BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 14 October 1925, Page 9

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

THE NELSON SYSTEM. ITS WORKING EXPLAINED. References made recently in ihe House of Representatives and from xne political platform to the “Nelson system” of ruble teaching in schools have not gone into much detail regarding the svstem. In order to enable readers to understand the principle on which it works, we reprint a statement of “The Nelson System and hxO.v to introduce it,” by a Presbyterian Minister who was for 20 year's tne honorary secretary of the Nelson State School Bible Teachers’ Association. This authority writes: —“The Nelson method oi Bible instruction in State Schools has been in operation, at "first under the old Education Act, in the city named, since 1897. The staff of Biffie teachers includes ministers find other members of all the Potestaut Churches. The teaching entirely ulidenominational, and is given within the ordinary school Lours, but 1 outside tiie statutory Or legal hours. A large majority of. parents approve of then* children attending, and SO per Vent, of the pupils do so. The system is now being followed; in several centres of the Dominion, and shine thousands of children • are weekly hearing me Gospel message from the lips of those believing it. Schooi-time required by the Education Act is two 'eonsdeutiy© 'hours in forenoon and two consecutive hours in afternoon but in the majority of schools the Board’s by-laws require 25 hours per week —three; hours m forenoon and two in afterricon. A school with only four hours’ teaching hit's, at present, no room for the scheme, neither can the Bible half-hour be taken from the afternoon two hours.

Tne Act (1914) provides that the Board “may define the hours of opening and closing public schools. _ Evidence can be adduced that the intention of clause 49, section 7, Was to give a free hand to committees in connection with moral and religious instruction, but lawyers differ over the interpretation of the terms. Where, as in the case of the Wellington Education Board, the by-law ha's been changed from 25 hours to 244, the question of giving facilities for the Nelson system rests with the committee. In order to start—

Get together ministers and others willing to assist, and xorm an Association. .

Petition the committee to take a vote or the patents, as King wheiner die/ favour die introduction ox me system and would send.' their children. ii the committee have dnnculties, me association could take the vote and report to the committee. A returnable circular to alt parents should sxmpiy asir : "Aie you. in favour of Biu.eteaching in {State {School in it manner that will not interfere with tne Education Act, and would you instruct your child or children to attend ri’

The Teachers’ Institute Is favourable to the Net son method, and most teachers would supply lists of pupils. On returns, being satisfactory, tne committee should be asited to grant tne use of the buildings on some morn, ing of the week, suitable to the State teachers and all concerned —if possime, from 9 to '£.3o.

Tne lequest being granted, arrange to start work. Appoint a teacher tor each standaid, if possible. Prepare a list of Bible 'lessons, and discourage ak denominationalism. when assembled, sing a hymn, if convenient; unite in the Lord’s Prayer or other; read with the. children, in varied form, a portion of Scripture; then expound, and close with the Benediction, 'ilie small good-type copies of the Gospels are very serviceable. If the State teacher is willing, his presence he:ps discipline. At the end of each year arrange an oral examination for junior pupils and a written for seniors, and have a pub,ic prize-giving demonstration. lit is lawful for a State teacher, a-> « citizen, to give a Bible lesson, when arranged as above, if he so desires; but tiiis 'lesson must not appear on the school time-table. This meets the difficulty of the back-blocks schools as effectively as any scheme with a conscience clause could possibly do.