MARRIAGE AND SEX

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1931, Page 6

MARRIAGE AND SEX

THE LAMBETH REPORT BIRTH CONTROL. ADDRESS BY REV. D. J. DAVIS. Marriage and sex were subjects dealt with at Wellington on Tuesday evening l,v the Rev. I). J. Davies, B.Sc., at a meeting arranged by the Wellington group of the C liureli of England s Men’s Society. The meeting, which was the second ol a series of five dealing with problems raised by the Lambeth Conference report, was well attended. The chairman was Dr. H. Hardwick Smith.

.Mr Davies said that marriage and sex. which touched upon most intimate problems of personal conduct, were by no means easy to discuss in public, but if dealt with at all, should be done with frankness and firmness. It was imperative to remember from the outset that Christian ethics were based on the Christian religion, anil that they stood or fell by the assumption of that faith. They differed profundly from any system of moral teaching has oil on a philosophy of materialism.

Nevertheless, Christians bad often been so preoccupied with the next world that they neglected their responsibilities in this one. If children were to be regarded only as so much cannon fodder in times of war or as potential wage-earners in times of peace, it might not matter much under what conditions they were dragged up. But if they were to be worthy citizens m a highly complex civilisation they should he given a sound education and upbringing.

PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE FAMILY. .... People were apt to overlook tlie raet that the family was created not n.v the man or woman, but by the child and that, its primary function was the care and preparation of the child for life, hi addition to the important rqalisationship of parents and child, there was the relationship between husband anil wife, offering perhaps oven, richer opportunities for the training of man’s moral nature. Monagainy had proved to be the form of family ih which the child’s welfare was most sufficiently secured, and the' speaker brought arguments to show that it was not an artificial man-made convention, contrary to his true nature. Monogamy was both natural and ideal. With regard to the marriage contract itself, it was felt strongly to-day that only a deep serious love could sanction marriage. Romantic love had been over-emphasised, however, and there were two serious dangers to the romantic idea!—firstly that no allowance was made for the distorting influence of deep emotion, whereby young people often did not see each other truly nil know each other thoroughly ; secondly, that it tended to regard happiness as something which would inevitably follow marriage.

MARRIAGE AS A VOCATION. To ensure success in marriage something more than the element of pass’onate attachment was required, Mr Davies continued. Marriage could he aptly regarded as a vocation for which there should lie adequate training and preparation, including in the first place, wisely-given instruction on the physical I problems involved in married life. Opportunity should also he given for young people to understand each other thoroughly. Some claimed Mat this knowledge was incomplete unless it, included experience of physical hit yin acy and advocated accordingly ‘‘trial” marriages. This, however, stood condemned on many grounds. After dealing briefly with eugenics > ' ’>voree, the speaker reached the subject of birth control, which, he said iu’d to he approached from that high estimate of sex in human life express'd in the Lambeth Report. Tn recent years many causes had been at work bringing about a more wholesome attitude toward the whole subject. To avoid dangers and to give the physical its proper place in human life, could be done hv claiming physical union as the symbol and consummation of .mutual love.

The report pointed out that all would admit that in married life there were circumstances which justified or even demanded limitation of family by some means. The first method abstinence which his something inspiringlv heroic in its challenge, might not he the ideal at least for all married people. Another method, which had the unexpressed sanction of the church, was union only within the safe period. It was open however, to serious objection. Abortion of course, only needed to be mentioned to be condemned. Finally there were contraceptives, to condemn which on the ground of their being unnatural was to beg the whole question. Man was continually interferring with the processes of nature. Mr Davies concluded by speaking n‘ some length of the use of contraceptives and the circumstances under which their use was justified. “There is much to be said for the principle of birth control, and the good it achieves warrants the risks we must run through its abuse,” ho said.