W.E.A.

Shannon News, 3 September 1926, Page 4

W.E.A.

' : CONDUCT AND CHARACTER.—FT. I. Tile weekly meeting of the Levin branch of the VV.E.a. was held In the Band Room last evening, Mr c. T. Gayne occupying the cnan. The secretary, Mr W. G. Bishop, said that It was usual at this meeting to discuss the subject for. the series of lectures for the following year, but ■as a number of the mem--bers were absent on account of the school holidays, it \vas mutually agreed that'this be allowed to stand #over till next week. The same course was also adopted in regard to a social evening to conclude the present session.

The Rev. J. D. McArthhr then proceeded with a very interesting lecture on “Conduct and Character.”

Professor. Mackenzie states that the Industrial ’ arts . are directed to the production of -objects useful for some ulterior end, whereas the objects produced by conduct are; ends* in themselves. The product in the case of conduct, or behaviour, or morality is activity,' and virtue exists only in activity. A good artist is good as an artist even when he is not actively engaged ,in painting, but a good man—in the moral sense—is not good when lie is say asleep, except it be good to be asleep. Goodness is not a potentiality—it is and must be activity. Aristotle says that a good man cannot retire from the life of virtuous activity, or even take a rest from it. There are no holidays from virtue. The- essence of virtue lies' in the will. The man who is a bungler in any of the particular arts may be a well meaning person, but the best intentions in the world will not make him into 'a good pianist. We must admit that the intention of the will is the fundamental factor in conduct., Conduct has two obvious aspects—on

it implies thoughts and feelings, ideals and motives, valuation ami the one Hand it is a life of purpose, choice. Conduct too, lias its outward side, as it has relations to nature, especially human nature. In any study of behaviour we must view it as on three levels:—

1. The level of the instincts of fundamental needs. Here the behaviour may be quite in accordance with moral laws, although it is not directed by moral judgments. A nian seeks food, or position, or glory, and he is forced to practice sobriety, industry, courage and gentleness. 2. Ihe level of custom—behaviour regulated by tire standards of society. Here thfe motive is to seek some good which is social, but the main acts for the group mainly because he is of the group. Hii-s behaviour is in part guided by intelligence, mainly, however, he acts because of habit.

3. Tile level of conscience, this standard, is both rational and social, the conduct is examined and criticised. Here a man not only intends his acts definitely, he also values them as what lie can do “With all his heart.” He does them because they are right and good and he chooses them freely and intelligently. 1 . In the full development of this activity there are certain factors. Tlie first is:—

Work. —The earlier forms of hunting and fishing did not and could not compare in their demands In mentality with the later forms of pastoral and agricultural life. And so the successful man has to think a long . time ahead and patiently to follow out the plans he has made. He must have .continuity of purpose and to control impulse by reason. In the Old Testament we read that the shepherd Jacob outwitted the hunter Esau: The hunter and fisher am! shepherd and agriculturist all needed weapons and tools and so certain [ became craftsmen and the interj change of ideas and the fashioning of implements meant that the level of intelligence was raised. Thus we see the effects upon conduct in work as in arts and crafts. Belter tools and weapons, vessels and textiles and houses demanded a growing intelligence and the craftsman had to have the idea in his mind before he started his work. As he noted the opera-, tion of various laws, he reflected also upon his activities, and so his behaviour—morally—was -directed to a certain end he had in view. War, also contests and games, drew out certain characteristics, courage, efficiency, a sense of power, and the consciousness of achievement. All these might, be used—often they were —for immoral ends. Next we find co-operation adding its quota. Men and clans had to unite and fight or work together. Each then is interested in all the others. The sharing of common tasks an.d dangers strengthened the bonds between the various peoples concerned. In war and the blood revenge, ‘comrades in arms” unite together and are bound j together by a sympathy which makes them one. The second level—customary irtiOiral-

ity—was dealt with in a recent lecture. We now deal -with the third level—that of conscience. This is a step from the morality or conduct of the group to the conduct of the individual. Complete morality is reached only when the individual recognises trie right, or choses the good, devotes himself heartily, to its fulfilment and seeks a progressive social development in which every member of society shall share. One of the weaknesses of customary ’ conduct was that it tended to hinder progress. At this third level voluntary and personal interest is seen to take the place of mere instructive response ' to group pressure, and “individual” ‘development is encouraged with the insistent demand that; society \ as a whole must share. The cost of this higher level of conduct' must be paid. Every advance brings its collisions. Opposition comes out -into'the open as soon as a forward step is suggested. This proceeds from the clash between the authority and interests of the group and the independence and private interests of the individual. This may be expressed also as the clash between order and progress, and habit and reformation. Always there is storm and stress in the group just as there is in the child and the youth. Any advance is made, at the point of the bayonet* This individualism, far from being a bad feature, is, rightly directed, always the mark of a new higher level of conduct. No new birth takes place without travail. Drummond says in his “Ascent of Man,” that the supreme message of science to this age is that all nature is on the side of the man who tries to rise. It is a noteworthy fact that in times of crisis, the race seems almost glad to elevate some great personality to a single controlling position. This was instanced in the Great War. Along with these other factors. the religious factor holds place. A conception of God, or of a god, must carry with it some idea of what He or they like or dislike. All religious history teaches that contests between the devotees of various gods , has resulted in a development of the moral ideal and of conduct. Thiisly, behaviour becomes increasingly a matter for the individual and his development of character must keep pace with it.

At the close of the lecture animated discussion took place. There was a fair attendance and Mr C. Gayne presided.