THE BISHOP OF MELBOURNE.

Evening Star, Issue 12395, 7 January 1905, Page 7

THE BISHOP OF MELBOURNE.

DR LOWTHER-CLARKE STATES HIS VIEWS ON EDUCATION.

THE PEOPLE WANT THE BIBLE

The Bishop of Melbourne made no fuss nor pretence of objection to an interview when one of our reporters called to see him at the Prim&tete residence yesterday. Big men seldom do give way to any such nonsense. And Dr LowtW-Clarke is a *.-ig man in the fullest sense of the term. Physically, he dwarfs our own by no means diminutive bishop, being broad as well as tall. His office, also, is of isolated authority, for he is the only Bishop of Melbourne, and though this is explained by the fact that the head of the Catholic Church in Melbourne ia an archbishop, the distinction suffices. Then, again, my lord of Melbourne is a distinguished person in his profession, amiable in manner, and of simple speech, but clearly a scholar and a worker, and specially fitted to lead thinking persons. Such, at any rate, is the impression he made upon our representative during the interview. As to his age, Dr Lowther-Clarke acknowledges that he has seen fifty-four summers, and concerning lus face it hi singularly like the late Mr Rolleston's. • Haying thus supplied answers to such questions as may be reasonably asked concerning tho bishop himself, we proceed to give his views on the questions submitted.

Being invited, in the first place, to state tho present position of the Bible lessons question in Victoria, His Lordship said: "Like all my predecessors in the bishopric of Melbourne, I am dissatisfied with the State system of primary education hi Victoria, which is free, compulsory, and secular. I have no objection to the education bsing both free and compulsory; but I have had abundant opportunities of judging as to the evil effects produced upon-the minds of children, and finally upon the whole State, by a system of education which omits to use the sanctions and teachings of religion. Last year a serious attempt was made to introduce Bible teaching into the State schools as part of the school curriculum, and the Government undertook to refer the whole question to the electors of the State in the form of a referendum. The greatest difficulty was found in agreeing upon the questions to be so submitted, and they were finally adopted in this form: First, 'Are you content that the system of education bhould remain secular as at present?' And secondly, ' Are you in favor of Bible lessons being given by the teachers in school hours, and hymns and prayers used?' The result of this referendum was self-contradictory. Nearly 150,000 electors voted, and a majority of more than 20,000 declared in favor of education remaining secular, whilst a majority of between 8,000 and 9,000 voted for the introduction of Bible lessons. It is clear from this that the electors did net under stand the full force of the first question. Tho Government of Victoria have granted an analysis of all the voting, and when this is complete we shall be able to see how far tho electors misunderstood the questions and gave contradictory answers. Any man who said either b Yes' or ' No' to both questions of course stultified himself in his answer. No analysis, however, can alter the plain fact that a majority of 8,030 or 9,000 of the electors of Victoria have said in answer to the simple question 'Do vou want Bible teaching in the State schools:?' ' Yes, we do,' and this will be the basis of our further work in the whole matter."

'"Were you well backed up by. other leaders of public opinion at the time the vote was taken? " asked the reporter, and the bishop replied: "Thank you for the reminder. You may add this, that in estimating the value of these figures as a test of public opinion it has to be borne in mind that the Press of Victoria, with vory few exceptions, was wholly opposed to the introduction of Bibleteaching into the schools. The matter will not be allowed to remain as it is. Already in every bye-election 'the question tas been brought before candidates as a test, and it will continue to be so used."

To the question "What do you mean by Bible teaching?" the bishop replied: "I recognise that with the existing differences in Christian teaching none of us has a right to argue that > our own religious views should be taught in the name of the State. But, quite apart from all such special matr ters, there are great truths upon which all Christians aro agreed. The London School Board, followed by many other important school boards in England, have for all practical purposes settled the question by drawing up a syllabus of religious teaching which embraces things that are common to all Christian people and leaves out those upon which tho Christian bodies differ. I mean that it is possible to teach, in the name, of God and in the namo of Christ, tho great truths of Christianity, without asking 'Are you Church of England?'.or 'Are you Presbyterian?'" "Has there been no measurable result at all as the outcome of the referendum? " was the next question, and His Lordship answered: "I am glad to say there are such results. One is that the Government have given additional facilities for tho visits cf the clergy and others to give voluntary religious instruction in tie schools. This is, however, still short of what is the custom in New South Wales, where voluntary, religious instruction is given by arrangement not only before and after but during school hours. For instance, the head-teacher arranges for a certain hour to be sot apart at some time during the week, and the children are at that time handed over to the clergyman who attend to give religious instruction. Let me tell you this also: A serious charge lay at the door of the school authorities of Victoria in the past, in that they omitted the references to Our _ Saviour in poems and passages quoted in the school books, as, for example, "The Wreck of the Hesperus' and ' Tho Cottar's Saturday Night.' I am <dad to say that this illustration of Secularismrun mad is a thing of the post. Never again, I hope, will it be possible to charge the Government of Victoria with such acts as these."

1 ' I have never seen a buah fire," said the bishop, in answer to another query, "but i J arm not surprised that they arise, nor do I seo how it is possible to prevent them because in the summeT months in the intense heat the leaves and branches'of trees become so dry and heated that even friction will ignite them. It is very sod to learn of deserving and hard-workim? settlers having their fortunes undone at a stroke, and I am sure we must all feel that the sufferers deserve our sympathy and assistance."

In regard to the condition and the prospects- of the Church of England in Victoria, the doctor is very hopeful. The bishopric of Melbourne was originally coterminous with "Victoria. Instead of one diocese, there are now five, three having been founded lately. A proposal is now before *he Church to constitute an ecclesiastical province, or federation of dioceses, the object being to enable the Church to speak with one voice and to act in unison in all matters affecting her own affairs. This progressive scheme, indicating vitality, will be cniTied iut during the present year. In regard to membership, also, the position is encouraging. Tha'latest official returns aro of the 1901 census, wheh showed .that out of a population of about 1,200,000 in Victoria some 430.000 rezisteral ihjemselvefl

a» members of the Church of England;- Tt f W to be'noted to this connection, continued His Lordship, tha.t in Victoria there is no unspecified residue to increase our figures. People are not put down as members'of the Church of England simply because they are not members of any other church. The residue in Victoria is composed of persons who ore self described as of no relig.on. In his further remarks the bishop said tkatwhdst tho*people of Melbourne were no more free fiom the vice and fradties of human nature inhabitants of other Meat cities, he did rejoice in the belief that, speaking generally, drunkenness was not a.prominent vice. He thought that Melbourne was more sober than ejtber Glasgow or Liverpool, and, having arrived from Home only two years ago, he was in a ; position to make comparisons. i Being a stronger to New Zealand,' ail' that he could say about the colony was that it was a pleasure for his eyes to rest upon green grass, and well-clothed trees, which reminded him of parts' of the North of England and Scotland. The country round about Dunedin was very refreshing to" one who for nearly two years had been looking upon the parched land of Victoria