Monthly Record March, 1939
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SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON, W.C.I. THE MONTHLY RECORD MARCH, 1939 SUNDAY MORNINGS AT ELEVEN February 26.—J. McCABE—The Subtle Tyranny of the Press. Pianoforte Solo: Rondo in C, Op. 51, No. 1 Beethoven MR. WILLIAM Buscu Hymns: Nos. 41 and 68 March 5. W. B. CURRY, M.A., B.Sc.—If War Comes. Soprano Solo: On Mighty Pens .. .. Haydn MISS HEBE SIMPSON Bass Solo: When the King went forth to war Koeneman MR. G. C. DOWMAN Hymns: Nos. 141 and 12. March 12. Professor T. H. PEAR, M.A., B.Sc.—The Social Psychology of Everyday Life Pianoforte Solo: Impromptu in B flat, Op. 142, Theme and Variations .. Schubert MR. WILLIAM BUSCH Hymns: Nos. 45 and 64 March 19. Dr. C. E. M. JOAD, M.A.—The Twilight of the Gods. Bass Solo: Myself when young .. Liza Lehmann MR. G. C. DOWMAN Soprano Solo: Faith in Spring .. Schubert , MISS HEBE SIMPSON Hymns: Nos. 115 and 63. March 26. Professor SUSAN STEBB1NG, M.A., D.Litt.—Science and "Hidden Reality." First two movements of Sonata in A, Op. 100, for Violin an . d Bra hms Pianoforte 1. Allegro Amabile. it. Andante tranquillo—vivace MISS BEKFRIX MARR AND MR. WILLIAM BUSCH Hymns : Nos. 94 and 76. Society's Pianist: MR. WILLIAM BUSCH VISITORS WELCOME A Collection is made at each Meeting to enable those present to contribute to the Society's expenses. OFFICIAL CAR PARK—Opposite Main Entrance. SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY, CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON, W.C. I . Chancery 8032 "THE OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY arc the study and dissemination of ethical principles and the cultivation of a rational religious sentiment." MEMBERSHIP Any person in sympathy with the Objects of thc Society is cordially invited to become a MEMBER. The minimum annual subscription is 10s., but it is hoped that Members will subscribe as generously as possible and so assist the Society to meet its heavy annual expenditure. Any person may join as an Associate, hut will not be eligible to vote or hold office. Further particulars may be obtained before and after the meetings, Or on applica- tion to the Hon. Registrar, to whom all subscriptions should be paid. GENERAL COMMITTEE C. E. BARRALET. G. HUH:HINSON F. WASHBROOK. E. J. FAIRHALL. MES. JAMES. C. .1, POLLARD. M rs. WATSON. W. FISH. ff. LIDSTONE. J. RONEY. Miss F. WILKINS. Mrs. GAMBLE. Mrs. LINDSAY. Miss I. THOMPSON Miss D. WINTER. Miss R. HALLS. MTS. LISTER. Miss D. WALTERS. Mrs. Wool). OFFICERS lion. Registrar: MTS. E. WASHBROOK I Hon. Treasurer: C. E. LISIBR I Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, W C Secretary: S. G. GREEN THE " MONTHLY RECORD " is sent to all Members and Associates each month. Non-Members may receive it by post on payment of 2/6 per annum. Matter for publication should be sent to the Editor : Mr. F. G. GOULD, 45 Trapps Hill, Loughton, Essex. MARRIAGES. Conway Hall is registered for marriages. FUNERAL SERVICES can be arranged by the Society. Applications should be addressed to the Secretary. The Society does not hold itself responsible for views expressed or reported in the " RECORD " DIARY FOR MARCH 1 General Committee 6.30 p.m. 16 PoetryCircle.. 7.30 p.m. 2 Literary Circle.. 7.15 p.m. 17 Orchestra.. 7 p.m. 3 Orchestra 7 p.m. 19 Sunday Meeting 11 a.m. 4 Dance.. 7.30 p.m. 19 Ramblers' Ann. Mtg. 3.15 p.m. 5 Sunday Meeting 11 am. 19 At Home 5 Concert.. 6.30 p.m. 19 Concert.... 6.30 p.m. 6 Country Dances 7 p.m. 20 Country Dances 7 p.m. 7 Discussion 7 p.m. 21Discussion 7 p.m. 8 Scientific Study Circle7 p.m. 22 Whist Drive 7 p.m. 8 Country Dance Party 7.30 p.m. 23 Play Reading 7 p.m. 9 Play Reading7 p.m. 24 Orchestra.. 7 p.m. 10 Orchestra • • 7 p.m. 26 Sunday Meeting 11 a.m. 12 Sunday Meeting 11 a.m. 26 Ramble (see page 19) 12 Ramble (see page 19) 26 Concert.... 6.30 p.m. 12 Concert.. 6.30 p.m. 27 Country Dances 7 p.m. 13 Country Dances 7 p.m. 28 Scientific Study Circle 7.15 p.m. 15 Literary Circle.. 