BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 28 April 1914, Page 5

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

At the St. Mary's parish meeting on iuonday evening.

Archdeacon Uasseil moved the following motion: —"in accordance with the decisions of the General and Diocesan Synods, this annual meeting of parlsnioners ot the' parish of fcit. Mary's, in the diocese of Wellington, again pledges its support to the objective of the bible in State Schools League, and once more requests that a referendum of the whole people of the Dominion be luiien upon \he question. This meeting expresses the conviction that inasmuch as the '-eferendum has been re« peatedly requested by the respective governing courts of four denominations representing 75 per cent, of the population, which request has been reiterated by the constituencies of those denominations, and further endorsed by a request in writing, signed by -upwards of 133,000 individual electors^ the Government is more than amply justified in facilitating the wishes or such a large proportion of the people. Moreover, as the request is not asking the (Government to decide on the merits of the League's proposals, but to allow the people of the Domifiiefi to wioe tQ a decision themselves on th© matter, this meeting would rG&uest atty action on the part of. the CfoftitMjtSut ,#fccli by leaving .this, question standing.. oVer, would thereby constitute it a disiiiroK iing- factor at the next general eie& tion."

The Archdeacon, speaking to the motion t said one heard a good many objections to the proposals of the League —one .person objects to the 'proposals as not being definite enough, and another objects because of the opposite view. ..Personally he could see nothing objectionable in the League's proposals —r-daily reading lessons of selections from the Bible would be given and on certain lines each minister would have the right to go to the schools and teach their particular children the faith of their fathers. It seemed to him that the issue was perfectly clear, and that no hardship would he imposed upon anyone.

Mr Kimbell seconded the motion. It was a question which should not be lost sight of,- and pressure should be bi-oup-ht to Dear until it was brought to ?»■ head.

Mr Bates remarked that there seeded to be inconsistency somewhere. They were continually subscribing to foreign missions and vet a'lowed the Bible to be Vent away from their school doors.

The motion at as carried unanimously