DANGER OF PAGANISM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 326, 13 October 1908, Page 4

DANGER OF PAGANISM.

CANON MACMURRAY'S VIEWS. FIFTY THOUSAND WITHOUT INSTRUCTION. Olio-of tlio matters ivhieh was brought prominently forward by Canon MaeMurray in his charge to the Anglican Synod at Auckland on October !) was the religious instruction of the young in New Zealand. Of all subjects, he said, upon which they, as Christians and citizens, should take the very keenest interest, the moral and spiritual well-being of the children of the Dominion stood first. In the Dominion there were 159,251 European children attending public and private schools, exclusive of those 'receiving home teaching. There were 107,759 children attending Sunday-schools—probably at least 10 per cent, of these hadlelt week-day schools; that would leave 96,98-1 children attending Sunday-schools who were also attending day schools. But in most Sunday-schools there was a considerable percentage (probably 20 per cent.) of those on the rolls who were very irregular in their attendance, which reduced the effective attendance of day schools children who were attending Sundayschools to 77,588. This meant that 81,693 children were receiving secular instruction who were not getting effective religious instruction in the Sunday-schools. If they made an allowance of 30,000 for those of them who got definite religious teaching at their homes, thero remained 51,093 children for whom, so far as lie could see, there was no provision whatever for securing to them a knowledge of the most elementary facts of the. Christian religion and of Christian morality. Let them try and realise the possibilities for weal or woe in those 50,000 young New Zealanders, who had not tho privilege of Christian teaching and training. "In contemplating tho futuro of theso children,"' ho wont on, "wo may he so sensitive as to dislike tho use of the word Pagan in describing their condition; but we must bo amazingly optimistic indeed if wo expect them intuitively to acquire a knowledge of tho Christian faith, and instinctively to act in accordance with Christian morality. T'lio question is often asked, why should not the clergy of all denominations go to tho schools either before or after school hours, and teach' tho children? ily answer to that is, that for four' years in, Australia, in harmony with ministers of all denominations, and for three years in Parnell, in harmony with my Presbyterian friends, I havo tried it, and it was a complete failuro—tho children failed to attend; and, except under very peculiar circumstances, they will usually fail to attend. "There is n3 much Paganism _in England. as there is here, but that is the rosuit of tho bad social conditions under which a large percentage of tho population live, and from which wo aro at present fortunately free; but do not lct_ it bo forgotten that tho religious teaching which is given in tho public schools ill England is an important factor that makes for the moral health of the nation, and it is a factor which we in New Zealand do not possess. Wo must not mako tho mistake of supposing that religious instruction in schools is everything that is needed for tho moral health of the people—it is not by a very long way—but the lack of it too often means, tiie certain loss of a knowledge of tho oiementar.v facts, principles, and precepts of tho Christian religion, which constitute much of the raw material for tho building up of character. "Ton years ago we were apparently niuch nearer to the goal of supplying at least in some measure this urgent need. Our Ilible-in-Schools Association was a living organisation throughout New Zealand. Plebiscites taken in particular localities showed overwhelming.majorities in favour of Bible-teach-ing in our public schools. Why has tho association failed? I believe tlio chief reason to be that tho bittor denominational strifo in England over tho education question spread its baneful iiilluenco to New Zealand, and created distrust amongst tho Christian men and women who here were banded together . to sccuro Bible-teaching in public schools, V . '' ... "If it is the right of every-child in this Dominion to receivo physical and mental instruction, surely it ought to bo, not less certainly, his right to receivo. that moral and spiritual instruction which is the basis of all formation of character. Tho State will punish him if ho steals, or if ho commits murder, but if tho State which takes education into its own hands does not teach that child why he should not steal or commit murder, I fail to sec how tho Stato can justly punish him for'wrong-doing. "Tho Parliament of New Zealand, which passed the Education Act, did not desire to doprivo the children of religious instruction; indeed, it does not seem to havo realised that it was doing so. It is, perhaps, worth while to rcmomber that thero' wero only three unbelievers in the Parliament, which took tho Bible out of the public schools of this Domillion; but whilst the Christians'of'different denominations were so absorbed in jealously watching each other, if not quarrelling with' each other, tho three unbelievers stole tho Bible out of tho sohuols."