THE TRAINING OF THE RISING GENERATION IN OUR DAILY SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9322, 27 March 1889, Page 6

THE TRAINING OF THE RISING GENERATION IN OUR DAILY SCHOOLS.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —In the opening address of the General Assembly of tho Presbyterian Church, in condemning the present system of education, the Moderator said, " There may be some moral lessons in their lessonbooks." Now, sir, I was surprised that such an admission was made by one of our ministers, for there is not to be found in their lesson-books a lesson teaching children to obey and reverence their parents. How, then, can we look for or expect them to love, obey, and reverence their Creator and Preserver ? 1 am well aware of the answer I will receive from those who advocate secular education : Let the minister, the Sunday-school, the parents or guardians see to that. I ask, then, what is to become of those who never enter a Sabbath-school, or of those whose parents or guardians do not possess a Bible, or, if they do, never look inside its boards ? Sir, I hold that the present system of education is training the rising youth so that they will neither fear God nor man. Yes, and the first fruits of this is to be seen day by day in our midst, for no female is safe outside of her home alone after sundown. Some time ago the Wesleyans in Pukekohe held a bazaar, and on one of the evenings while it was being held a middle-aged lady was leaving, and a gentleman wont to see her safe in the saddle. In looking to the girths ho found both of them cut almost across. This was larrikinism—the first fruits of secular teaching. The law would have brought this in manslaughter. Yes and the present system will yet produce able forgers that will try the ablest in the land to detect them. Now, sir, I hold that it is the duty of the Government to protect society, if they go no further. The Government that supports a secular system of education is nursing a nest of infidels who will yet make them shake in their shoes. The Parliament, while in session, opens every evening with prayer—l have it from one that I can trust that it is a perfect sham— and yet they shut out the Bible from our daily schools. The remedy which I would propose is that the ministers of all denominations combine, and preach sermons ! upon the subject, and then let them coni vene public meetings, so that they come to know the people's mind pro and con, and then get petitions prepared and signed by the people, and laid before Parliament, and let us show our legislators that we, the people, will no longer permit the rising youth to be trained under a system that cannot but bring the frown of a slighted God upon all of our homes; and let it become law that the word of God, a selected portion, be read every morning in our daily schools. The portion to be read should be selected cither by the school committees or by delegates of each denomination within the boundaries of the educational district. Let all ministers show that they aro faithful and valiant soldiers of the cross, fighting under the banner of our captain and commander, Christ Jesus; and let them rest assured that recruits will be daily enlisting in their ranks. Let me hope that you will use your able and powerful pen in bringing all men high and low to think, and leave the result in the hands of the great God.—l am, &c., A. McDonald, Pukekohe Valley.