BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11188, 10 August 1898, Page 3

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. TO THE EDITOR.

I -Sib,—Your correspondent " tst Well Alone " seems to think it is impossible to inculcate religious truth iv, the State schools free from I denominational bias. Many outside the clerical ■ ranks think otherwise. Such fully realise that [ mere head )niowled.ge will never [develop the moral faculties orinany way hasten on the day seen by the prophetic eye of Burns: ;: When nian to man the world o'er Shall brithev* T>e. , •'.':■' ! The ; Bey." John Watson in that most revolu- ! tionary book "The Mind of the Master" hats formulated » creed which has since become generally known as'"lan Maclaren's Creed." Many say it.:*t6pfr'short of'a full statement of what they believe to bo the truth, but so far aa it goes it has-been accepted as a good working creed by men of' the most divine character and beliefs. Here it is:' VI believe in the Father-hoodoof-Go ;■ I-beiieire ioi •the'words of Jesus ; I believe. -10 the clean- heart; I believe in the se:vice-of love; I believe in. the .unworldly life; T btl'eve in ; the*Beatitu4ss ;' I promise to trust God and folloir Christ," to forgive my onemies, and to seek after, the righteonsness of God." I "For three short, years'the chutch had no other creed, and it was by holy living and not by any mot?ipbysioal subtleties' the Primitive Churoh lived,'suffered,.and conquered." Is it imr/ofsible to' teach snob' a creed in the schools ? The first, article in the catechism of it would be the 'existence 'all- arbiind us of a Supreme Intelligence and Power; The second the existence of'the human soul, a 'spark: from the Deity—thinkef of, our thoughts and regu- - Utor of all functions of the body. Third and last article'of iajthi or father ofi knowledge— tho: indestructibility of-; thei-vsoul- and. -its passing • after ~ the;, departure, of the body into a higher sphere of eiistenca with a bodyinvisible to the physical eye, but none the less real and adapted to the sphere it is to live in, aud witUall the leadiog. traits of character acquired during; earth .life unchanged—this character.aione, without. distinction' of sector creed, determining the condition of the soul for better or for'wrirse.in the ijext world. Who are those'who will object to snch truths bdog taught in the echoola J> If the oburches, instead of asking for what they are never likely to 'obtain, would cease wrangling over-Bible-reading and Scripture Text Books, and acquiesce in.sach religious teaohiDg as indicated,-surely it would be X great improvement on the present state of affairs. On the solid foundation laid in the -schools tlie churches nau afterwards i build theT::bav and the stubblo each may fancy.—lam, &c.,/' . , Dunedin, August "8. . Veeitas. !

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