MR. JOSEPH M'CABE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 859, 4 July 1910, Page 2

MR. JOSEPH M'CABE.

OPENING LECTURE,

SPEECH BY SIR. ROBERT STOUT.

The first of Ht. Joseph M'Cabo's rationa list lectures m WeUington was delivered to a tairly largo audience in tho Towa iiall on hatuiday night. Sir .Robert Stout (Chief JusHcc) who presided, said that if there was one place iu Australasia that should support education it was Wellington, because Wellington had (he honour of passin- the first secular education law in the British 7mpire. That Act was passed in 1855 through .the efforts of three of our greatest pioneers, tho three F's-Dr. Feathersfoil, Pox, and Pitzherbert. Tho main' clause of the Act directed that no religious instruction, should be given iu any ol the schools maintained wholly or partly under its provisions, and that no minister ol religion should teach iu or interfere with the teaching or managemeat ol any school under tho Act unless elected as a member of a school commit**. Jt was a radical secular education system. It had been said that if we did not have religious education we might expect a criminal population, but what did statistics show. In 1577, after ten years of secular education, out of every 10,00(1 New Zealand-born citizens' over 20 years of age, 69.24 were in prison, but in 1907, after III) years of secular?nr'n? t10 "-, '!'? P ro Portion was 37.39 in HI.DUu and Uus notwithstanding tho faot that legislation had increased tiio number ol crimes for which men could be- impriswied. Ho appealed to the young peopto, upon whom the maintenance of secular education must depend, vet who did not know from experience the danger of a Mace chuxch-whother a smjlo church or a conglomeration of churches—to read history If they did so, they would be found to be supporters of the secular system despite it« ,manv enemies. •Jir. iu'Cabc, who was received with' much applause, said that much greater efficiency was needed in the education system of England, and the great difficulty of those who were struggling to achieve this lay in religious differences, and this had become so obvious that such a religious statesman as Mr. Birrell had said that secular education was the oiiTv solution of the problem. Precisely the thing tnat every European nation was trying to weed out some people wished to establish in this country, to wliich, with Australia, many in other imrt* of the world were looking as to heights that caught the sunlight before it touched the rest of the world. The lecturer quoted statistics to show that under secular education in Prance there had been a marked diminution in crime, notwithstanding au increase in population, and that this could not bo said of any country that had a. system of religious education. Statistics in Victoria and Queensland (under secular education) and New South AValea (religious instruction) were quoted as telling the same tale. If they were lo have religious lessons in the schools of New Zealand, what sy.-lem would they have?. There was the London system, framed by the wisest heads, though under political prswuin. It hielnded stories from Genesis. To include such lessons was contrary to the principles of pedagogy, inasmuch' as it was cc-utrovevsial matter. ' Dven clergymen believed that there never "was a Deluge as described in Genesis. '.Rationalists" did not need to criticise the Bible. The clergy of all the churches wero attending to that. (Applause.) Were they to base the moral education of children, on stories which they must reject When they grew older? The Bible contained passages excelling . anything in modern literature, and it comprised moral teaching which was superior to .that found in any other ancient literature. The "Encyclopaedia Biblica," written by theologians, showed on every page the falsity of the lessons given in every school system of religious education. He urged New Zeala.nders not to interfere with their education system, which in 20 years' time would also be the education system of England. (Applause.)

The lecturer was accorded a'vote 01 tli-iriks, and at the clest of the meeting steps were raken to form n society in defence of secular education.

CHRISTIANITY AND SOCIAL PKOGKESS. At His Majesty's Theatre last evening, Mr. M'Cabe delivered a lecture to a crowded audience on "Christianity and Social Progress." The chairman, Mr. J. Gammell, briefly introduced the lecturer as an able and fearless exponent o£ Kationalist principles. At the outset the lecturer dealt at some length with what ho described as the decay of church-going. This lie attributed not to any spirit of iiuliifovoiica threatening the social' progress of tlio world, but to a developing accession of light and reason. There had never been a greater desire than in the present age lo elevate civilisation into something worthy of its name. The opponents of this great movemnet had raised a claim that the social progress of Europe was due to religion, and to the authority of the Churches. The claim was false. The facts were that the spirit of progress had come in like a flood, only a little over a hundred years ago. Although invested with despotic power, the Churches in their progress through ihe centuries .had not sought to redress (he wrongs of humanity. Social and economic causes led to the termination of slavery in Europe. Then, there came another struggle, having for. its object the education of the worker. After bitter strife the worker had come to a measure of enlightenment, and political power. The workers of the world owed nothing to the-clergy for their, advancement. Another evil of barbarism, another sin that had been redeemed by reformers, was the subjection of women. It was not until the struggle became respectable that the clergy intervened. To-day the Churches were helping social progress, and their help was welcome. Had the Churches of centuries ago_usod s their power-in assisting to promote social progress, it would be a very different world to-day. The belief in a future life did not, said tho lecturer, strengthen the spirit of social reform. One could not have the belief in immortality and human progress as well. True reform would come only when the energies ami desires of men -were absorbed and governed by the one great ideal of redeeming this Ti'orld from its blemishes,, from its heavy burden of iniustico aurt Buffering. Efforts are heing made to obtain tha Town Hall instead of the Concert Chamber for ilr._ Jos"d!i M'Cabe'k lecture tonight, on "The Evolution of Man."