BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19806, 29 November 1927, Page 14

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

gi r; —The more one sees of the Roman methods of controversy, the more obvious its crookedness becomes. The Rev. Dr. Buxton and his bishop have been telling the public that they possess the Bible-in-Schools "League's own official declaration that no mercy will be shown to conscientiously objecting teachers, that they must either conform to the State religion and turn hypocrites, or run the risk of being driven" like criminals out of the public service." In answer to my demand that he should produce this "official declaration," Br Buxton gives an extract from a pamphlet written in or before 1914, which contains no reference to mercv or no mercy, no reference to State religion, to hypocrisy, or to criminals. He now tries to divert attention from his humiliating climb-down by quoting a number of other alleged statements —none of them "official declarations" of the league —which, so he states, declare, "in direct or equivalent terms," that conscientiously objecting teachers will be forced to resign. Experience has made me very suspicions of I>r. Buxton's "equivalent terms." I -am quite sure that by the dexterous use of "equivalent terms." he could easily prove to his own satisfaction that black is white. He jumps at "equivalent terms ' as an easy way to escape from that "rigour of strict proof" which he demands from those who differ from him. He does not seem to realise that the controversial honesty of the official spokesman of the Roman Catholic Church is at stake. lam getting tired of driving Dr. Buxton from ditch to ditch. Of course, as every reasonable person knows well the Bible-in-Schools League never made any such "official d.eclaration. ( . Perch-at, James.