PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD AND BIBLE IN SCHOOL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11191, 13 August 1898, Page 8

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD AND BIBLE IN SCHOOL.

to the editor. Sir,—lam glad to see that my little joke has had the desired effect—it has brought Dr Copland back to the true argument. But I also notice that before he returns to. it he is once more at his old tricks—viz., jumping to conclusions, and upon them making rash assertions. When will he learn caution ? If he will calmly peruse my letter of the 2nd August ha will see that in it I no more stated that I approved of the Irish Text Book than I in a foi mer letter said I objected to it. I merely; said that in wandering off in the interests of that book he was leaving the real argument, and I mentioned that the book had not even been. u»med by me, much lefs objected to. Is that saying I had no objection to it ?" Certainly not. Now, to follow Dr Copland's example aod return to the point—lie.,'the meaning of the Education Act. The interpretation clause in the New South Wales act is entirely satisfactory truly, but to thoso haviug a little theoretical; knowledge of teaching it is quite unnecessary, aDd I'suppose that the framers of our act had this necesaary modicum of knowledge ; also, as I have previously stated, the regulations under an act must bs taken as explanatory an£ »ot subversive of it, and therefore the lessons in the books approved by thafc act, and the emphasis liid. upon .the thorough mastering of the subject matter of them, makes its meaning quite clear " to the meu no less competent to judge than 'Pippa'" and Dr Copland. Let them, then, be the judges of our respective interpretations, oh, tbou irate defender of- the rash utterances of the "meenisters"!. "I am not mad, most noble"—- • But uo ! I won't. I will content myself with telling £>r Copland tbat I have met many men and, women—(he leaves the latter, out of the. question)—competent to form au opinion on the Education Act, and among them many practical teachers who interpret it precisely as I do. We are quite satisfied with it and with the books approved by it. They afford ample opportunity for both moral and religious instruction when in the hands of moral and religious teachers, aud no text book, or Bible either, would be of any avail in the hands of teachers otherwise constituted. - Iv conclusion, I must ask Dr Copland to refrain from speaking of me as "he" and "him." If he will make the acquaintance of the poet Robert Browning, and introduce himself to that poet's little friend Pippa, he will kuow better in future, for I am Pippa.