THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15170, 9 December 1912, Page 5

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

THE CHURCHES IN SUPPORT.

ADVOCACY FROM THE PULPITS.

DAY GENERALLY OBSERVED.

Tub introduction Of the Bible into State schools was advocated in a large number, if not in most, of tho churches in New . Zealand yesterday. Special sermons were preached in nearly all the Auckland churches. The organising secretory of the movement, the Rev. Canon Garland, spoke ah St. Paul's Church yesterday morning, at the Y..M.C.A. iii the afternOon, and at St. Matthew's in the evening. . '■Wife 'observance of yesterday as a special occasion for unanimous attention to the 'subject of the Bible in schools arose exclusively amongst the Prcsbyteriahe, who,, of their Own initiative, decided some time ago upon the second Sunday of December as & day for special appeal. Accordingly they called Upon their people to pray and exhorted their ministers to invite help. by work and by liiohey contributions for the furtherance of the movement.

WHen this became known, the Anglican bishops followed suit, and the support of the President of the Methodist Church and of the Commissioner of the Solvation Army was quickly forthcoming. 11l addition, inaliy individual ministers of the Congregational, Baptist, and Lutheran churches, and of the Church of Christ, gave their support. In fact, except for those .tfliO were - actually hostile to tho movement, the observance of yesterday as a special occasion seems to have been general. , Abput 40 spec! .sermons were preached yesterday in Auckland and its suburbs by ministers of various denominations, who advocated "religious instruction in the State schools as is desired by the league 5 and the arguments wore received with great interest by the various congreJgJPffibn Garland at St. Paul's. . Speaking from the pulpit of S'i. Paul's Church alt the morning service from the text, )' Speak tflriib the Children of Israel, that they go forward," Canon Garland gate a bright and inspiring advocacy of t».nioYement. He, drew; a parallel between the plight of the Israelites driven upon the Red Sea by the pursuing Pharoah and the difficulties, surrounding those who deßired to introduce into the, day schools the only Hack which Was prohibited by _ law from, ing need in the ordinary education 01 Children. To Moses came the divine command to go forward, and now believed thedtvino Command had been given to go forward with this movement. t All the divisions of ( Christendom were in agreement upon this matter. The lead given by bishops waft supported by the clergy, who in spite of the prising demands upon their time.and energy were asking the people of New. Zealand .'.to thrust Upon their already Burdened Shoulders the .task of fefvihg definite religibub teaching to the children of the State schools, anil such a disinterested appeal could not lightlf be ignored. This 'was no parsons* movement, as its opponents declared, for th€» layman in the synods had, UnanirtrtOusly expressed themselves in its favour. The people might be timid in following'the bishops and the clergy > hut: .there could .B»--fl6..td<fl5a'.fO* timidity, when their own spoke in such fashion. "Catioil Garland deplored the divisions of GbHstenddm, which he compared with fissures, in \ drought-stricken soil, stiteeVitihg. that psfeßibly' this movement might the dew- arid the rain that would cloiie the figures and bring to the surface tile unity that existed underneath. Lest the. h&nf , and the. opportunity might not come .agoing Canon Garland urged that the. present meTemeht . (should be- earnestly assisted by prayer and work. ' "If we go forward with leve for our children." he concluded, ,'" then we may be sure that the i Red Sea of difficulties -will become to us a pathway of deliverance, luading us and our children and children of generations yet to come into : a land of promise, flowing 1 . with, the -milk arid honey of the. knowledge and fear nnd love of the Lord and his Son, without Which all the material prospects ; of our Dominion, great as 'ihey, are. Will bo of no avail when the day of trial and stress that is surely coming .reaches these shores, . because unless we build up a people full of TightOottsneas and of Stout and .sturdy character; like our fore-fathers, we shall succumb to the foe, whether it comes I from within or without." M

