BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19807, 30 November 1927, Page 14

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Sir, —Canon James has not denied any of the facts cited by me. As shown by his letter of November 25, he differs on the "interpretation" of the league executive's official pamphlet in my possession. The utter wortblessness of 'no league's recently adopted conscience clause for teachers was admirably demonstrated in the above-mentioned pamphlet by the league executive of 1914, which still remains legally, morally and largely personally the same body. That pamphlet declares that any conscientiously objecting teacher would be "a perpetually recurring storm centre," and "thereby incur hostility" and "give offence" to rival parties wherever he went. Canon James denies the justice of our interpretation of the pamphlet from which these quotations are taken. The whole question is thus primarily one of interpretation of undisputed facts. To show that we had gauged the full significance of the assertion of the league executive's pamphlet, I still further disclosed the mind of the league by giving detailed references to the declarations of league leaders and members which went to show that the league has at no time set any real protective value on a conscience clause for teachers. The only thing Canon James can say in refutation is that the actual words of what he admits was but an interpretation are not contained textually in the original league executive's declaration showing the utter futility of a teacher's conscience clause. He should not be so absurd. St. Patrick's L. T. BttxtoK.