BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Evening Star, Issue 15538, 7 July 1914, Page 2

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

A PROFESSOR'S OPINION. Whom Our Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, July 6. Professor T. A. Hunter, of Victoria College, with, characteristic Hunterian keenness, writes to the ‘ Post ’ ns follows :

“ The Religious Instruction Referendum Bill contains so many evil features that it would be unreasonable to expect all of them to be noted in tho short interval since its birth. It docs seem remarkable, however, that, as far as I can discover, no one has pointed out the enormity of giving the clergy, not only the right of entry, but also the_ right to appoint a substitute with the right of entry. The position of a head master of a school would be difficult enough, but when ho must admit into his school any 1 emergency ’ that the overworked or lazy cleric nominates, we have reached the reductio ad absurdura of the whole business. Consider for a moment the care taken of the appointment of a teacher. He must be trained ; he must be of good character; he is reported on by his inspectors ; his claims are weighed against those of others, first- by the board and then by tho local committee. But for this all-important subject, ‘the faith of our fathers.’ any emergency man picked up at the eleventh hour, perchance, will do! Any nation that is so casual in the appointment of teachers of its children is preparing a scourge for its own hack.

THE WAR OF THE SCHOOLS. The ‘ Post ’ continues to castigate Carton Garland for what it calls his “ sinister hints of Divine displeasure for pople who vote- for a maintenance of the present national system of education. ’ The Canon preached a sermon at St._ Paul’s ProCathedral on Sunday, and is blamed by the ‘Post’ for having “aggravated” the offences for which he has been taken to task by the ‘Post,’ Tire editorial contains this paragraph: —“Deductions from yesterday's sermon are that the Bible and Clergy in State Schools League’s opponents comprise pagans, "atheists. Rationalists, and Roman Catholics. Of course, the Red Federals were dragged in by the ears the other day (not by the Canon). The Canon also again conveyed the innuendo that his opponents are ‘ unchristian, antiBritish, and anti-national.’ Throughout the sermon there is an attempt to convince Christians that the war of the schools is one between Christianity and an unholy alliance of pagans, atheists, and Roman Catholics. The absurdity of these alienations is self-evident. Churchgoers are told one day that eternal misery may be their fat© if they don t support the Bible League, and on another day they hear an insinuation that Christianity is imperilled by pagans. This is the peace which the enemies of the State system of secular education is bringing to the community. It is tho most unpleasant incitement of sectarian passion that this country has witnessed for long years.”

The following resolution was passed at a meeting of the Dunedin Cathedral Parish Committee of the New Zealand Catholic Federation on Sunday : —“ That we strongly protest, against the proposal to take a" plebiscite of the people on the Bibie-in-schools question, because of tho injustice'it would inflict upon the Catholic body, and urge all members of Parliament to oppose same.” It was decided to telegraph the resolution to the Prime Minister and the M.P.s for the four Dunedin City seats.