BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12803, 29 May 1914, Page 7

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

! MEETING AT AI I, SAINTS' I SCIIOOLU'JOAI. j On Wednesday afternoon a large at- ! tendance, the Rev. 11. G. Koslicr pre- ; siding', was addressed I»y Airs Alarj shall, one of the organising secretaries | of the Women's League which is at- ! tacked to the Bible in Schools League, In the course of her address, Airs .Marshall impressed upon the meeting that so far as Parliament was concerai ed, the League by no means intended letting the matter drop, and, in fact, would not cease their campaign until the Bible was restored to the State schools. She referred to the ignorance of the average child on Biblical matters, and quoted instances. She said that they had been told that the home was the place v here'the Bible should be taught. But people forgot that mothers were hard worked, and in the country where the mothers had often to take a part in milking cows and the like, it was practically impossible for them to find time to teach the children. At night they were very tired after the day's work, and it was often the ease, as well, that the children themselves had several cows to milk before and after school. Sunday, too, was as busy a day on the farm as any week day. She said that the League did not want to make the Bible in Schools question a political issue, but that would have to be done if the referendum was not granted. If the members of Parliament were going to be so stubborn then the League was going to be stubborn too. The referendum was the only thing they were asking for at present, and it was only right that they should have it. She considered that the absence of the Bible in New Zealand schools for the past 37 years had been an inI calculable loss.

The Rev. Mr Eosher also addressed the meeting, briefly mentioning the fact that Parliament had granted a referendum on the No-license question at the petition of 20 per cent, of the electorate, whereas in the present question 35 per cent, of the people were asking for it. He also referred to the remarks made in Palmerston by the Chief Justice, who had said that the low criminal statistics in New Zealand were due to the maintenance of secular education. That remark the Rev. Air Rosher considered to be with" out foundation, and he referred to the remarks of a New South Wales Alinister, who had said that he did not know what to do with New South Wales's empty gaols, and New South Wales was a- State where the Bible was taught in schools. The League did not want the Bible in schools necessarily to keep the young folk out of prison, but to teach them the fear of God, which was the foundation of all wisdom. Another remarkable fact, said the speaker, was that where the Bible had been placed in the schools there had never been an attempt to repeal it. He also placed before the meeting several of the points in the League's platform. An interesting discussion ensued, Mrs Marshal] being accorded a vote of thanks for her address.