to the local branch her reception was more than enthusiastic. Lady Alice spoke as a mother of mothers. She maintained at the onset that a happy marriage was the most glorious and noble state possible, and" suggested that to attain this people should be given instruction and guidance, especially by parents to their children. Better still, this happy state should be lived before the family, who would then grow up with a right perspective of things. there were so many modern theories cloaked in plausible language about the marriage state that children, unless trained otherwise, lost the right conception—^-that was that love should be the guiding principle, and that a perfect state was attained only by a sensible adjustment of differences on a commonsense basis, and on a foundation of mutual self-sacrifice. To-day one tended to regard happiness and pleasure as a right, and if any difficulty arose it was shirked. This principle was unfortunately practised in married life, and nothing but disaster followed. True comradeship could only attain true happiness, and this state could be gained only by careful guarding and nurturing in early and later days of married life. Tolerance of each other's views should be regarded as one of the chief principles so long as honour be preserved. Duty to each other should guide husbands and wives through many awkward situations. She urged parents to discuss the true principle of mftrriage, 'c love with the children, so that they might be able to judge and^ plan their own happiness on a sound basis. The only true love, Her Excellency concluded, was one that was based on devotion to each other, on selfsacrifice, and on a love of Christ. In thanking the speaker, Dr. PlattsMills voiced the feeling of the audience when she said that Lady Alice Fergusson had raised their thoughts to a higher plague, and shown them what a normal marriage between normal people could become. Afternoon tea^. provided by a strong committee of members, -was quickly served, and a suitable programme contributed by Mesdames : Phillips and Chishoim was greatly enjoyed, Miss Findlay playing incidental music and conducted the '' community sing. ' ' At the request of the audience, Lady Alice Fergusson kindly sang- delightfully. Much interest centred round the creche where some thirty bairns of all ages were catered for by competent and kindly helpers in their suitably furnished room. Her Excellency was the' recipient of a j white cradle of flowers from the bairns in the creche, and a basket of primroses from the mothers. Thirty-four new members joined, and there were several renewals as a fitting climax to a memorable afternoon.