JOINING FORCES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1029, 19 January 1911, Page 9

JOINING FORCES.

ARCHDEACON AND METHODISTS. ON BIBLE TEACHING.: Smacking soinewliat of an entente.cordiale of a pleasing nature-was-the pre'sence of Arclideacon Harper (Vicar of' St.. Peter's, Anglican) at the Primitivo Methodist conference yesterday. Arcli(feacon Harper was present by invitation, and addressed the conference on the question of religions teaching in schools.

Archdeacon Harper's Address. ' In opening, tho Archdeacon explained that' Dr. Gibb Mas .president of the committee which in Wellington represented, those who had done something to forward tho cause of religious instruction in schools. He (the speaker) was also a member of that committee, and, in the. absence of Dr. Gibb, had undertaken to approach this powerful; religious organisation on the subject. _In addition, he could claim, in the absence of tho Bishop, to'represent,: on this.'question, the Anglican Church in' this diocese. It was unnece>"sary, he assumed, to insist upon the necessity for religious instruction.- "What we want you to do," he continued, "if I may say so, is this: Wo want you, as the representatives • of this .influential, and enthusiastic body, of Christian : workers to make a definite.pronouncement. We must, work together or.:we shall do.' no fgood." They were sorry that their brethren of the 'Presbyterian Assembly had not. made so definite an announcement as they might, and the same nppljcd lo the announcement of Wcsleyan Conference.

A System that Worked Well.' Their opponents rejoiced in the alleged fact that the churches could not unite on this question. The speaker did not "belicvo anything of'the kind. They had to-day a most wonderful- example of what could bo done in this country; In talk with Archdeacon Garland, of Brisbane', he had gleaned some very" interesting particulars as-to the working of what was' known as the New South Wales system. ' This system included general religious - instruction given to every child in the schools of the State for certain periods on certain days of tho week. The instruction was given front a text-book in which no question of doctrino was touched nor any question of explanation. Simply certain facts of Bible history were gathered together and taught. j\'o' teacher was at liberty to refuse to lake these lessons. He had to deal with them just as'with history. Objectors asserted that teachers did not like this; that it might cause friction or trouble; and it had also been stated that some teachers were not to be trusted with the delicate task of imparting religious instruction to tho young. All that he could say as to that was that, in his own experience, he had found that teachers were an honourable .class of people. Tho New touts Wales system had been inaugurated ill that State in 1566, and had since extended to others. From a paper which ho had obtained from Archdeacon Garland (and which contained the signed opinions of many teachers, educationists, and others) he gathered that the system had'nowhere given rise to any sectarian strife. The party in Queensland which, championed the cause of religious instruciion had challenged its opponents to' bring out one definite signed .statement showing that friction -had occurred in. tho State schools" over the working of tho system. Not one such statement had appeared, however, although any number qf anonymous'statements were forthcoming. .'ln New Soutlf Wales the number of peoplo wlio.'objected. to their. children , receiving religious instruction was'so small, that if : did not need. to. ho. mentioned for statistical purposes. This was:all tho more remarkable in -.view of the fact that thoro were.,'ll-,ooo.children of .Roman.. I Catholic parents in New South Wales. ;■ • . Their Desire Summed Up. Apart from undenominational teaching provision was made under tho system tor denominational teaching by the representatives of accredited religious, bodies.' It was something of this kind that they desired to obtain here. It had been objected that this might represent tho thin end of a wedge of which tho thick end would to ' denominational teaching. The Bishop of Wellington (Anglican) had said that unless he conld get some means by- which children could Ea given undenominational teaching he would try to get denominational teaching. The speaker did not want to sav any.less than his Bishop. He believed, however, that .ninety-nine 'hundredths of . their, people' would prefer "to do* some : thing to secure a training for children that would obviate" tho' 'necessity for separate schools. The Church had no concern.with..general education, but if itfailed. to get .that which it,...sought ..it must get something.

Tho facilities now afforded for religious instruction in Now Zealand schools, Archdeacon Harper condemned as utterly inadequate, and in some aspects even harmful..

: On the motion of the Rev. G. XnowlesSmith, tho Rev. J. Cocker seconding, the conference unanimously passed the following resolution;—" That ip express our very cordial appreciation'ot tho presence and address of our friend tho Archdeacon, and assure him" that the matter will receive due. consideration during tho conference sessions."

Archdeacon Harper withdrew, after thanking tho 'president and delegates for tho courtesy with which ho had been, received. •;