BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1913, Page 9

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

ADDRESS BY* CANON GARLAND. (by rEtEGKA^H'-paßss association.) CHRISTCHURCH, 25th Feb. A vety large gathering of Ihe supporters of the Bible-in-schooU movement was held in the King's Theatre to-night to hear addresses by prominent advocates of the cause. The Mayor,' who presided, said the present position of the country was not Satisfactory. The number of inmates of various institutions was attributable to lack of Biblical knowledge. Cdrtou Garland (organising secretary of the Bible-in-State-Schook League) said the aim that night was to give utterance to the conviction that the religious teach' ing of the children of New Zealand was more important than any other subject. In every institution the Christian faith found it* fight cukl propel- place except hi tho State Schools. That anomaly must j give way. The children must receive' the same treatment as that given them if they unfortunately found their way ihto gaol. In only two other parts of the British Empire was there no provision made for giving Bible instruction to the children of the schools. Every man was entitled to his opinion, but unfair statements must be combated. Bishop Cleary had attributed to him the statement that he had boasted that some 32,000 Rwnan Catholic children wei'e being proselytised in New South Wales He had .never said that because he did not bolieVe in proselytiem, and the system left no room lor that. The facts were that these j children read their lessons of their own freo will and with their patents' consent. Their conscience could not bp violated. Cardinal Mofiin. who had been even more bitter against the movement than Bishop Cleary, had said that the Scripture lessons being read were but garbled extracts not Worthy of Australia, but he would suggest that here should be substituted for them tho four Compels. If that was all the difficulty of Bishop Cleary. he (the speaker) would be willing to meet liim more than half way. The foregoing proved that Cardinal Moran saw no difficulty in Scripture lessons for Roman Catholic children in the State schools. The movement did Hot aim at destroying the national character of the educational system. They desired that religious instruction ehoiild merely vocetve the recognition and facilities offered in other institution, 1 ?. Tlmy stood to lhe£e three principles : Liberty, national gchooß and the right »f 'parents to pay what their children should be | taught in the people's schools.

• Tho Lawyer: "Arc you miuaintcd with any of tho men on tht> jury?" Tho Witness: "\'cs, sir; more than half of (hem " Tho Lawyer: "Arc you nsllitig to swear th.it. you know hito tijaii half of (horn?"' Tho Witness: "rtav, .it ii t'Otiu"i.to that, T'm willing to swo.ir Gut 1 1-nu\\ more than all of them put tpg^thar.'t ~ " ,