THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3082, 13 May 1881, Page 4

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

(BY TjELEGRAPH.') -Auckland, May 13. A public meeting convened by the Bible in School Association was held last evening in the Young .'fen's Christian Association's rooms, the object beinp to procure an amendment of the Education Act next session so as to admit the Bible being read in the State schools without note or comment. Amongst the clergymen present were the Revs. Tebbs, Hazeldean, Bates, Purchas, and A. W. Webb. There were also eighteen laymen and six ladies. Mr F. l>. Larkins presided. The chairman said that Mr Justice Gillies, when speaking at the Shakespearian Club entertainment, was reported to have spoken approvingly of making Shakespeare a text work in the pviblic schools. It was it happy thought, and if Auckland would hear Shakespeare on the Bible she would dread the popular indifference to Scriptural education. The Rev. A. W. Webb said he favored the New South Wales system, or as an alternative the Irish national school system. Ho urged that an arrangement should be come to if possible with the Boman Catholics as to the lessona in schools, similar to those drawn up by the late Archbishop Whately and the Roman Catholic Archbishop Murray. The Rev. Mr Tebbs endorsed Mr Webb's views. The Chairman said that when he ■was in Wellington two months since he met a Jewish merchant who told him that the Wellington Jews were greatly displeased with the present system, which compelled them to pay taxes to support schools where the existence of God was forbidden to be taught. He (the Chairman) counselled the meeting to work with their brethren in Otago and Hawke's Bay, and never to relax their efforts until the Bible echoed within the walls of the State schools. Mr Hemus was of opinion that a regular public meeting ought to be called to discuss the question. The Chairman said it would probably be done.