7.15 p.m. 31 Orchestra..7 p.m. RATIONALISM AND ETHICS SPECIAL ARTICLE BY C. DELISLE BURNS, M.A., D.Litt. The members of a Society which aims at promoting a rational religious sentiment must be, in some sense of the word, rationalists. That is to say, they must base their beliefs about the nature of man and the world upon reasoning; and this reasoning must be applied to " values," such as goodness and beauty, and not only to facts. Some misunderstanding, however, may arise because of the limits of our present knowledge. It has been the custom since the early days of Christianity to suppose 'that religion depends upon what lies beyond the horizon of human experience; and by an accident of history, because the early Fathers knew nothing about the sources from which the Bible documents were derived, it was believed that the statements con- tained in them were different in kind from other statements, in being " revealed." Revelation was the name given to a collection of beliefs of which the origin was not then known. Also, thinkers, both Christian and non-Christian, in those days, knew nothing of bacteria as the cause of disease, or of changes of atmospheric pressure as the cause of rain; and for all these events of whose actual causes they were ignorant, they sought an explanation in Fate or the Will of God. Their knowledge of facts and values was limited; and so is ours. But they made the mistake of imagining that beyond the limits of their knowledge were causes or forces, called " supernatural," which were essentially different in character from the forces which they could observe by their own senses, and explain by reasoning. We do not now suppose that there is any necessary limit to the power of reasoning. What we do not know to-day may be known to-morrow. And it is the same with that larger world reached by our feelings, which is included in an experience wider than knowledge. The experience of any age is limited, but the next age always passes beyond those limits; and the causes or forces still un- discovered cannot be assumed to be different in character from those we have already experienced. To say that anything is unknowable is to imply that we know far too much about it. The existence, therefore, of what is now unknown is a proof, not of the weakness of reasoning, but of its strength. The work which has brought us from the simpler beliefs of early times to our present knowledge of science and history must be continued, and that work is the basis of whatever reverence or feeling for the sublime may be called " religion " in the modern mind. Some of us, therefore, are impatient at discussions of the evidence for the existence of heaven and hell, of the Trinity, or of the Virgin Birth. We have no desire to discuss whether bread can turn into what is not bread by the use of a form of words. Nor do we trouble to argue against the idea of " soul " which lives inside a body and floats out at death. It is more interesting to trace the origin and development of all these quaint beliefs. It is certainly waste of time to try to give them new meanings in order to fit them in with what is now known. Most of them are the results of the creative imagination working upon the outcome of fear or unskilled observation. But religion is no more concerned with them than it is concerned with the amorous adventures of Jupiter. In our own day, if we may still use the old, and very ambiguous, word " religion," the attitude and beliefs with which it is connected refer chiefly to moral issues, that is to say, to the distinction between good and evil, between right and wrong action. The study of good and evil, right and wrong, is called " Ethics "; but in America, and perhaps elsewhere, the word " ethical " is used to refer to what in the older English tradition would be called " moral." Thus we hear of " ethical acts," or " ethical beliefs,- mean- ing " moral acts " and " beliefs about morality." Christianity began with an attempt to express vividly the importance of the distinction between right and wrong; and the imagination which led to a belief in heaven and hell and a Last Judgment was based upon the correct belief that the difference between a good man and a bad is more important than any distinction of race or class or wealth. This estimate of " values " is still valid. But it needs expression in new forms. The Ethical Societies exist for the discussion and discovery of such new forms; and the most practical method is the free statement of different applications of contemporary moral standards to the actual problems of government, trade, industry, education and the relation between the sexes. Many societies exist for advocating reform in one or other of these matters. And those who are interested in the problems of government—for example, peace or the organisation of transport—will naturally join one kind of society; and those who are chiefly interested in the relation between the sexes will join another. It is impossible for any person to know enough about the details of all the practical problems which confront us to form an opinion of any value on most of them.