BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7817, 9 June 1909, Page 4

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

HOUSEHOLDERS' OPINIONS.

The Rev. J. Mackenzie, moderator of Presbytery, reporting on the committee set up m regard to Bible reading m schools, informed the Presbytery on Tuesday morning that with the heads of other denominations he had waited on the Education Board, and the matter was now under consideration by the Board, and its decision would be given within the next fortnight. A member of the Presbytery asked whether any interest was shown m tl^e matter. ' . „•,.■,.+ The Rev. C. Murray stated that at the meeting of householders m Sydenham ho had brought up the matter, and to his surprise everyone had. been m favour of Bible reading, there being no. dissentient voice, and "that is__a working man's district," added Mr Murray, "full of Socialists and that sort of thing." < , The Rev. R. J. Jackson said that_at a householders' meeting at Southbridge the electors had been unanimously, m favour of Bible reading m schools. The Rev. R. Francis, of Cust, stated that at Cust all the householders at the meeting had been unanimously m tavour of Bible teaching m schools. Mr J. Lane said that m the Ashburton district the Rev. E. Whitehouse, the Anglican minister, conducted Bible teaching m the Hampstead school, where there was a good attendance. The ministrations had been going on for years, the reading taking place first "thing m the morning., Mr Lane added that he thought a good many persons committed a technical blunder m going to the Education Board at all. Any body that was unanimously m favour of Bible teaching, and found that-the whole five hours of the school day were not filled up,; had power to obtain the introduction of Bible readThe Rev. C. Murray and the moderator replied that the Board had the power to prescribe the lessons. The moderator asked if anybody had heard of a householders' meeting that decided against Bible reading m schools. , To this there was no reply, but the Rev. P. C. Durward remarked that at Doyieston the meeting had carried a resolution m favour of Bible reading outside school hours, while Leeston and Brookside had supported the proposal to have Bible reading m school hours. It was resolved not to disband the committee on the subject.