"CIVIS" AND THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12738, 11 August 1903, Page 6

"CIVIS" AND THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

■ - '■' TO .THE EDITOB. ■ ■- ■ | Srrs, —With reference to tJie deliverance on-the above in Saturday's "Passing Notes," I would request the fa-vour of' being permitted a few words of comment. " Oivis "■ k fond of noticing and disposing of the objections of adverse correspondents. Ho will please me by •answering in dotail the questions I am going to propound to him. Concerning those dire- evils that his weekly jeremiads fortell will'be consequent on tho introduction, of the 'Bible in the schools, I/will first ask 'him to' show how these affected this province previous to the advent of the late Bishop Mornn, when the Bible was in the schools? Again,- with refer? once to the inuendo of the clergy shirking their'duties by relegating them to the school teachers, I would direct attention to Scotland, for instance, where, in my youth,, both doctrinal and historical comments were practised -by the school teachers; ■ and I challenge "Civis" to state if in- consequence tha duties of the Scottish; clergy were lighter .•than are those in this colony, where the Bible ,is a forbiddefi Book in schools? In the last place, can "Civis" show that in New South Wales, where the Bible is in'the schools, there. obtains any of those evils that, in tints of nether gloom, ho is so fond of draping his weekly efitusions with? If " Civis" can give satisfactory answers to those three queries he' will cause me to considerably modify my views in favour of the Bible in schools. If not, then why should' "Civis" : so persistently keep on ringimr the- changes out of such arrant nonsense in' the way of argument as he has eo long been doing?—l am, etc., D. F.