BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 106, 7 May 1928, Page 10

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

, COMBINED MOVEMENT SPECIAL SERVICES' The Bible in Schools League arranged for a scries of sermons and addresses to bo delivered throughout ihe Dominion in favour of the object of the organisation. Special sermons were preached in a number of city ami suburban sluirclics yesterday. In flic course of his sermon on Sunday • veiling at Tho Terrace Congregational Church, tho Rev. Kmest R. Weeks, referring fo the Bible in schools, remarked: "What a beautiful thing it will be when we restore to our primary schools this sacred book. The fascinating stories of adventure and achievement, Ihe superb poems of 'the sweel singer of Israel,' and the unmatched story of God's love revealed in .Jesus Chust our Lord. No piece of literature reaches such sublime heights or delves «o deeply into the human heart, or so adequately satisfies human need. Which of us who"had the privilege in childhood of imbibing these sacred stories but knows that life is sweeter, richer, and fuller to-day because of the influence which came through Ihe simple daily reading of Holy Scripture in 'our primary school. -Shall wo deny the little folk of our day that which we now know was of such supreme value to ourselves 3" Tho Rev. E. O. Blamircs, Dominion secretary of the league, preaching at tho Methodist Church, Lower Hutt, (said that good character with control over tho innate life-force, and ideals that were both ;i and a motivepower, were the chief requirements of education, and it was hero Unit Uic <domaiu of religion was entered. "No education," ho said, "could be complete, or anything more than pseudoeducation, that treated religion as nonexistent. The primary schools in New Zealand, to all effects, were run with the idea that when a boy went to school ho left the religious part.of his nature behind at home or in church. God, Christ, the Bible, and till they represented were given no place, and it ■was quite possible for a child fo pass all primary school requirements and yet bo educationally lopsided in having no knowledge of God, of religion, or of the Bible. The Book that was recognised as the text-book of the national faith of New Zealand and the chief classic of the English tongue, was un-3-uiown by thousands of young New ZcuLinders. This represented a great problem in New Zealand life, to be approached in all charity, and with ability to see the difficulties in the way of solution, but also with the cool determination of conviction that knew for one thing that present conditions must bo ended and the Bible restored to its rightful place in the schools. It was •wanted there, because the most important aim of the school -was the development of character. Honesty was"' of more account than geography, and industry of greater value than parsing, while the most important task of a school was to develop ideals." DEMAND FOR A REFERENDUM. Referring to tho Bible in schools question at the Molesworth Street Methodist Church on Sunday evening, the Rev. I'l.'D. Patchett said that by bringing pressure to bear upon Parliament during tho approaching pre-election session there, was good ground for hoping that this thorny subject would be lifted out of the political arena, by submitting it to a referendum vote of the people. "We believe," said the speaker, "that 5f Parliament cannot see its way to pass the Bible in Schools Bill into law without knowing more definitely the mind of the electorate, that tho least they can do is to take means to discover that mind. For too long this important issue has been battered about by parliamentarians and partisans of various shades of opinion. What we now" need is the verdict of tho people. AVhy should wo in this age submit to be bound by tho dead hand of the past"? AVhy hold in undue reverence flic outworn shibboleth of a secular system of education*' The Act that made our primary schools entirely secular was passed nearly fifty years ago. The ■ Protestant churches were then largely divided and the Roman Catholic Church had few schools of its own. To-day tho opposite is the case. Yet we permit a law that was designed to meet tho sectarian misunderstandings and difficulties of that iigo to continue to the detriment of our, children to-day! Surely it is a confession of tho bankruptcy of statesmanship if, wheu nearly all the churches :md quite a majority of politicians agree that some foTm of religious education is necessary for the wholesome moral 1 raining of the children, no scheme can be devised to bring this about. Wo believe that a reasonable compromise between tho advocates of tho Nelson system and tho Biblo in Schools League, whereby the former may be retained ivhero desired or alternately the Bible in schools system come into force, is the best solution of the problem. The big thing upon which we havo a right to insist is that tho children of this land shall not be allowed to grow up without some knowledge of the Word of God." Commissioner Hay, leader of tho Salvation Army in the Dominion, preaching at tho Army Hall, Island Bay, said that no other force or development can bo substituted for the word of God as provided in tho Holy Scriptures. Deny that to tho child in its early school days and the denial would bear lifelong fruits "A citizenship grown and produced minus tho light and conscience stimulant and ennobling personality drawn and proclaimed in God's Word, must," he said, "ultimately manifest the loss of everything we need most. Civilisation cannot bo saved —not even in 'God's Own Country'—if it build on. a less foundation than, spiritual obligation and Christian character. .If tho Biblo is spreading in nearly 900 tongues all over the earth, •what avails that to us if tho Biblo is Jiopt from our children's lives? We ;want it here —right here!" | INFLUENCE OF THE BIBLE." ■ "Tho Biblo in Slate Schools" formed the subject of both the; morning and 'evening sermons in SI. James's Church, Lower Hutt. Speaking at tho evening service, Archdeacon Hanscll said: "Wo have been patient all too long. If it be true that SO per cent, of fhc parenls in New Zealand desire this, how in the name of British justice can this request still be denied? The rights of the minority aro safeguarded by tho conscience clause. Magistrates and business men have been warning us for years that morality is on the down grade. What is needed, surely, is more knowledge of God, the supreme law giver. Tho teachers in New Zealand are quite splendid. They are out to build character, and it is not fair to them to tako away this background of religion, without which character cSnnot bo stable. Th& British character has owed more than words can say to the influence of the Bible. We earnestly desire tlutt Nov/ Zealandcrs shall not bo deprived of that restraining influence which comes from tho knowledge of thoso thing's which the Biblo teaches." The Rev. J.. M'Ca-w, Presbyterian Church, Lower Hutt, said that a plebiscite recently taken of the parents in one district in New Zealand revealed that 24,478 families voted for Biblo reading in schools and only 5.1P5 voted •against. "Our legislators must not

rcsi&t such a demand, and thwart the will of the people clearly expressed," added the preacher. The children must no longer live in. such a Bible-less atmosphere, that they grow up suspecting the Bible to be" obsolete. "The Director of .Education was among those who believed a great wrong was being inflicted on the children of New Zealand. The Bible must be represented to be.a standard book on morals, and the book that makes wise unto salvation. The preacher exhorted his hcytrcrs to exert themselves, to trust their leaders in this big effort, and to follow in all lawful endeavour to have the Bible rcifitrodueed to our schools. "All ■we ask is v portion of selected Scripture rend, a hymn sung, ami the Lord's I'rayer offered. A conscience clause for both parents and teachers. Surely there ;s nothing sectarian in such a lesson."