BIBLE=N=SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 185, 30 April 1908, Page 4

BIBLE=N=SCHOOLS

VIEWS OF THE REV. \7. BEATTY. ECCLESIASTICAL DISCUSSION, (nr TEi.EGiuru.—srrxur, cocrespondknt.) Auckland, April 28. Tho "Herald" publishes tho following interesting letter from t-hb l?ev. W. Bcatty, on the "paganism" controversy:— "May Ibo permitted-.to sot forth as briefly as possible a few of the numerous fapts 011 ■which my conclusions regarding tho question of Scriptural teaching in schools were based t During tlio 22 years of my residence in Auckland, this question has boon under discussion 111 ecclesiastical assemblies . and at public meetings. Ido not see that any real advanco has been, made, that wo arc nearer to asolution of tho difficulty. During tho sanjo period tho ' prohibition "movement has made great strides; and serious changes _ havo been brought about in tlio laws affecting land and labour, and this in-tho face jot •••vigorous opposition bv t.li<pso whoso interests \roro ,a,t stake. In iuaiiy constituencies the. views ofa candidate', for Parliament V>n any- or all of tIiCGO last questions would seriously affect his prospccts of success.- Is there any constituency .in Nev/ Zculand in. -which candidate's views 011'xBiblo-in-Sohools' would.further or hinder his election?. Is there any delinito ''proposal- 'for tho 'alteration •of the Education Act; Which commands the.'iaitlm-. si&stic support of- a substantial majority-.of 'Christian ministersP>•: If there /is, lam .not ' acquainted, with it. A good many.'Anglican bishops • and clergy want 'Church? teaching, not' Bible' teaching. A good many . Nonconformists desire that 'religious/ teaching .and .'secular' teaching should be rigidly separated. Seeing that during so many years nothing practical Has-been achieved, and 110 workable, proposal evolved,-I think there was ground; for tlio assertion that the said agitation, was largely insincere and artificial. Lot.me now, mention a fow facts which, will .enable your readers' to ostimato ,the zeal ,of Anglican bishops and clergy for. religious education, andithoir fitness, forcarryiilg it out successfully and consistently...Last..-year-Bishop', Neligan informed an audience of Auckland citizons that the history, of St., John's Col--1 lego for thirty years had been a melancholy • record of strife, vacillation, failure. ~Tho responsibility for 'this sad state of ■ things cannot surely bo laid-at the door of the Parliament or .the public.A Church,'of England, grammar school wa-s founded, and, to some extent, endowed by Bishop Selwyn.. _ Thirty years ago it was a flourishing institution, for tho past fifteen years.it has been closed as a school, and yetduring the .samo period privato secondary schools have been .carried on l'n tho neighbourhood of Auckland, in spite, of tho fact that we liavo an excellent public.Grammar School in our midst. Omo of Bishop Ne-ligan's first, enterprises - was ,to start a Di-oocsan High . School, for girls. Ono , distinguishing mark of .-this school was ..to -bo tho importance attached to religious teaching, as tho normal and, accessary basis of truo education. Yet,; in the constitution pf v this church school, 'a conscienco clauso' Was .inserted enabling parents to dispense with that, normal and necossary element .in oducation, which the school was : specially intended-to provide, and .this, emasculated constitution was adopted by a Synod, . which . has repeatedly passed resolutions in favour of religious teaohing in State 1 schools. At' tlio la3t meeting of Synod, • a discussion - took place, on a-Bill of the Hon. G. Fowlds, dealing with tho To Auto and Wanganui schools.. Eadli, of theeo schools had in..former .tiniesjrecciyed from tho Government an.endowment in land. I 1 1: consideration fact, tho Minister for-Education- proposed -that.'the Goyeminent should bo represented -in each caso on tho Board of .Management, and also that a 'conscience clause' should, hp inserted. . .Tlio, Auckland Diocesan Synod, following tho'kad of tho General Synod, protested against ■this : proposal as destroying tho'religious character;, of tlio sohopls. At tho last speech day of tlio Diocesan High School] for ; Girls, tbo -person chosen to distribute the prizes. was,Sir. Bob-; orfci : Stout,, Chancellor of tlio-.'Secular', University of New-Zealand,-and art uncompromis-. ing .advocate ,of 'secular? education. . To',his; credit bb' it spokwii ho.'remained'iinaffectecji.'

by his.eccksiasticaj environment', arid frankly, advocated his 'water-tight compartment' theory, by which religious' and general,- education arei completely divorced. Bishop Neligan organised a Biblc-in-Schools League, which was to work wonders. Several headmasters of public schools in and near Auckland went 011 the, committoo.-. Numbers of Biblcjs were purchased,"and sent to'the North for '-tho 'llso of -schoolmasteraj who -had pro-, raised the Bishop to give Scriptural .teaching to ' their- • scholars;- and, expressed dovout thankfulness for -tlio. opportunity. That League is dead,, and- tie headmasters know' why it died. It is very much easier to' use rhctoric about paganism than, to gain heartily in.united Christian, work..' Tho.Bov'i \Y. Gray Dixon and Bishop Neligan'agree in lamenting tlio religious igrioranco of the ' country .settlers, -and in criticising tho Education Act. They were not so cordially united in tlio, matter of ministering to the. sailors in. our ports, or of giving Christian burial-to'-the dead in Purewa Cemetery.- Tho facts to which I havo referred; and other like facts, are noted-by k many. persons, who draw their ■ own, ccnclusjons:; fromthem.,;; VThcso oonolu'.sions.''aro_:oft'ori;;ve"ry;unfavo'urablo to us, who iirO rpligio'us.; teachers- arid, "guides. Somo of your" : "corMp'6iiicrents havo;';twi'tted me with being;' singnlftf.U If I am '-'singular, it is not in-my views,; but; in tho cspreasion of them. Many arid !: various, persons aro, saying privately l -X ha.vo'i thought',it to say 'tiublicly. ;Tho : task''has nStObieen altogether pleasant. It certainly, has not "been profitable. _ If I have 'played to the gallei-y,' m.v histrionic attempts have brought me much hissing and .little, applause."

. EH AIR BEAN'S WO^K. (BY TELEGIIArit.- J -SriiCIAI, CORRHSrONDENT.) Ciirlstcliurch, April 2S. Acknowledging a vote of thanks accorded him; by the meeting of Addington householders last night for the work done by him in connection with religious instruction, the Rev. \Y. S. Bean- said he believed that lip had had a similar resolution forwarded to him annually since 1895, tho first Bible class in connection with the school having been commenced in -January of that year. He found that not only boys and-girls of his own congregation but boys and girls belonging to pretty.;well every -denomination attended. .There were about 130 on the roll, and an average--attendance of; between- 70 and 80. Ho was not satisfied with this, and considered that in a school of 500 to 600 there ought to be 200 to 250 present at the Bible class. ITe would welcome the entrance of any. clorgyman from any denomination to assist in removing tho prevailing ignorance on Bible subjects:.. •