A MORAL FORCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 8 October 1936, Page 5

A MORAL FORCE.

BIBLE IN THE SCHOOLS,

AUTHORITATIVE STANDARDS.

The opinion that the majority of parents neither knew enough nor cared enough to undertake the religious education of their children was expressed by Miss E. R. Edwards, principal of tile Diocesan High School, in an address to women yesterday afternoon in the Lewis Eadv Hall. Miss Ellen Melville, president of the women's committee of the Auckland Bible in Schools League, presided. Miss Edwards said that the medium for teaching in respect of all education, including religion, was the school. Parents distrusted their own powers, in many eases quite wrongly, and the tendency was to leave all the training to the school. Religious teaching was the responsibility of all Christians. The present Government, unfortunately, had apparently tied its hands in the matter, and the delay in introducing Bible instruction in the schools would mean a permanent loss to many little children, who, like their pr.rents, would grow up almost' completely ignorant of Christian teaching and Bible literature. Boys from primary schools admitted to Wiitaki ind Whangarei High Schools were now attending school prayers and there had been no word of protest. If this coulibe done in the secondary schools, there I was no reason wliv it could not be done in the primary schools. Primary school children, were at an age to appreciate the Bible, which was even more than a basis of moral teaching. The Rev. J. A. Thomson, of St. Lukes Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. E. O. Blamires, also addressed the gatherin". Mr. Thomson said that the Bible was a moral force, giving authoritative standards, and moulded the characters of men and women, and was a power capable of bringing people into fellowship with God.