IMMORAL BOOKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1923, Page 3

IMMORAL BOOKS.

PREBYTERIAN WARNING. [by telegraph—-per press association. CTfIUSTCH I RC 11. November 23. Vigorous denunciation of a certain type of pernicious literature now gaining wide publicity was contained in a repot t presented to the ihesbytet ian General Assembly to-day. On behalf of tlie Committee, liie Rev. .John Mattel son proposed that the Assembly should adopt the following d* Ir.erauee “Ihe Assembly calls the earnest attention of our ministers and people to tile gtave dancer arising fiom the ever increasing circulation ol debasing literature. In much of the popular literature of the day. there is manifest the

extiemelv repieiieiisihle obsession of * ex. Some of til.- o jj ii b|ie at ions collies- to give sei.’ii t i J l l ■ enlightenmei.t ill sexual i'uiKt ions, the prevention of Child I’irth and the like. The teaching of sinli book- i- most ominous lor tlie future of tla- I.iimnn society, and -bon'; I lie severely discountenanced. Others ale novels dealing with sex problems, glorifying unlawful passions, and belli i hug the obligations of marriage and of lai'iily life. Many of 11ic-c come to ii- in inline..lit et.iso, and are, in ignomin-e of tiled real contents and purpn.-e, allowed a- aiding to our young poo; le. Wlnie we may hope foi si in e safeguards :i. it.i tie iceontlv app. in ted Board A C.ui'-'o.'- ex-periem-e jiimes that r.ei'her a h.iuni. ment Censorship nor official denunciation!, can f i u-li this evil. We would urge upon pin cut- liie duly of protecting children Innii the pvruieiiuis iniiiienee of sill’ll litelat II re ; hilt we must prevent the evil by ineuleu 11 Hg a love of good books. To this end we urge on .Ministers and patents, the duly of cultivating a love of noble literature ill the young people, and noon all Sunday Schorls ami Bible Cla-sr, in exercise tile utmost service in the choice cl books for their iib I a lie-. \\’e would also urge upon all who lime sui h inlllienee to do their utmost in see that

the hooks circulated by nir pit »> I i<- liiraries are of clean and no l Ie . b irimler. MOVIES TO pI.AME. Mr .1. Brook (Oickland! sael Im would like the resolulion to go a little further, and that : lie word "pictures'' should be addl’d niter “liferal lire." Lome of tin* pictures no", being shown were of such a mil me that they made many of them hhi-ii with shame. The titles were iittmiy mi-lending, and could mil be taken u - an iudi'-atioii of i the t\ pe if oi; lure tiuit van being shown. i Mi Patters*..n said lh** only reason uii' Coinmitiee had mu <l l ** It with the subject of the pit Dues was that for the pa-. 1. I 111 i*. * years (he Assembly had p.'i'-ed el.'diiu’ate ! esoi ution- in which they had said p; act it a lb. :d! there ’.a--lo lie said eou.-erning the - u'niei-t of pielures. If the Assembly desired the Committee to frame a resohdion about the motion pictures they would gladly do sO. No one pressed tor a motion dealing with pictures, and the original motion wa, earned. I he Moderator -aid that ’ e Iwli.-v, I that all Min islet, would tit upon the suggestion that tile resohn should he read in the pulpits.