BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2115, 25 June 1907, Page 1

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

REFERENDUM OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES. The following circular lias been issued to School Committees by the Wellington Bible-in-Schools CommltTlie Wellington Citizens’ Bible-in-Scliodla Committee, being desirous j that the Bible bo read in the New ' (Zealand State Schools after methods j in vogue ill the United States of Am- i erica, Canada,, and other, countries, as detailed below, are taking a referendum of the 1800'school-committees ill. the colony on this , important educational question. , They therefore would feel favored if your committee would express an opinion blithe question submitted 011 the returnable voting paper. The committee ‘advocate — 1. That the Bible he read as a • classic. - , 2. No comments allowed, except geographical, .grammatical, • • and historical.' 3. Tlio Stato school teacher only ' to supervise the Bible read- ■ ; ■ • ing, •

4. Any teacher or scholar having conscientious objection may ho excused from this Bible lesson, fcy. It is proposed" fb got a strong deputation ot parents to wait on the Premier, during tlio session to urge this reform; therefore, if your committee approve of this 'movement, kindly appoint one or two delegates —committeemen lor otherwise—to rooresont your district oil this deputation, sending to the undersigned the names and addresses of the gentlemen so appointed. iAny suggest ionsxfrom your cominit,tee will- he- wbleonied. Some parents advocate the ifro of tho revised Bible, also the repetition of the Ten Commandments once a week, as in vogue in part of Canada. Tlie movement will he furthered if your committee-will kindly advise the Education Board and the member for your electorate of its decision.

Tho following information regarding Bible -reading elsewhere is supplied : Europe.—England, tho Bible is road; Ireland, either Bonny or authorise!' version read, and each school furnished with a“Ten Commandment Tablet” to lie hung on the wall; Glas- '-:>«• and '.Edinburgh, tlio Bible is read dnilv: Austria, two hours per ' week are devoted to religious instruction; Belgium, two hours are given to moral instruction per week; Prussia, four hours per week; Berlin, ditto; Hamburg, two hours per week; Germany.: banished tlio Bible ironi her schools, hut lias now restored it; France, moral instruction is given for three hours per week. Africa and tlie East. —Cape Colony. the Bible is read daily; Oraime River, Bible history is taught; Egypt the Koran is read daily, anil scholars arc taught the necessity of religion. to man; Japan, morals and industry arc taught. Colonies. —Canada, at Ontario the Bible is read c'.ail" the Ten Commandments ito he repeated once ; a week, at Saskatchewan the Board in-v permit- religious instruction in schools, and in New Brunswick tlie Bible is read in schools; New South Wales, .tlie Irish National Board Scripture lesson books are used; Tasmania, instruction iq sacred history is imparted; West Australia, Scripture lessons are. given orally to impress the value of tlie Scriptures as a basis of moral instruction; South Australia, religious instruction is optional: New Zealand, education has been purely secular for 30 years.

America. —Maine, Bible read in -els for 270 years : New York, read daily for 250 years; New Hampshire, read daily since 1623; Vermont, encourage Bible reading in the schools: Columbia, Bible read anil Lord’s Prayer repeated; Kentucky, general!.- read; Tennessee, tiie Bible is our rock of public safety; Alabama, customs in our schools neither enjoins nor forbids; Illinois, ditto: Mississippi. tho Bibio is not excluded, and is generally read; Michigan, ditto; Arkansas, read in part of tlie schools; Texas, read in some schools; Oregon, ditto: West Virginia, no law prohibiting Bihle-rendingFlorida, ditto; Delaware, Biblo-reading universal; Pennsylvania, the Scriptures must not he omitted; New .Jersey, read in nearly all schools; Georgia, the Bible cannot, be excluded ; Connecticut, tlie Bible lias always been read; Massachusetts, Bible lias been read in scbols for 278 rears-; Maryland, read Tlailv in our schools: South Carolina, generally read; Rhode Island, universal custom to read tho Scriptures; Indiana, the Bible cannot he excliidel ; South Dakota, may be read without sectarian comment; Ohio, thoroughly lielieve'in it, as it has a good ’hfluorice upon our children; Missouri. optional, character-building if an important feature with us; Nebraska:, encourage moral culture generally read ; Kansas read ill part'd iifn;i.'Schools i Wyoming, loft to local boanl.y.,to decide: Colorado, read in ‘.'-schools; New York City, rules observed for nearly , three centuries •and all schcolsVnrc opened by reading the’ Bible-. ••