THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15249, 12 March 1913, Page 4

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

i, Sir, —Catholics " pay, pay, pay" for thef - bel ; ef, held 'by them with my esteemed friend Be v. Mr. Jolly, that good child-, 5 training "is of the utmost importance to the State." So it is. But it obviously does not fallow that it is therefore the moral right or duty of the Government to teach religion— as certain Australian laws term it, to impart "religious instruction" and "general- religious teaching" to children as a olosß-subject in the public schools. That moral right has to be proved, not assumed; and my reverend friend (as reported}, makes no attempt to prove it All Christendom acknowledges that the family and the Church are di-vinely-appointed agencies for the religious 3 up- bringing of children. But the common Christian teaching is against the sectarian - dogma that the Government has a moral right to teach religionit declares the duty of the Government to be of the protective order, to remove obstacles from, and afford rightful opportunities and enh vironmcnt for the religious action of the family and the Church. In your issue of ! Friday morning I have shown in.detail I the three separate ways in which the Government sets up ae a " religious instructor" and "general religious - teacher" a under the "Australian" system, which the p Bible in Schools League demands for New Zealand. This brings me once more to some of the " knotty _ points" which no leaguer— even ao gifted a league offi- . cial as my reverend friend— jet dared

1 ■■ . 4 to f&oe squarely:— What has the Government to teach religion (as , above)? 2. The annual cost of the State religions instruction in New Zealand has been estimated at £100,000 by (among others) so siatutoh a Presbyterian as Mr. J. OaugUay, M. Both the Rev. Mr. Jolly and th© league organiser admit that it involved some publio expenditure in Australia. Whether this be great or small, the principle at stake is just the same. Even if it involved no additional taxation, it would necessitate diverting a considerable . part m! the existing taxation to State " religious instruction." What moral right has any Government to foro© (perhaps) 40 denominations in the nation to pay for a kind of "religious instruction" admittedly suited. . for only a seotion of four denominations in the nation? No answer has yet appeared. This is the eort of thing that the league is now beginning to call a "national" system! If the league bad a finer sense of humour, it would probably have a keener sense of justice. 3. What . moral right has the Government to foro© ■ Jewish and Agnostic teachers to give "religious instruction" in the New Testament, and to ooeroe Catholic teaohers to act, at least materially, against the faith and discipline of their Church? No answer has appeared. Authoritative evidence has been published showing that, over wide areas in Australia, Catholio _ • toaobers positively " bate the State, religious instruction." Other evidenoe is aLso available. 4. The league's Irish proaelytieers' oonscienoe clause embodies in a law the following cunning falsehood: That all Protestant, Catholio, Jewish, and Secularist •parent without exception, who fail to protest in writing against this State " religious instruction," thereby demand or approve that '' religious instruction" for such of their children as are in the publio , Schools! A Christian league is " praying" for this statutory untruth Under this shameful oonscienoe olause (as I have often shown) provision is made, by Act of Parliament, fpr the proeelvtism of the children of unoonsenting as well as of I consenting Catholio,. Jewish, Protestant, and other normally objecting parents— even the pretence of ascertaining their wishes in the matter. "What moral, right has any Government to place that cunning conwaenoe-dause falsehood ' upon the Statute Book? No answer htm yet appeared. Catholics would rejoice to see Biblical and, religious instruction in the publio schools— by the league's way, however, but by God's good way of truth and justioe and high honour. HB-vbt W. CtXABT, D.D., March - Bishop of ikuokland.