THE CLOSED BIBLE: A STATE ERROR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11188, 10 August 1898, Page 6

THE CLOSED BIBLE: A STATE ERROR

Under the above . caption Mr B. A. M'Kfchnie.-'«» Auckland solicitor, hes prodocfed alittle brochure which forms an important contribution ta the Bible-in-schools controversy Mr M'Kecbnie holds a brief for the Bible-in- : Schools party, and tfie pamphlet undeV , cou-sider?.tiou-is an eloquent piece of epsciklplead- ' ing; which, perh'&ps, has tht greater, force on account of ~the opinions, expressed being those of a layman! In his prfface ;i tbe s.uthor i?ays : "Attentive observers 6f'the, forking, of ;oUr Education Act are' made,: aware of several defects in that meature which n quire to be remedied: One of the principal ie, undoubtedly, tbe need of some provision being made for thn rolidous and mpral'instruction of the young during school hoars., At no other timo can the attention of the children be secured; for, however attractive a • eubJKct may be, they want, naturally enough, to be, off to play sg soon us school ..hours am over." fT&v> of course, 5s .wh*t', ■' the Bible -in- School* yarty: want; but there »re no many diffi(.ultieß in the Wsy that wonder might.be expressed »t f |be (ilajm being put forth so .auiduously.v The childrou attending one of tht? larger pubiic gohools represent a mixed cemmunity, a» varied in religious tenets asthey ar<! in every other respect, so that while the children of Protejtant parent* would be -re- , ceiying their Bible; lesson during school houm, others would b&ve'tojje otherwise employed. The. derangement pith? »cbool time table by such » course, any,.teacher haviug public school ftxperience will admity would hamper ..the work of the school very much. But our,«ide ofuchooV hours there caa,be.uoobjection to Bible-reading 1 in-the school. IVIr M'K';chnie?s reference to Mr Stead's castjgatipn of Cnicagois hardly apposite to thesubject beiflssajs to discuss; for snch r state of seoiety, even ik Stesd's lurid pictura is true,.may,ariße from other causes than the want of. religious t? aching in; schools. Theauthor. (States • the grounds upon which objections, 'roj''>Bible • readio};' fti" •■■ tchoois'' 'are for-, ,: warded; ;and'>. fiayo :,'•;' The .qppouentV ; of; i readings f'tom the Bible in"; ow public' - i cho'ia}s,>d*a.h'fe '..tljsir' objections with great; . persiHteucy, and contend; th^t;|he.:State should n'ofc inculcatoeiTdr^ar: What, they regard fcp'.Dß, so." Buo<sven allowing th»t there is Bomething iti tbe objections of ppponent' to Bible-readinic in the public schobl«,;Mr .M'Kecbnie says:. " A largp portiou of the Book cm be read daily tothe youngvwith the greatett advanti>g«." That goes without sayinij,;,bijt we doubt very much if the advocates'of Bible-reading in schools could agreei amorigit tbVtcselves as to the select portions best adapted to a course of school Scriptntal readings: ,; The author contrasts 'the .-itfcitade of.ithe heathen towards thrir religion'! books an<i. .tfcat of-ite Sl^ate in this col6hy in ■barring theßibl«:frcm daily use in th« school g ; biit what of the children of Buddhists and Confucians, et hoc e/eniis liomne, who may ba attending the.New'vjjsulanii schools ? Either somif provision would have to be made for them in ttip way ,of religious teachibg, in common fairnesi,* or the St^te scfcpnls vroiild become wholesale prose) jtiiihg'Bgencieii. We'only point ous thfflfi difficulties;)!], pissing, and, while admitting ibat•■■jjf .M.'Kechnie. has made a valuable . eoncribu'tion t'o'th'e controversy, there i« a good ' de»l yet'to. be's>id;befdre this burning question is finally gettlcd;/ ,_..; \ '..', .:.:!....'.. '',