Changes

"Wowser" was a negative term for Christian moralists, especially activists in temperance groups such as the the [[Woman's Christian Temperance Union]]. Historian Stuart Macintyre argues, "the achievements of the wowsers were impressive." They passed laws that restricted obscenity and juvenile smoking, raised the age of consent, limited gambling, closed down many pubs, and in 1915-16 established a 6pm closing hour for pubs, which lasted for decades.<ref> Stuart Macintyre, ''The Oxford History of Australia: vol 4: 1901-42'' (2002) p . 112-3</ref>

"Wowser" was a negative term for Christian moralists, especially activists in temperance groups such as the the [[Woman's Christian Temperance Union]]. Historian Stuart Macintyre argues, "the achievements of the wowsers were impressive." They passed laws that restricted obscenity and juvenile smoking, raised the age of consent, limited gambling, closed down many pubs, and in 1915-16 established a 6pm closing hour for pubs, which lasted for decades.<ref> Stuart Macintyre, ''The Oxford History of Australia: vol 4: 1901-42'' (2002) p . 112-3</ref>

Even though church attendance remained low in post-World War II Australia, the majority of non-churchgoers nevertheless identified with a particular denomination and strongly supported Christianity as a bulwark of public morality. Adelaide--like other AAustralian cities in the 1950s--witnessed intensive, largely successful campaigns by the Catholic and various Protestant churches. The campaigns, culminating with that of the American evangelist [[Billy Graham]] in 1959, served to bolster religious observance and also to emphasize the role of Christianity as a moral force and the basis of a secure social order. As a result, church attendance and other indices of formal religious practice were on the increase by the later 1950s.<ref> David Hilliard, "Popular Religion in Australia in the 1950s: A Study of Adelaide and Brisbane." ''Journal of Religious History'' [Australia] 1988 15 (2): 219-235. </ref>

Even though church attendance remained low in post-World War II Australia, the majority of non-churchgoers nevertheless identified with a particular denomination and strongly supported Christianity as a bulwark of public morality. In the 1950s Adelaide, Brisbane and other major cities witnessed intensive, largely successful campaigns by the Catholic and various Protestant churches. The campaigns, culminating with that of the American evangelist [[Billy Graham]] in 1959, served to bolster religious observance and also to emphasize the role of Christianity as a moral force and the basis of a secure social order. As a result, church attendance and other indices of formal religious practice were on the increase by the later 1950s.<ref> David Hilliard, "Popular Religion in Australia in the 1950s: A Study of Adelaide and Brisbane." ''Journal of Religious History'' [Australia] 1988 15 (2): 219-235. </ref>

===World War II===

===World War II===