BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 207, 16 August 1927, Page 8

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Address By Hon. L. M. Isitt. REPLY TO BISHOP CLEARY. HASTINGS BRANCH OF BILL LEAGUE FORMED. Every seat in St. Andrew’s Hall, Hastings, was occupied last night when the Hon. L. M. Isitt spoke on his Bible-in-Schools bill. Early in his address Mr. Isitt begged leave to make reference to a report that had been sent from Auckland anil which appeared in yesterday evening s papers, referring to where Bishop Cleary had replied to the speaker's pamphlet and taken him to task over it. “While quite understanding the intensity ot aisliop Cleary s opposition to the bill,” stated Mr. isitt, “1 think that if the people will conscientiously read the pamphlet then they will see the absolute absence of anything that developed a sectarian bill. I had no intention of doing so. I feel sure that any reasonable man would agree with me when 1 say that the bill is not a sectarian one. “Where Bishop Cleary finds 1 have misrepresented, 1 do not know,” confined the speaker, “but should he at some future date specifically point out where misrepresentation had been made 1 hope to answer him to the best of my ability.” Referring to the Bishop’s ridicule of the suggestion that it was the Roman Catholic church which had prevented reform, Mr. Isitt again contended that this was patent. “If as a body the Catholic Church reversed its opinions and supported the bill there would not be a following in either House but what would ungrudgingly let the bill go through this session without the slightest difficulty.” YVhile recognising the noble efforts and the generosity with which the the Roman Catholic Church to provide schools where religious instruction was given, Mr. Isitt maintained that even with all that enthusiasm and generosity it was impossible for the Komainn Catholic Church to provide schools for all the children in the many sparsely populated areas of this wide Dominion. “It would be a splendid thing if the church and State schools carried the full tenent of the father,” stated Mr. Isitt, “but after 15 years' experience in this work 1 am convinced that it is either the terms of this present bill, which is really a compromise to existing conditions and conveniences, that will be enacted, or nothing. “It is absolutely absurd to say that even the 14 per cent, voting power of the Catholics, taken en bloc does not affect the Bill,” commented Mr. Isitt, who then gave several instances of where he contended members, though personally in favour of the bill, would not vote or would vote against it because they knew that the Catholics in their constituencies would be against them. “The only thing that stops the bill from going through both Houses is the opposition, conscientious I will grant it to be, of the Catholics,” declared the visitor. Mr. Isitt took the opportunity of saying that while Bishop Cleary diametrically opposed the questions at stake, no man recognised more clearly than did he (Mr. Isitt) the high character and noble life of his ecclesiastical opponent. “It is just like this: Bishop Cleary, though a most rational and broadminded man, is as absolutely implacable and unreasonable on this matter as 1 seem to be with him,” remarked the speaker with a laugh when he recailtion. ed how both had fought for ProhibiDETAILS OF BILL. The speaker then went into the details of the bill, explaining fully all the salient points besides dealing with his motives and experiences in endeavouring to bring about the change. The bill provided that on four days of the week, fifteen minutes be set aside for religion. The ceremony to consist of a hymn, the Lord’s Prayer and a passage read from a manual containing some of the most glorious passages in the Bible by the teacher, head-pupil, or by any member of the class. “There is absolutely no intention of decreeing religious teaching,” stated Mr. Isitt, “as I fully realised that if this was brought into the State schools then there would be no end of trouble ” He added that never had he manifested any spirit of sectarian bitterness or venom against the Catholic or any other religion. The speaker then compared his system to that of the Nelson system, now in vogue in some parts of the country and endeavoured to show that where the latter ssytem was unworkable, his was applicable. He explained that his object in visiting Hastings was to awaken in the minds of the people some interest in the bringing of religion in touch with the children. He was astounded at and deplored the fact that there were thousands of children in New Zealand who were growing up in absolute ignorance of religion. For this purpose and for the purpose of his bill, he trusted that a Hastings branch of the Bible in Schools League would be inaugurated. After the chairman, his Worship the Mayor (Mr. G. A. Maddison) had thanked the speaker for his interesting address, it was decided that a Hastings branch be formed. It was further decided that the Rev. Mortimer-Jones be president, the Rev. F. Copeland secretary and Mr. A. Hobv assistant secretary. An executive was also appointed and it was decided to make arrangements for the executive to meet some time during the next two weeks. Before the gathering finally dispersed, Mr. Isitt answered several questions on different points raised by the members of his audience.