BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3584, 9 March 1914, Page 2

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

ADDRESS BY BRIGADIER CAR-

MICHAEL

A well-attended meeting was held yesterday afternoon in the Scottish Hall to hear Brigadier Carmichael, of the Salvation Array, give his personal experience of the working of the system in various parts of Australia. The chair was taken by Rev. E. W. Chatterton, who was supported by Mr and Mrs Andrew Graham, Rev. W. Grant and Ensign Avenell. The Chairman explained that t’o meeting had no official connection with the Convention o fthe W.C.T.U., which body had not yet this year discussed the question in Convention. He stated that the last two years had seen a larger body of public opinion gathering round the advocacy of the introduction of the Australian system of Bible reading in schools than had gathered round any similar movement. Some people claimed that the Nelson’s system provided ample facilities for the religious instruction of the children. During the G years that the Nelson system had been in operation in Gisborne, he had been secretary, and so it could be seen that he was not antagonistic to that system. But he must say that even in Nelson where the system originated 20 years ago, it had made little progress. At the present time, of the 121 schools under the Nelson Board, only 11 schools had. religious instruction, the majority being in Nelson itself. This showed that that system did not meet the needs of the country places. The ssytein advocated in the Bible-in-State Schools League did. Brigadier Carmichael made no apology for speaking on the subject, as the Salvation Army is committed in the matter, root and branch. He had travelled throught much of Australia in connection with the Army work and had had: unique opportunities of seeing the educational systems in the various States at work. New South Wales, which was the mother State of Australasia, New Zealand included, had the’system which the Biblc-in-Schools League advocated, for nearly 50 years in operation, and now there are’only two States in the Commonwealth which have not yet followed her good example. Mr Holman, the Premier of New South Wales and representative of the Labor party, when asked a short time ago, on his visit to Now Zealand,' what his opinion was on the Biblo-in-Schools question, said that while New South Wales lias seen many changes in its educational system, vet no one had ever thought of taking the Bible-in-Schools system out of the curriculum. • . Tinder the system in vogue in Now South Wales, each denomination has the right to send its representative into each school weekly, to give religious instruction to its own children. How could any exception be taken to this. He heard people say that it that system were introduced here the Anglican church meant to take all the children under its wing. As for himself, he believed in equal opporunity for all. And if we, of the denominations co-operating m the Biblo-ui-Schools League, desire to have the right to go into the schools to teach our own children, what business have other people to interfere, who do not want that privilege? Surely the parents are the right people to say what their children should be taught. Let a referendum be taken and we will abide by the result. Opponents of the League say that electors are not educated on the matter yet. Let us have ample opportunities of learning what the system is. The League has everything to gain and nothing to lose by the Fullest inquiry, in all his travels in Australia, he had never found a teacher who had complained about the inclusion of scripture reading in the curriculum. -And why should he? ne teach children history, why leave Bible history out. Some said that there are parts of the Bible not suitable for children to read. Precisely—that is why a text-book is used. He believed that 95 per cent, of the teachers in New Zealand would be in favor of the system after five years’ expperience ot its working, especially when they saw the good effects on the morals of the children. One of the best teachers in tlio Nelson district wont to to»icli in New South Wales. Now on her return she was one of the strongest advocates of the system in vogue there. L would be so with the rest of our teachers. , . , Some people said our educational system coudl not be improved, and that we have nothing to learn rrom other countries, especially Australia. When people spoke like that, ho was afraid they were perilously being fossilised. Older countries were always experimenting and improving then system of education. As to the attitude of the Roman Catholic Church, and the army had some of its warmest supporters _ m members of that church: If it suited that Church to build its own schools and carry on its own system of education apart, from the national system, then it has a right to do so. But it is wrong to say that Roman Catholics believe in a secular system of education. Rh believed that Roman Catholics would never he satisfied until the', had a school of their own in every district. Biit the introduction of Bible reading into the national schools would: not affect at all their attitude towards the .State system. The speaker narrated his personal experiences in various parts of New South Wales, in Western Australia, and in Queensland, and explained that the system was so elastic that if parents were willing, scholars of different churches might lie grouped together for religious instruction. He concluded bv emphasising the point that many children in New Zealand are growing up practical heathens, so far as a knowledge of the Bililo is concerned, and pleaded that, for God’s sake, the children should have a chance.