BIBLE READING IN SHCOOLS.

Evening Star, Issue 7339, 11 October 1887, Page 2

BIBLE READING IN SHCOOLS.

The first instalment of petitions, signed by nearly 9,000 people in favor of Bible. ! reading In the pub!to schools, was sent on to Wellington yesterday. The preamble is as . follows : Tq the Honorable the Speaker and Members of the ' House of Representatives of New Zealand in Yxrflameiit a'fumbled: The petition of the undersigned residents in tfje T ■ Colony cf New Zealand humbly sboweth—i :| ydur petitioners are'impresse!! with the OOUvlotio'n tjiat tjis safety ana welfare'of any dlvi'ised jjetipfe W deeply' imperilled toy tfie ediicatibn Of any ooniiderable r ertioff of Utfpopjilaplon in' j?n«rancß of their obligations to 6od and to their tellofrrti'f«nn. ' 2 That your petitioners believe thr.t the B'b'e is a Divine revelation, and that therein, t>i& thett In > nly, Is to be found a perfect standard of f«ith and inora's, a, perfect pattern of life and conduct 3. That your petitioners believe that the Bible tils') c>nt«ins other information and instruolion of deepest interest nnd importance and of the highest posflble educational vtlus. i That sonie ol your petitioners have used fair and effective means to a«'pejtiin (Jefjnitely tne wishes of laris numbers of the colonists of New Zealand, occuoyirig the responsjblfl pptltion of parent i of tjie children attending the public Eohoole, and that there parents, nnmbpun-? many thousands in ye rfous lawe districts of the Colony, have declared by writing under tfjelr own hand, and by the immense and overwhelming maiorlycf eight to one. that t.hey desire th« reading of a portion of Holy Scripture, » jthout comment, dally, to their children in school, with time-table and conscience olauio. 6 That the Legislature of New Zealand has, session after session, been approached respectfully by petition to grant this earnest desire of the great majority of Mifl people of New Zealand, but that It has hitherto tubed a de'afeaY.to tile pleading of the people of the C >lp'ny ori this subjecji. '•'»*./;; ij. f hat your pefatior.er3 cherish ardently the bone < that your uononiile ffoilge' jylll, at'yo|jr earliest convenience, give it that grave, consideration whioh its importance to the future well; being of the Colony seems, in the opinion of your ' petil loners, to sail for, and will devise such means as. in the opinion of your honorable House, are best , calculated wisely to give effect to the wishes of the parents of the Colony and of your petitioners by so ■' Amending the pduoation Act as to provide for the ] doily readjng <jf suitable portions of Scripture hi the . HuUto- foboajs 'of the''Colony, -with tiiiie-tablp and : §pnsolenpß plause. *.•.........