“UNDERMINING OF MARRIAGE.”

Shannon News, 5 June 1925, Page 2

“UNDERMINING OF MARRIAGE.”

LACK OF MORAL IDEALISM. SYDNEY, May 15. Scathing words were used by the Rev. Dr. Uren, one of the highest visiloz-s to the Anglican Church Congress, in Melbourne, in an attack on modern society addresesd to the gathering of the old boys of Scotch College. “The homage recently paid to Royalty is now paid to screen stars,” he said. “These public pets receive £3 to £4 a minute when University men and teachers cannot afford to buy uecsary books and instruments, so small is the value at which society assesses them."

Dr. Uren said that this was the age of jazz, which was an apt symbol. of the instability of the times and its inversion of moral ideals in society and domestic life. “The rotter of society is tolerated as a good ‘sport’ and a pleasant Bohemian,” he continued. “Tins age makes one wonder if there is such a thing as progress in civilisation.”

“Marriage is being undermined,” Dr. Uren .went on, “by the ideas ,of screen, stage, novels and advanced feminists. Marriage vows are taken lightly and broken. It seems ah increasing number of modern men find -the binding of tl?eir wills .beyond th& present moment hateful. . . Yet there are quack economists who preach that the subversion of the present social order would usher in the millennium. But a new order with the old spirit would be just as insufferable as the worst capitalistic system history has known.

“There are two alternative economic systems—capitalism or socialism. The honours—or the dishonours—are even between them, ethically. The object of each is material wealth to the satisfaction of the senses. The disciples of Marx jeer at moral ideas, and the capitalists act ’as though moral! issues did not and oug'ht not to determine industrial .and economical issues.’ Dr. Uren said the same lack of the ethical point of view marked our relations with other nations. "Uvery •nation was cursed with an unethical, spurious patriotism, which said: “I am for my country, right or wrong.” National envy and cupidity, engendered by publicists and vested interests, were the causes of war.

“In spite of all our progress,” went on .Dr. Uren, “nations have learned nothing and forgotten nothing; and still show their completest trust in tha arbitrament of armed force. Tha meretricious thing called diplomacy affairs. We are on the edge of a chasm which may destroy our civilisation. All our progress has been technical, not ethical.” “The cause of all our troubles is (he gradual substitution of material interests for moral ideas. And when evitable—the people perish. But idealism is.no good without Christianitv. Society now has as much appreciation for religion as an ox for an ode or a sow for a symphony.”

moral idealism goes, the result is inThe politician, Dr. Uren considered, tinkered only with symptoms; religion concerned itself with causes. “We deify ourselves and our own interests instead of God,” he said. “The need of to-day is great men in church and State. It has been one of the disappointments of the Rhodes scholarship that, though they have given us Varsity blues in plenty, they have Stat<g , * gIVCU US a leader iu Cllur ch or