RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5938, 19 February 1881, Page 3

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION. TO THE EDITOR.

~Sl?-~T h0 Position which "M. W. G." assumes in his letter of to-day really amounts to this, that State education should encourage certain forms of denominationalism and discourage certain other forms. He rehearses the articles of hia own belief, namely the authenticity of the Scriptures, the divinity of Christ, the Atonement, and so forth, and then suggests that these doctrines should be taught by State functionaries m tho State schools. Ho naively remarks Tins seems the most feasible way of settling the difficulty." The Irish landlord might with equal: wisdom s. u£S e!=tas ' 'the most feasible way" of settling Us dilheulty that tho tenants should.pay their rent or submit quietly to eviction. lam not in the least concerned to fight the battle of those who reject _M. W. G. s " .credenda, but it is easy to see that whatever " difficulty" inheres in the education question would simply be aggravated tenfold' by inserting either his or my special beliefs in the curriculum of public instruction.

It should be observed, however, that "M W G " as is natural, discriminates between his own beliefs and mine. . As he would use the public school system to encourage the one, so would he usb it to discourage the other. Tho church-membership of children, their right to definite instruction in tho doctrines of their Church, the duty of the minister to give such instruction-all of which are characteristic notes of Anglicanism, as well as of some othei denommalions-" M. W. G." objects to, and docs not conceal his conviction that the State ought to object to them too. With respect to the endeavour made by certain Churches to connect definite teaching with Bible-reading, he says explicitly, " This, I hold, tbo ? fatatc ought not to encourage." Ho would mako the schools of such a character that Jews, Freethinkers Romaniste, Ritualists, could not bo cmployedin them! in snort, be would denominationalise public education alUl d°, ltso dettl >" that "theßible-in-schools" with such 'explanations end reflections" as "MWG" could approve, would cover tho whole momentous change. The Otago public, who, by what I think is Mie very improperly given permission of the Board of education, are just now about to bo polled on tho Bible-m-schools question, should take careful note of khat fact.

■\l ith respect to the practical difficulties which your correspondent alleges as fatal to the plan of ministerial instruction during school hours, itis a sufficient answer tnat the plan is already in operation under the secular Education system of New South Wales. I quote a portion of Clause 17 in tho Education Act of that Colony:— "In every public school four hours during each school day shall be devoted to secular instruction exclusively, and a portion of each day, not more than one hour, shall be set apart when the children of any one religious persuasion may be instructed by tho clergyman, or other religious teacher of such persuasion, but in all cases the pupils receiving such religious instruction shall be separated from the other pupils of the school."

As to country schools, they must accept the disadvantage of being country schools. It would be nuite consistent, with the New South Wales system that incase no minister of religion availed himself of tho privilege given by the Act, the committeo should authorise the teacher to utilise tho hour, or a portion of it, in giving religious instruction. Permit me to say in closing that I beli»ve"M W ■ G. to be as deeplyearnest in desiring to promote religious education as myself.' Unfortunately we Can-' not agree either as to what religious education is or how it is to be given. Thus differing, he invokes tho btate to his aid; I, on the other hand, ask tho State , simply to let botlthim and mo alone, allow us both to Ido our own work in our own way., If the doctrine of laissez-faire has anywhere in the whole field of polities and sociology a legitimate application it is in tins matter of religious; teaching. The State should neither make nor mar in religion. Unquestionably tho whole spirit and movement of the times favours this principle, and those who oppose themselves to it aro simply using a mop against the Atlantic. All friends of religion should welcome a modm Vivendi between the State and the Churches on the education question, and that is exactly what I think: is afforded us m the prmciplo of the New South Wales Act—l Jim, &Q. t . : ... ...:.. .. : . 1 All Saints' Parsonage, Feb. 18th. ' ' j