BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1891, 9 April 1913, Page 3

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

To the Editor. Sir,—lt must be quite evident to anyone ,who is interested in the movement for the restoration of religious teaching in the public schools of New Zealand that a vast amount of misunderstanding prevails as to what it all means, and especially with regard to the actual proposals uf the Eible in State Schools League. In a matter involving rights of conscience, it is quite clear that justice must be done all round.

In a question of this kind, where sincere people on both sides, entertain any different opinions, there is need for the most scrupulous fairness and cheery good temper, and an absolute refusal to wilfully misunderstand or mirsepresent, so that all who have .the interests of religion and education at heart must regret that in this early stage of the struggle the air should be somewat clouded with incriminations. I sincerely hope that in Palmer-rton at all events the matter may be debated fairly and squartiy. isow what is the platform of the Bible in State Schools League? 1. "Lessons read in school hours by the children themselves from Scripture books provided by the Education Department State School teachers supervising the reading, but not giving sectarian or dogmatic teaching.'' The State School teacher is not asked to give" religious teaching"—but simply to supervise the reading in precisely the same way as he would supervise the reading of any other school reader. In the case of the Queensland readers, the Authorised, the Kevised, and the Douay J;( Roman Catholic i versions have been carefully consulted. The senior course for older children comprises reading from t le Old and New Testaments. In the senior course muc i of the Bible story has been adopted for younger children. The result will be that our children, instead of being utterly ignorant, as in many cases they are, of the greatest passages and the best known characters of the Bible, will at all events have some knowledge of that book upon wh ch all highest western morality is based. 2. The League further contends | that all Churches alike, without any exception, should have the opportunity afforded them of sending their ministers or accredited teachers during school hours to instruct children of their respective denominations at a time to be fixed by mutual arrangement." The State is neutral. It is not the State's business to teach religion, or to endow what is called "undenominationalism"—a religion which nobody professes, or any other form of religion, though it is time that the official religion of secularism should disappear. But it is the States' buisness, if it compels, as it rightly does, all children to go to school, to see that the children are not deprived of that teaching which gives secular education its' true value, namely—religious t Parents in this case, have the right to have their children educated as Christians in a Christian land. True education consists not so much in the acquisition of the knowledge as in the development of character, end character cannot be rightly developed apart from religion. Secular education may make children able, but religion alone can give the essential motive which will lead children to use their ability rightly. i So religion must be taught by those who believe in it, and to be worth the name it must be a religion of membership. 3. The League. further asks for a Conscience Clause by which the parent has complete control of the child's religious instruction in the public school, without interference by the State, or any Chuich. The Bible and religious education have never been banished from the educational curriculum of any British State with any malicious intent tut through fear of arousing sectarian feeling. The testimony of Ministers of Public instruction Inspectors and teachers—of all creeds and no creed—in in Australia—where the system has worked smoothly for over 40 years, is unanimous in certifying that it works without friction, that it is satisfactory to the vast majority of parents, and that it is beneficial to the national system of education. In these days o? popular repesentation, it is quite impossible to maintain unchallenged any educational method which excites antagonism or is unfair to a minority, however small. I have tried to look at this question with absolute impartiality, and I find that the objections, where they are genuine, only reveal how v little there is to be said against the proposals of the League which are so absolutely just, that they must appeal strongly to all fair minded people. At all events, it is difficult to see how anyone can object to the proposed referendum on the question.—l am, etc., HERBERT G. ROSHER. The Vicarage, Palmerston North.