THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 7 August 1926, Page 6

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

(To the Editor)

Sir, —At the meeting of supporters of the “Religious Exercises in (Schools Bill” Bishop Sadlier made the following extraordinary statement: “We want this (the Bible in Schools) because the Bible is the only book which forms and maintains character. This is the Christian belief, but it is not confined to Chris, tians, as is witnessed by remarkable statements appraising its educational value by such pronounced Agnostics as Professors Huxley, Lecky and McCabe.” Being personally acquainted with Mr McCabe and knowing that he is a strong opponent of the Bible in schools, I am astounded that anyone should attribute an opposite attitude to him, or imply that he believes the Bible to be “the only Book which forms and maintains character.” But let McCabe speak for himself. Here is a quotation from his “Tyranny of Shams,” published in 1916. “T have shown elsewhere that France, Victoria and New Zealand, the countries with longest experience of secular education, have the best record among civilised nations in the reduction of crime. . . . There is not a tittle of

reason in criminal statistics, .or any other exact indications of national health, for retaining religious lessons in our schools. They are there (the author is writing of Great Britain) merely because the clergy find it conducive to their prestige to have their sacred Book enthroned with honour in the national scheme of education. . . . German schools are saturated with religious teaching, yet we have seen the issue of it all.” That a pretty definite .statement on the subject, and I will ns< Bishop Sadlier to supply a. quotation from McCabe's works which will justify the statement that lie (McCabe) thinks so highly of the “educational value” of the Bible as to regard it. as “the only Book which forms and maintains character.” It would ho interesting also to hear who was the. American professor who considered New Zealand’s chief characteristic to he its “appalling materialism.” Will Bishop Sadlier be kind enough to tell .us who and what the gentleman is? Materialists, rationalists, agnostics, etc., are often reminded by the clerical party that they amount to a mere fraction of the electors of New Zealand; if is strange that their numbers should suddenly become “appalling.”—l am, etc., “K.” sth Aug.