THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Evening Star, Issue 11890, 19 May 1903, Page 2

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

At last night’s quarterly meeting of the Council of Churches, The Rev. Dr Gibb reported on the recent Bible-in-Schoolsr Conference in Wellington. The Victorian scheme, he explained, whs taken as a basis by the Conference. This scheme had been agreed to by the Legislative Assembly in Victoria, and rejected in the Legislative Council by a small majority. The scheme was a verijr valuable one, and after a discussion the Conference derided to adopt it as a basis for a scheme of lessons suitable for the schools of this colony. -After this point was reached the Conference resolved themselves into three committees, each of which was entrusted with examining a portion of the scheme—senior, intermediate, and junior. The committees recommended dropping out some of the lessons on various grounds as unsuitable. In some esses cert aim additions were recommended. He thought the scheme, having passed through their hands, had been distinctly improved, and the recommendations of the committees were accepted almost in their entirety. With regard to the deputation to Mr Seddon, the Conference submitted to him the scheme of lessons, and certain recommendations which the committees had unanimously agreed upon. One of these was on the form in which the question should be submitted to the people of the colony when it was sent down to them for their decision. They suggested that the question should read: ‘‘Are you in favor of Bible lessons in State schools?” and “(I) I vote for Bible lessons, and (2) I vote against Bible lessons.” Another point on which they made a recommendation was this: That the time to be devoted to this work should be the first half-hour of the day. The Conference further defined the conscience clause, and finally mode a recommendation with regard to the part the teachers were to play in connection with this matter of Bible lessons in schools. The speaker then quoted the following letter from the Rev. W. Saunders to the president:—‘T am greatly disappointed that I cannot be present tonight at the meeting of the Church Council. As you know, I intended to move an amendment when the report of Dr Gibb re Bible in schools was submitted, ir( the direction of affirming the old platform of the Council on this thorny question. I fed that a mistake is being made in asking for ‘ethical teaching with a religious sanction.’ As this is my conviction, I hope you will hold me excused if, after this, I am in active opposition.” Proceeding, Dr Gibb said he did not know if anyone would move in the direction suggested by Mr Saunders, and would reserve any remarks be might have to sxy on this question till such time as it came up. Undoubtedly there was an advance on the plebiscite platform previously adopted by the Council of Churches, and the Conference in Wellington had practically made an addition to the scheme which had hitherto met with favor in this region. On the whole, he personally preferred the platform of the Council.—(Hear, bear.) He would have liked better that the Conference should not have adopted this resolution, and when it was before the Conference he expresssed the sentiment which he believed was very generally cherished in this part of the colony, and pointed out that the adoption of a resolution of this kind might create antagonism in the South. The Council, he thought, would do wisely in falling in with the Conference. Mr Seddon received the deputation with extreme courtesy, and, while he refrained from definitely committing himself, was evidently impressed by what had been taking place on this subject. They need not be deterred by a handful of secularists or faddists, and if they only displayed earnestness such as the temperance leaders displayed in the Prohibition movement, then the blot on the Education Act in New Zealand would be wiped out and secularism would cease and terminate.— (Applause.) Mr H. H. Driver moved—"That this Council record their pleasure that the representatives of the various denominations who formed the Bible-in-Schools Conference recently held in Wellington were so unanimous in their decisions, and were able to bring the movement a further stage forward. They express the hope that the Premier will fulfil his promise to introduce a Referendum Bill during the forthcoming session of Parliament, and also the hope that when the question is submitted to the people it will be earned by an overwhelming majority, and result in the early reinstatement of the Bible in our national schools.”

The Rev. P. W. Fairclongh seconded the motion, which was also supported bv Mr M. W. Green.

The Rev, J. T. Hinton moved as an amendment—“ That this Council cannot agree to the proposal of the Wellington Conference as to the permission of ‘ ethical ’ teaching by the teachers without any help or supervision, on the ground that it is so vague ns to be dangerous and mischievous.”

The Rev. A. V. Chandler seconded the amendment.

A spirited debate ensued, and was closed by a vigorous reply by Dr Gibb. On being put to the vote the amendment was rejected by _2B votes to 4, and the motion carried, with Mr Hinton dissenting.