. * Address at the Y.atd.A. .Addressing a, large gathering ; in. '. the Y.M.C.A; in the afternoon, Ga>HOti Garland described the movement as seeking far, liberty for all, whether tliey were in agreement with the movement Or riot;.. At present the , secularists. alone had liberty m the schools and legislative enactment of their wished: They, he claimed, were a minority, a.iid the vast majority were de nie'd the liberty. given to A few. Dealing with the attitude of the Smaller churches in Australia," he showed that the SalVhtiou Army, the Kaposi ',aM Congregational Churches, arid the Jews welcomed the. system advocated and-supported it. In proof of this, he read a letter from the Mayor of Brisbano commending him to the people of New Zealand, and wishing him God-speed in his mission, and mentioned that the Mayor who sighed it Was hia&elf a Cohgregaiiorialist.

Demonstration to-night. ' A demonstration has been organised by {ha Auckland Bible Ift Sfchobta League, to take placer in the Town Hall this evening. Addressed will Hejjiveri by Cahoii Garland? Commissioner Say (of the Salvation Army), Rev. W. Heady (president of the Methodist Conference), Rev. H. KnoWles Kempton (ex-president ■'■ of .the Baptist Union), aha lief. fSaac Jolly (president of the Ministers* Association).

COMPLtMENT TO CANON 1 GARLAND. Perfect weather .favoured, .the garden party which was giveii at Mount Albert on Saturday Sfterntron by Mrs. A. C. Caughey in order that members of the league might meet the Rev. Canon Garland; the organising secretary of the league... Mr. and Mr?. Caughey received tho guests, among- whom were the Rev. W; and Mrs. Ready; the Rev. I. .xnd Mrs. Jolly, the Rev. R. h. Walker, the Rev. A. and Miss Miller, the Rev. C. E, Beeeroft, the, Roy. G/, and Mrs.. Bond, the .Rev. J. and Mrs. Cooker, the Rev. C. 11. Garland, the Rev. W: E., Mrs-, and Miss Gillam, Mr. W. Floyd aUd .Mrs. Harrop, Mr. R. ah"d MrV. Clarke, Mr. J. tit toll, Mr. J. W. Stewart,, Mr. Soft Mis. H. R ; Hesketh, Mrs. Gawler, Miss .Hammond, the Misses Hopper, Mr. and Mrs.. John Cook. Mrs. Hewitt) Drt and Mrs; Beattiej Mrs; Jrinies, Mrs. Thorpe, Miss: Caley, Mr., afrd Mrs, Houston, Mrs. Olstfetßr; Mfs. Mould, Mrs. Page, Mrs. Burden, .Miss Evans, Mr. and. Mrs. Harle Giles, Mrs. Armifage, Mrs. GarroWay; Mr. and Mrs: G. h. Bngmdl, Mrs Dtiftttiftghahi, Ihff Rev'. T. .G. Carr, Mr W. Winstdne, . Mrs. Butterworth, Mrs. Botirlll, Mrs._J). ,D. Scott, Mrs. J. Garlick, Mrs. R. H; Hughes, Mrs. Weston Mrs. SomerviUe, Mrs: jfwle9, Miss Ltttlepage, Miss. B. A. Ward, Mrs. StMstW, Miss Corbett, Mrs. Smnlen, Mrs. Ashtoh,..Miss Bagnall,. Mrs. D/owar, the Misses-Cooke, Mrs. Nixon, Miss Bear, Miss Turner, the Rev. A. C. Lawry and 'Mrs. Lattry, .Miss. McCrea. Mr. Nairn, Mrs. .Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. J,. E. Astley, Mrs. G. "Knight, and Mrs. A. G. HaJktt. OPPOSED i3Y SCHOOLTEACHERS. / [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ARSOCIATION.] I TiiiAßtr, Saturday. The Telphers' District Institute, when discussing the remits from the annual 6dofe'r'ehce, with, one dissentient JBUpported the. antagonism to. the introduction of the Bible into schools. .' :: -: "'-i >.':'"