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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3229, 4 November 1881, Page 2

The Bible in Schools Association appears to be in active pursuit of its mischievous object. We had hoped that after the rebuff the movement, received last session it would have ceased to have aimed at political influence, and would haVe turned its whole attention towards affording Bible knowledge to the children attending the State schools. The Revd. De Berdt Hovell in this district has saved the Association from posing before the public as a hypocritical body* in going to the school committee" ahd obtaining the use of the school at certain times for the propagation of Christian knowledge. We dare say that there is not a school committee to be found in the whole of New Zealand who would refuse a similar request to that which was made by the Revd. Mr Hovell. And what more is wanted ? It is surely better that the Gospel should be taught' by clergymen and their assistants than that a chapter or so from the Bible should be made a reading lesson of the day to be gabbled over and forgotton. If there be any real sincerity at the bottom of the legitimate object of the Association it should be shown in the establishment of Bible classes in the laudable direction that has been taken by Mr Hovell. The Education Act does not require amendment in order to enable the truths of Christianity being taught to all willing to learn them. The duty of the churches in this matter is plain enough. For our part we have uttered no uncertain sound upon the subject of our colonial system of education. We have looked upon it as the very natural result of the hostility shown towards each other by religious denominations. When the churches could not agree as to the method of teaching the young, it was time that laymen took the matter in hand, and if in the system adopted religion has been ignored, whose is the fault and upon whom does the blame rest ? The only chance there is for an alteration of the present system lies in its extravagant expensiveness. We must patiently wait for it to break down of its own accord, and then, perhaps, the country Iwill be brought to see that a system supported by payments by results can be free; compulsory, and denominational: that is. to say, that it may be made to include all that is good in that which is now in force, while it would eliminate- all to which so much objection is now justly taken.