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The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review, June 1916

Free Discussion Club

page 59

Free Discussion Club.

It will be well within the memory of many students that for some years there existed in the College a Club, which was named the Heretics Club but which unfortunately met with an untimely death two years ago. This Club, formed for "open and free discussion on problems of religion, philosophy, and art," had so efficiently filled a corner of University life that its loss was keenly left by many and this year an attempt has been made to revive interest in such a Club, and once more provide opportunities for discussion on topics not usually admitted by the other Clubs and Societies of the College.

A preliminary meeting was held on the 7th April, and after an informal discussion it was decided to form a Club for the purpose of "free and full discussion of any subject that may interest members" such subjects being generally of a moral, social or religious nature. The Management of the Club was to be as free from hampering formalities as possible and at meeting the rules of debate are so far abandoned that the control is entrusted to the discretion of the Chairman and members themselves.

At its next meeting the Club was given the name which stands at the head of this report as an indication of the purpose for which it was founded and it may be so stated, as a Creed.

The first discussion on 28th April was one particularly appropriate to the nature of the Club and was opened by Professor Hunter. It had for subject "The Freedom of Thought" and among the points emphasized in the discussion were, the dependence of Progress on Freedom of Thought: that is where Thought is free, Progress is rapid and inevitable, and where it is not free it is slow or negative,. That where the churches and authority are strongest and consequently Liberty of Thought at it lowest, there is the greatest stagnation; and that with Freedom of Thought will always be found Honesty and Sincerity of Thought as well.

The second meeting was held on 12th May and the subject, Nietzsche's Views of Morality, Introduced by Messrs, P. B. Broad and A. J. George. The openers gave a brief account of the principles underlying Nitztsche's philosophy page 60 and the ensuing discussion was devoted to a criticism of these as compared with those of Christianity and their application to ordinary human affairs. The net result of the discussion, which was of great value in that it gave to many students who previously had known very little of Nietzsche a fair idea of his philosophy, was that it was a philosophy greatly misunderstood and must abused and the people commonly supposed to be its advocates were the people considered by its founder to be its worst enemies.

The third meeting was held on the 19th May and took the form of a review of the problems reaised and partly solved be H. G. Wells in his novel "Ann Veronica." The introductory paper was read by Mr. H. C. Jenkins who after briefly outlining Ann's story asked the following questions: was Ann's father justified in trying to protect her?; was Ann justified in leaving home?; and what was her relation to Copes?. From these question the discussion became general and hinged on the marriage and divorce laws, and particularly the status of women. With regard to this latter question, which occupied the greater part of the discussion, the meeting was fortunate in having present a speaker of competent and wide knowledge of the subject, viz., Miss England, and she was good enough to give the meeting the benefit of her views. Another feature of the discussion was the keen manner in which the women present, took part, and it has been suggested that the discussion was not full enough and should be taken up again at a later date. On account of the simplicity of a constitution this is easily possible and lies wholly in the hands of members themselves.

The further discussions that have been arranged are as follows:—

1st term, June 2nd, "Prayer," taken by Miss H. Ross.

June 16th, "Historicity of Jesus," by Mr. H. S. Tily.

2nd term, July 21st, "Genesis of Religious Ideas," by Miss Braddock.

It will be remembered that the old Heretics Club had a Library in which were to be found books giving the other page 61 side of question of which one side only is usually found; and so, as this Club is to a great extent carrying on the work of the Heretics club, and all such arranged with the executors of the Heretics Club that this Club take over that library and its adjuncts and use them, and this paragraph is now to be regarded by members of the Free Discussion Club as a notification that the Library is available for their use.

The use of the Library will be a privilege restricted to members only, but it is to be pointed out that the discussions have no such restrictions, and every student who feels interested in a subject that is going to be discussed is invited to come along and hear it and give his opinions on it.