THE WORLD'S NEED

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 4, 5 July 1922, Page 9

THE WORLD'S NEED

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

TRUE BASIS OF PEACE

A Mayoral reception was accorded: l'asfi night- to Mr. W. C. Pearce, M.A;,-as-sociate secretary of the World's Sunday;. School' Association, who is at present* visiting Wellington in the .course of ai V world-wide tour in the interests ;of .Sum- I day school work. The function Vtook; place at the Wesley Church, Taranaki— street. The. attendance^ was disappoint- f ingiy small—no indication, it. was ckih- ' ed, of the real interest taken in Sunday; '•■ school development in this ■'-,city.'.' Art 1 apology was received: for the ■ absence of- \ the Minister of Education, the H,on. C- I J.;Pan. . : ■■'■ ;' . ... .■■■■;■■■ 'I The Mayor". (Mr. E. A. Wright) said f it was a privilege and-a delight to wel- \ come to Wellington such a'distinguished!'J Sunday school. worker . as Mr.- • Pearce. i Mr. Pearce's work was a great one.:: He 4 was engaged, in assisting to. train ,tha j, teachers, whose worlr it was to train'th* young. He was in every way encourag-> ing those who were engaged at.the Sunw day schools. Mr. Pearce .was an. Asneri- :-< can, but he was none the worse for- that.;'[: Mr. Wright reminded Mr. Pearce and1: his audience that they were gathered oni4th July, : and he proceeded to outlins * Anglo-American history,, showing ■■■ th«. development of thr good feeling, between j the people of the British" Empire and ths» people of the United States;- The,ideals^ of the Americans were largely our'ideate,- /: and therefore the welcome they-accord-,' ed< to.'Mr. Pearcewag-cordial and real.-, He hoped that Mr. J?earce:, would., iaka •' away with him kind memories of jNevy..!' Zealand arid its'people. .'>■•-■.'■•■' -'.'" ■''■-■>: ' Mr. H.; D.. Grocottreferred ..toi'thdV recent movement which; nearly .resulted!,' in the formation of the Dominion -Association of Sunday School Unions, Intended!! to link up'the various Sunday'school interests. The idea did not develop quite satisfactorily, . but.. since ; his. arrival, im . New Zealand. Mr. Pearce had- fceeri-i very ■ iactive,-. and. ,in . -.Chnstchurch;!".':bii ; Tuesday a very representative; conference1; was heldj at whicli every denominational ; with the exception -of - the ■ -Anglicabt; Church-; and ' the Salvation ziATiny:, ■" was - represented. .■./■/.That; .-—confer--; enc/; . instituted _'a :■', New ZealwuiV Council of .Religious Education,aimove-1 ment which,, he,hoped, .vfould^be.finally,, consummated at another conference to be held in Wellington in September. * V By way of reply, Mr. .Pearce delivered an address on "Religious Education arid \ Civilisation." New .' Zealand,1"' he. 'said^ J had, put him under a ' great. obligation to it. Kindnesses and blessings .' had! - been showered, upon him by th< wonder- ; ful Sunday school workers,., and. many J other sections of the 'community ha 3'> evinced the greatest interest in.his work. ]' He had1, been trying to call attention to?) some.of the great facts which"civilisa-| tionwao facing to-day ; - They had builtji great schools,, and built up gneat ediuca- j tion*l institutions wihicli had to do with) \ the intelligencs of the race. "We are j becoming very intellectual, .indeed, '■' bml said, '^but the ,v6ry intelßgenco of .our ] demociiacy may become a menace, unless-} the spiritual side is attended ■ to—un-/ less the people are taught to measur* things in the spiritual sense, as againßb the material sense." It was ths work of the-Church to adequately teach, religion, so that righteousness could bo co-... extensive with. inteßig«ace. That was -. the task which was set the Ohurchi I tlux>ughout the world. : Th« whole worldl t to-day was co close together—economically, politically, in every ■way—that! [ there must come a day, if it liad, not al-.' ready arrived, when ttt* . whole -. worldl* must be either made, Cihristiaa op b»-" come pagan. The peace of the world! "> depended upon the teaching and extension of true. Christianity. It was. the-, duty of the Ohraroh, h« repeated, toiprovide the spiritual education for ihos« who were intellectually attended, to by the State.., The Sunday school was only], a unit in the system of religious ediuca--tion. One hour a week in Sunday school was not enough; Througliout Am«ricai : ; the religious ediucation of the yomig was; being extended. They, first.of all,',ne«a>-: ed a definita system of religious education/and tho success of airy system de-: pended upon leadership. The numbet" of paid supervisore of religious teachirigi in New Zealand could he counted upon' th« fingers of one hand.. The Ohurchi. should, not: be afraid to spend money;. upon religious education. Of course,, that meant that the Church would hav*\ to receive a greater measure of financial •' support. It was cheaper to give jnoneyi; to teach religion to the young than toW support institutions, which were establiehod for those whose morals were* broken '.because their religious training' had been neglected. The success ,of. thtf State schools depended upon publicsentiment. They wanted a public seati^ ment which said that spiritual illiteracy was as dishonorable as mental illiteracy. The nations needed spiritual teaching; religious, education was;the .true basis of the peace of the world.

Mr. Pearce was loudly applauded ati the conclusion of his address. He waa accorded; a. hearty vote of thanks. ■'•■■.-