BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCV, Issue 10918, 28 March 1896, Page 2

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

TO THE EDITOR. ' Sir, —.With reference to the above I would like to make a few remarks. No doubt “.the' Bible in' schools ’’ sounds very nice and Christian-like, but we must weigh the consequences; To begin with, would it not be the forerunner of a special grant to the Church of Rome and another to the Church of England ? Both of these Bishop Julius would probably approve of, and, no doubt, from his point of view, it-looks feasible enough ; but what about the Nonconformists ? Why, we would find ourselves thrown into denominationalism all at once, as Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, &c., cannot each expect a separate grant, and the Church of England could not be supposed to give scriptural instruction to other, denominations. Under the present proposal we would find ourselves all in a muddle. W r hy not make the Sunday school compulsory as the ordinary school ? Each church has its Sunday school, and the Bible is properly taught, not historical scraps as it would be in schools. The majority of Sunday school teachers are seriously minded and capable of teaching the Bible better than the ordinary schoolmaster or mistress. Compulsory Sunday school should meet all pn.rties, and not alter the present educational system, which is admitted to be the best primary course ever taught in the British dominions. —I am, &c.,

# COMMON SENSE