THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Evening Star, Issue 11889, 18 May 1903, Page 1

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Speaking to a ‘New Zealand Times’ reporter on Saturday, afternoon, Bishop' Nelisan made a few remarks on the question of Bible-reading in schools. He sand that ih England the Bible was taught even in Board schools, and it was only in the minority that it was not. The religious difficulty in England existed only on political platforms. He would like to tell the people of New Zealand that the leading opponent of the present Education Act—not the City of London Education ' Bill—was Dr John Clifford, who was a Baptist. He was a parishioner of Dr Neligan in London, and was a great friend of his. At one time, when Ansilican schools in the parish were being rebuilt, Dr Clifford of fered to accommodate some of the depanments in premises of his own. Wlieruvf r any difficulty existed regarding religions education in England it was through wah! of religion on the one side or the other. They had a conscience clause, as there always should be, and the conscience clause was very faithfully observed. Out of 900 children in his own national schools he had never_ known an aggrieved parent. During a period of nine years he had never heard one complaint of proselytising in the North or East of England, or in London. He had come to New Zealand with an absolutely open mind as to local conditions, methods, or needs, but there was one thing upon which his mind was definitely made up, and '♦hat was that it was now as true as the day it was written that righteousness alone exalteth a nation. Any Imperialism that was not built upon righteousne* not only must come to an end, but deserved to come to an end. He was very glad to hear that members of the Church of Rome felt so strongly as they did, and acted on their convictions upon the subject of elementary education. He respected any man who believed sufficiently in his religion to pay for it, and to run risks for the sake of it Asked if he had anything to say to his people, Dr Nebgan said his only word now was the iam» as it was when he accepted the bishopric ir November—“l hope the people will praj that I may be a faithful bishop.”