BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Evening Star, Issue 19855, 2 May 1928, Page 6

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

The General Synod of the Anglican Church passed a resolution yesterday pleading for the reintroductiou of Mr Isitt’s Religious Exercises in Schools Bill when Parliament meets next session, and decrying the Nelson system. That was in accordance with the lead given to it by the Primate in his inaugural address. Nevertheless, we must believe the Synod to have been profoundly mistaken. Enough time and money of the country have been wasted in discussing Mr Isitt’s Religious Exercises Bill. All the time and propaganda spent on it have failed signally to make its attractions outweigh its unquestionable objections. Lour years ago, when it was comparatively little known, it was brought forward in the Lower House, and a second reading refused to it by ono vote. In the following year, in the same chamber, it was defeated for its second reading by six votes. Then it was introduced in the Upper House, and rejected there, at its third reading debate, by a majority of two. Last year it had its run once more in the people’s chamber, and alter a sis hours’ discussion was refused its second reading by a majority of five. At the Synod meeting it was stated by a supporter of the Bill and a parliamentarian that many who had intended to support it then were convinced, before the motion, of the superiority of the Nelson system. If Parliament has not made up its mind on this particular issue it would be hard to know what it has a mind upon. A committee of the House to which the Bill was referred last year reported, after hearing evidence of all sides, that the present system of education had worked very well in New Zealand for fifty years. Our children had received incalculable benefits under it. It thought that the system which had worked so well should be maintained, and that religious instruction should bo afforded under the Nelson systerii, “in which teaching is imparted outside the statutory school hours, under which the State exercises no authority in religious matters, under which there is no compulsion or violation of the rights of conscience.” A like report had been brought down previously by a committee of the Upper House to which petitions dealing with the same Bill were referred. The majority of the Synod differs. The objection was urged that, if the Nelson system were accepted by the present supporters of the Religious Exercises Bill, the great majority of the children would not be touched by it. That depends on the effort which might bo made by the churches, on whom the duty would fall, to bring the instruction to the children. Given a like effort to that which has been shown by churches in Victoria, on behalf of a similar system, the scheme could not fail to be a success. It has been made so to the fullest extent by individual ministers, including Anglicans. And the children have been taught religion, not religious 11 exercises,” which can be only a poor substitute for it at the best. Parliament, when it meets again, will bo very short of business if it cannot find better matter for discussion than Mr Isitt’s Bill.