CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81832, 27 August 1906, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

HELPING THE YOUNG AND IGNORANT. TO THE EDITOB. Sib,—Rev. Evans admitted on Friday evening that he had shrunk from the unpleasant duty of addressing men on matters of vital importance to them. The body should he administered to as well as the soul. I would like to see the clergymen and medical men of New Plymouth take it on themselves to have regular monthly talks, not lectures, but straight-out talks to youths and men, teaching them about themselves. Knowledge is the only weapon with nhi'h to successfully fight the direful effects of ignorance. More instruction on how to lead a clean, pure and manly life, even at the expense of tenets and dogmas, teaching of occult subjects, and stereotyped forms of religious cere-

mony, would have a much desired effect on the growing race. The eyils may be no worse now than formerly, but diey exist and teaching alone will remove them. lioy. S. H. Osborne congratulated Mr Bhgh on his " straight talk," which he admired. The reverend gentleman remarked that he had often got into hot water for speaking straight, but he was not going to be deterred. Here is the crux of the question. Many clergymen seem afraid to tackle social reform. They might hurt the feelings or shock the mock modesty of some regular worshipper who refuses to look the social evil square in the face. It has Veen suggested that prim and prude people might refuse to put their silver in the plate; hut I don't want to think I hat our religious teaching is affected by the though! of the collection plate. Two of our ministers have avowed their sympathy with the crusade, against impurity. The remaining clergy arc doubtless of the same mind. But will they tackle the question? Will they devote a litHe of their time to ameliorating the conditions everywhere around us? Will they step down frcin the pulpit and grasp the erring o:ie by die hand, helping him as brother helps brother, and as friend helps friend r Here is a work that cannot be done without soino straight talk, ami straight, sensible f silk alone will effect the cure. Unfortunately parents are too reticent en matters pertaining to the body and the reproduction of life. They should not be. Far better for a boy to learn from his father's lips than from the lips of the profligate ; better that the mother should tell her girl of herself, of the eyils that beset her, of the course to steer, than that she be left to her own devicos to '.earn by bitter experience, at the cost of honor, her all. Parents, brothers, sisters can all help ; ministers of tho Gospel can lead thought into the right channel; doctors can contribute their valuable quota by joining'hands with the reformers, and giving instruction on the physiological side. Thcie is the held ; have we the workers?—l am, etc., Enlightenment. UNWHOLESOME FOOD.

TO THE HDITOR. Sin, —I road a letter in your paper in which the writer- said he had bought pastry in this town which had been made with rancid butter. I did the same, haying bought ut a rather pretentious shop in the town some pastry where I thought 1 was sure to get the real tiling, but I was disappointed, as it was not eatable on account of tlio butter of which it was made being rancid, Why should any one be allowed to palm off. such wretched stuff on the public ? "Why is not his bake-house inspected the s une as dairies arc by some inspector under the Government ? lam intending that the powers that be shall know of this, and wo will see what they do in the matter. I would like to make the baker cut his own rubbish ; ho like lie " naughty boy," knows all about it. —I am, etc.,

AXOTOBI F.ITBtU'AMIMAS.