CLERICALISM AND THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16737, 18 December 1914, Page 8

CLERICALISM AND THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —It is interesting to consider who is responsible for the defeat of tho Bible in Schools. The blame lies at the door of the clerics themselves. They insisted on a double-barrelled referendum of their own devising and on tho members of all tho churches ignoring all other interests, however important, and voting only for the man who supported it. The clergy of all tho churches combined, to an unprecedented extent, over the un-Protestant principle that the Bible in Schools could not bo read in the schools without clerical interpreters. The people of all tho churches, many of them the salt of their church and the earth, resented such teachings, and such dictation, and deliberately voted for the man who would have none of this cooked referendum. The largest majorities in Canterbury were given to its opponents. The electors took the alarm at the proposed intrusion of tho clergy as endangering tho national education of this Dominion. It is well-known that if “the right of entry” had been cut out of the Bill at tlie time it was before Parliament it would probably have become law. The Nelson Presbytery, to tha disgust of tho clergy, passed a resolution to this effect, which I had tho honour to move, ana expressed the hope that at least the people be allowed to vote on the two issues separately.. Somo of us tried hard to get the Parliamentary Committee to make, a recommendation in this direction in vain. Tho Bible in Schools League blocked tho committee’s wav. Thinking apparently that they had the electors in a net they would only have the referendum as it stood. Some of the clerics averred that they would not touch tho Bible in School without “ the right of entry ” for the clergy. They put clericalism before the Bible. The result was that Parliament rejected the proposed referendum, and now the electors have indignantly endorsed' their . action. Clericalism has killed tlie Bible in Schools. The spirit that drove the clerics out of the public schools on the Continent of Europe. has driven all clergy out of the public schools of New Zealand and won’t let them back to teach in school hours under the sanction of tho State at any price. . Some of us would like to see the Bible in tho schools, as it is largely in tho language and text books used there. AYo don’t see why we could not have the Bible alone m the schools as in Scotland, the envy of the educational world, where the clergy of all tlie churches voluntarily retired from the private schools and handed them over to the State on condition that their Biblical education be not neglected by tlie Education Department. AVe greatly deplore the result of this high-hand-ed clericalism in New Zealand. There has been extensively circulated among the electors before the last poll a circular which Canon Garland apparently intended as a call to arms for his own church. Its blatant high churchism was given direct. Tlie opposition oi “ two priests” of that church,‘tho only opposition worth notice as swaying Parliament, is deplored. The last paragraph in particular did not help the cut and dry referendum. It exhorted prayer and exhortation, “ that a request on a moral issue coming from tho church, in common with other religious bodies, shall not be treated with similar contempt by the incoming or any future parliament.” Alany said, in effect, we are not even the tail of the eliurcii. AVe are not in it at all, only tolerated religious bodies, very useful as tools or cats’ paws, or jackals to tho lion. That is all. AVe may be insulted with impunity, but the church must not oil any account be insulted directly or indirectly by Parliament, over which the church reigns supreme, even in.its civic legislation.” No wonder the nicely planned referendum was rejected. AVlien the lesson which the people have taught the clerics is' taken home the next move will be “ the Bible in Schools without the clergy.” That will not bo so strenuously opposed by the teachers or the people, as less likely to mar the discipline ol : the scnool or disrupt national education and more honouring tc the Bible itself and the religion it inculcates.—l am, etc., JOHN DICKSON.