The Bible in Schools.

Evening Star, Issue 17824, 22 November 1921, Page 4

The Bible in Schools.

There was an echo of “old, unhappy, far-off tilings and battles long ago ’’ in the discussions on the Bible in schools question which took place in the Presbyterian General Assembly at the end of last week, the recommendations of a committee which were adopted with only three dissentients had two objects —the declaration of a nowcampaign, and tho dissolution, of an alliance. The second object" might not seem to be very well suited to helping tho first, but it cannot bo thought strange if the campaign which was waged by joint forces of tho Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, and other churches seven years ago for the deseculariaatiou of the State system of education makes a bad memory now for the majority of those who took part in it. It was very much of an opportunist alliance, if it could not he called an unholy one, whose attack on the schools was ■' made under Canon Garland’s leadership.

Anglicans, or a. large proportion of that communion, wank’d the “right of entry” for all ministers, to give denominational instruction each to members of his own flock, separating tho sheep from the goats on half a dozen different systems, to be accorded, and did not pretend to care • much for anything else. Presbyterians and | others had no desire to see their particular “ isms ” invade the schools. Still lees was it part of their aspirations to see them made forcing beds lor the propagation of Anglicanism. All that they desired was that the teacher should to allowed to give undenominational Scripture teaching, ao that the Bible, m a source of morality, ns well as of literary treasures, should not to separated from the schools. The two objectives were combined in the programme of the Bible in Schools League, each party supporting largelv what it did not want for the sake of tho advantage of massed forces. The methods of the campaign, waged to influence political action, were not better than the methods of political combinations arc apt to be. Much heat was engendered, which was not good for it. It would raise smiles to assert that tire alliance was wisely led. It found its chief opponents in the school teachers. It was defeated with a completeness which has made the Bible in schools appear almost a hopeless cause from that lime to this.

Now hope in reviving in Presbyterian breasts. The General,Assembly evidently is inclined In think that more might have been done by the movement of seven years ago if it had not attempted to do too niticit. The Assembly will not fight again for the “right of entry” and denominational insdvnclinn. which made the most unpopular part of the last, crusade. Its new efforts will to chiefly bent on the securing of derlptiire reading by the teacher. l !, without comment, with a conscience danse for both teachers and parents. It will go no further with tho league, if the league still exists in any material form. 11 is reasonable to suppose that a campaign on those lines might have more chance of success than that which was abortive before. To have got. rid of the claim to denominationalism in the schools, which never could be granted, would be a great advantage. And, if the end were possible without the introduction of sectarian issues and divisions, most people would be glad to see the Bible read in our State places of education. It is not that morality is not taught in the sclioola at the present time. Some charges, most injurious to the enthusiasts’ cause when they were urged before, will far better lie discarded if a- new campaign is to to made. No one blames Bible reading as tho cause of all the crimes and offences that come before the Queensland or the New South Wales courts, and the absence of it from New Zealand schools cannot be held responsible for all the transgressions that disturb our complacency here. “We are bringing up a race of pagans,” zealots declare, us the worst of all reflections on the secular system. They forget that chaplains with the British forces made the same complaint of the men with whom they mingled, though the Bible has always been taught in British schools. It is not much of the Bible, trnth to tell, that would come into the schools under the klcsi proposal. Tire suggestion is that a Scripture text-book should bo prepared by the Lducation Department, We should not envy those who laid to compile it and scenic approval of it from the Churches, but as far as possible everything debatable would be IcR out. and the Uaihci's task would be that of a mere automaton—be would read, but he '.von!d not comment, If questions should be a.-ked by more intelligent pupils prosnmaldv it would be his duty to discourage them. A member of the Assembly declared that they did nut know how dull a hook tie Bible could be made until they had beard .amne preachers expounding it. It would be strange if‘it was not found duller in these conditions. From one point nf view, however, the system might work more easily than It promised to do at the time when it was last proposed. Teachers had cause to fear then that if any of (hern took advantage et the conscience danse in regard to Bible reading their chances of promotion or of obtaining new positions might be prejudiced. Promotions are automatic now. in accordance with the classification scale, and that ground for opposition would no longer exist. A difficulty is made, however, by the position of the Anglican Church. A majority of that communion, if its general attitude can be judged from the resolutions which were passed at the last meeting of the Wellington Diocesan Synod, stands yet for the full programme of the discomfited league, the only compromise which it displays being that, as it docs not expect to sec that programme achieved within any measurable time, it is prepared to work meanwhile for any other proposals tending in the same direction which may bo thought practicable. Scripture leading by tlie teacher without comment will not be commended, cither to the teachers cr the public, if it is thought to be valued by a main proportion of its advocates chiefly as the thin end of the wedge for something that would be ruinous \o the (schools.

There is one way by which religion ran be I,night in the schools by those best lifted to teach it, without danger to any confidence or any of tho evils of sectarianism. That is by the Nelson system, which ji:rividcs for ministers of religion entering tim schools and giving undenominational instruction to ail those children whose parents desire them to receive it.. This system lias been practised with complete harmony and with no small satisfaction to themselves and parents in various schools throughout the Dominion by a minority of ministers of all or almost all Chun lies, but only by a minority. If the leaders of religion generally had been as ready to make the best of this system and to develop it as they have been to transfer tho duty’to the shoulders of a lay prous.-inn. opposition which has been shown to it by somo school committees would long since have been made ifnpossiide, anil, there would he no room to talk of " pagan" schools. The Presbyterian Assembly and the local Anglican Synod Pave both passed resolutions approving of the Nelson system, but hope is not encouraged by past experience that a now fillip will be given to it by their zeal. Yet the cry for Bible teaching by State school teachers must fall very largely on unsympathetic cars till tho ministers of all Churches show that they aro mating tho best of opportunities which they possess themselves.