BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2018, 27 March 1914, Page 8

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Sir,—-t have no desifts'to quarrel witli you over tlwi editorial tag iittiidted te my letter of .protest. At tho sainq time I wish to sta'tp Hiat 1 'have always defended, and sl.ial'l always continue tq defend, tljo free.) seetiiarj and eonfpiilsory State system; in otihej worthy, liavo -ail' ways 'o:{rposcd, ,'aftd sfea/U coii'tinnp always to oppos'fe., iiialdftg roi'igioiis ihstruotjou part «f tiro State' cttmtjituw' I ■ have nover 'px> my knowledge) either 'sppken w written a aihglo word rtgnhut a putely voluntary 'sy'stoitt siippfoinehtary to tho S'teto system : (shcl). as' I taito ih'o "accredited" Nelson syetei.n to ho). 1 lmyo ueVe-r entertained soi'mus, jf aijy, ■abjeßtiQii to such, a simplonmiitsrys system, provided cvtiry religjaiis dciioininatjon wero eJiti'tled to equal pj-iv'jieges

■. r- '■;■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■ ■'■ ■ ■'■ ■' \ ;'; Slid facilities : ix the matter. Like- $Is. ■Prime Jl'inistci:,. jl iii'ti opposed to anything that is (so far as tiio State is Cbucorned) '"inconsistent \viHt a-'free, secular, and compulsory .national .s-vstfiin." I nave again .and again, pttbii'cly, lii speech and writing, affirmed _ that. At tho sanio time 1 liavo again and again .eWp'liaticaily affirmed that I kis no obSftettiffji whatever to ...Biblsi lessons ■»r religious instruction \n. onr .sc'iid.ol's so long as m "State, oificial" was under ssinpuision to take- part in the teaching, Bad. no. pupil iuider compulsion to. '.at* tend.

tt is surely unfair, then,, to represent 'no as against Bible, in peliook, If- you Sail suggest aujr ydWtary suppfcmoutary system of 're.ligio.us .instrjietion in our Stato schools tiwt nvi'll bo fair to alt rohgtoU's denominations, 1 shall. accord it niy heartiest .support. That, too, has been ,my attitude 'a.U along. As for the., accredited "■national", system, "l, \m that distinguished leader or ikifcisii ■I'resby.tepanisin gnd Nonsonformity, Sir WUhnift Eo.bertsgji Nicoll, strtnd for'fflvo secular Solution. "Tho- whole drift of : Liberal opinion," .said. Sir William,, "seeiws etoa;d% Settling in this, direction [that of sceiilar education:). \% is the fine solution of flip problem. '•■Ail ■tho rest are \Ye arc qnfto willing to accept the penultimate solution, of the proulenj if it can be arrived .at. JNq ■ddubt m.aiiy earnest 2s\>neon- . fornjists «ro sMU very itUrch'.opposed; to tho abandonment of Stato ieUgibii§ i.n- ---: stxtoction, and they are, in aft probahji, • %, strong 'sno.ugli to •enforce, a temporary, and hot n, fasting settlement)." lj.o it s.djbnt tfilp temporary 'settlement -will not givo 'satfefactjo.iiii and. 4ihcio 'wilt bo ■il.nrest till tltc in.ovifeb'je .goal "(a secular Mfltionai system) is ■fitta-fikajU'' As a matter of fa'et, our jfew .Zealand. j Xoiioonformjsts identified' witi.i thb-Gafe I'land ijfo : . trying to ■iii.trgd.ueo into this 'Hb'iniui.otv a" morfe liitbl'efanti and intolerable system than w& from ■iylircji Sir- Wijliam IJalj-crtsdft Kicoll .ti.iid ' Bligß'sil .Jvoiiconfot'M'ity are fcd very ■fiagbj' and snxions to escajio. ]S r o.w, sir, kindly allow me space to ask -such' msmbfeTs of tiro .Bible-jfeS'chOQ'ls party, as it may qfliieern t\vo.o.«e.stip.ivs'i 1. Aro Bishop 'Spj''gtt, J3r.. Sibb, and 'Canon 'Garland pKpar.ed to' meet .by and ■• by Jfi\ A. .11,'.. .ASkln.so!ij %lv. Joliii Oaug-hley, and the I)efchco laeague's i>U ganjscr (to* ho ■■ appointed two-weeks' ueiicq) 011 publ'fc .plifttqi'itis ill Auckland. AVclljng.tp'ii, @hfistfliurcli,. and I>iiiiG.diiij to'discuss .all pliaSel of iltp- iss : u'e't«'ni i ' pftEatdy Aftd r'evtr.eii'tly f , " 2., Aid they {©.6 menib'er.s- :df. tlio-. : aw'are "that .clergy in the D'aminioii ar&,being'aßkcd'.: (lijy cir(3ula.r) to u.rgp uicinbers of ■tliei'r CqiiV grcga'tisiis not '.to atten'iditode.tiiigs. ,a'dIressctl. by : meiiibefs of --.our pefehco iiqaglie? ' '.. Apologising for occupying tiino to 'tihro ,so touch of was valuable : s'paec. --1 am, etc.. " IiSGH 3S'IA(3EENZIE..