'BLASRHEMOUS HYMNS'

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 53, 31 August 1925, Page 6

'BLASRHEMOUS HYMNS'

SOCIALIST SUNDAY. SCHOOLS

TO Till EDITOR, Sir, —The attacks made upon thY Reform Party in the House of Representatives for its alleged action in causing "blasphemous hymns" to "be thrown over the backyard feuqes in Auckland for the deliberate purpose of misrepresenting certain institutions in New Zealand," as recorded in Friday's "Evening Post," and Mr. Lee's allegation that "leaflets containing blasphemous parodies on hymns were issued by the Eeform Party, which declared it stood for the welfare of tho children," are so directly contrary to fact that I am impelled, Sir, to ask your permission \o set forth the actual facts so far as the Eeform Party, of whose organisation I am the general secretary, is concerned. Lei me say: (1) That no leaflets containing such parodies have been issued by the Eeform Party; (2) that if Mr. Lee's allegation refers to the pamphlet, "Warring Against Christianity: . Tho Menace of the Socialist Sunday Schools," such pamphlets have not been broad casted in the way ho states; and (3) hteir publication is abundantly justified by the subversive movements which arc being carried on in all parts of the British Empire to-day for the overthrow of the existing social order, which Mr. Leo and his friends describe as "Capitalism," the success "of which would not merely spell disintegration of the Empire itself, but would be tho forerunner of the atheistic control which ia the predominating feature 1 of Eussian life under the Soviet Government of to-day.

tlie charges against the Reform Party, I am forwarding you a copy of the pamphlet which Mr. Leo and other. members of the Labour Party practically ask that the Gov-, eminent should suppress or withdraw from circulation. It deals with. the so-called "Sunday schools" which have been established by Socialistic parties both in this country and the Motherland, and are also in existence in Australia and elsewhere in the British Empire. These schools are definitely non-Christian, in character. They exclude all Bible teaching, and, as in the case of the Christchurch Socialistip Sunday School, do not even permit the name of the Bible to be mentioned, except in connection with. "the Bible of the Moslem world,.the Sacred Books of Buddhists and Confucius,' etc." The Ohristchurch school publishes ' a little quarterly called "The International Sunbeam," and its editors are so careful not to mention- the Bible that, in their socalled "Golden Sayings," wiieu they occasionally quote a verse of Scripture, they acknowledge it either as a "Jewish writing" or an "Early ..Christian .writing/, One of the editors of the little journal is an avowed Communist, who quotes with approval from the text-book entitled '' Communism and Christianism," the author of which is a renegade American bishop,' one William Montgomery Brown, who takes as the motto for bis book the words "Banish Gods from Skies and Capitalists from Earth." It can hardly be denied, with truth, that Labour members have taken an interest in and shown their 1 sympathy with the Christchurch Socialist Sunday School, and with the Falmerston North school while it was in existence, as also the Auckland school, for the columns of the "Worker " have spoken of "visits paid by, M.P.'s" to and of sympathetic addresses delivered by them in such schools.

The Socialist Sunday schools are graded. In Great Britain they aro known as Socialist Sunday school,?, Proletarian schools, Communist schools, and Young Marxian schools, the three latter being developments of the former. From what may be lermed "pink" teaching in the former, they become Bedder and Bedder in character with each successive development. The founder of the Socialist Sunday schools is one "Tom Anderson," of Glasgow, a confirmed Atheist, who, on the authority of the British Empire Union, is described as "the progenitor of all these subversive movements," and who is also a recognised member of the Independent Labour ■ Party, and who uses the rooms of that party in Melville street, Glasgow, for propaganda purposes. In the British Empire Union publication, "Danger Ahead," its editor, Mr. Wilson, says: "The Socialist Sunday schools are tho most dangerous 'Of tho four classes, because they are working in a more subtle <and insidious manner. . .

In the Communist children's sections and the Proletarian schools we do l<uow (says "Danger Ahead") that we are confronted with definite, subversive', atheistic; a.nd revolutionary organisations. In the Socialistic Sunday schools wo have a movement which, under an apparently attractive appearance is hiding the evil of its soul; a movement in which some of the. teachers arc unwittingly inculcating doctrines with which they do not agree, which will ruin the minds and characters of their pupils. In most cases, however, the teachers are deliberately perverting the minds, of the children." . Quite apart from any political uiovment in this country, I, Sir, for one, feel that it is vory necessary the public should be made aware of the dangerous character of these Socialistic Sunday schools for which our Labour M.P.'s aro such ready apologists. I can understand thciv objection to any publication which states the facts, for the truth is all too deadly tor them. No attempt has been, successfully made to combat the truth of any of the statements contained in the "Warring Against Christianity" pamphlet, with the single exception of the statement made 1 by Mr. 11. K. Holland, Leader nf.tlio Parliamentary Labour Party, who stated in tlif .House of llopve-senin-tivos on fitli October, "J023, that. Mr. l.nnitiK'll's shitt'iui'iil quoted by "Tlit' -Newsletter" on 27th August. 01! that -year, from the "Australian National Eeview," "that in Sydney there were Socialist Sunday schools in which ideas of the most bloody revolution were instilled into the minds 01 little children," v.ns absolutely t'u'.so. Mr. Uixon, Hieu member for i'iitea, bad quoted the statement in (lie House, together with the biasi I'Jjewuue KWOO£ ' 04 ."a Bed flag

song," which Mr. Bmntosll had definitely stated was "sung by little Australians." Mr. Holland sidostepped the business by stating that 'there is only one Socialist Sunday, school in Melbourne; I know the people who conduct it, and they teach' nothing of the sort quoted by the member for Patea." Mr, Bruntnell's statement referred to Sydney, bo that the disclaimer was altogether beside the point at issue. I must apologise for trespassing at such length on your time and space, but trust that in view of the importance of the subject dealt with I may be excused.—l am, etc., . ' EENEST A. JAMES, General Secretary, N.Z. Political Eeform League. 29th August. "' '