BIBLE-TEACHING IN STATE SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14819, 24 October 1911, Page 5

BIBLE-TEACHING IN STATE SCHOOLS.

Sir,A writer (" Otitis ") in your issue of to-day, ■ commenting on proposals made in a pamphlet written by me on the above subject, in which I advocated the New South Wales system, assumes a great deal when, ho says as follows:—" Tho children would consider religious teaching of less importance than their other work, and health spiritual growth would he more, hindered than helped. ™}°. effect would bo even worse-. if , the ministers of different denominations were to givo more detailed instruction in school to the children of their own flocks. The children would then learn from their early vears the most tin-Christian lesson that they may work together and play together, but together they must not pray." -•' ■ - : ■Surely this is a very black picture, for which there is'no justification. All the evidence is against it. The thing I propose is not a theoretical idea, but an established fact. • • The New South Wales system has been at work for 40 years in that State, for nearly as long in,/ West Australia, and • for many years also in Tasmania, and we hear no complaint as to these evils being even ■ thought of. The testimony. is all tho other way. '■■-■-■- n--v» •',■;;•;/„. •'-;■»,< ' c, The Senior Inspector ' of Schools, in '"■- New South Wales,.who has been. an officer of tho Department for 45.years, wrote recently as follows:—'• I know nothing that has done so much to remove sectarian bitterness and religious misunderstanding between members of the various Churches as the possession of this inestimable privilege in J the public schools of _ this State. Children of various denominations ' are ranged side by side in the classes, and read the Scripture lessons .together,; but no reference,, to Churches is' allowed. When they separate -toy "go for religious instruction to- their pastors no more notice is taken of the fact by the pupils, than, if tho class had been broken, into, sections for special instruction in secular work." '; The Inspector-Ccmeral of Schools in West "Australia states:^-"No sectarian difficulty has been found by the Department in tho working of the system.' The State; school teachers find no difficulty either in giving the. non-sectarian religious teaching, or in relation to the visits of ministers or" religion for special instruction classes during school hours. - !

The Director of Education" in Tasmania says:— 'The system is accepted- by all : do-' nominations as a happy" solution of the religious difficulty.'' ■.-.-. ■.''..-* ':;>,:*.}-„:■;.■; --.- ••<-. .-■ .' I could- adduce an immense; amount of further evidence if it were desired -October 20. .- "Wit. N. ek L. Willis, P.S.—One other quotation seems important. . The president of the Teachers' Union (W.A.) "Teachers have nothing to* fear in the introduction of religious instruction, ; but will have an, added lever to raise the young lives to the high ideals they so much desire. . , • '. -,-.,■•