BIBLE-HEADING IN SCHOOLS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13886, 25 April 1907, Page 8

BIBLE-HEADING IN SCHOOLS.

AX INTERESTING STATEMENT,

Jlr S. Pearson, secretary of the ■Wellington Citizens' Bihle-in-schools League, has farwarded to us the following collation of communications rcccivcd by him from kindred soeioliw in various paris of tho world, the figures in parentheses standing- for the population in tho various States and countries, and the comments being supplied by the Superintendents of Public Instruction:—

America—Maine 1230,000), "Bible daily 'l'oiul in school for 2/0 years"; Now York (8,000,000), "Head daily for 250 years"; New Hampshire (432,000), "Head daily sinco 1623 Vermont. (370,000). "We encourage Bible-rending in schools"; District of Columbia (330,000), "Bijjlo read and Lord's Prayer repeated''; Kentucky (2.385,000), "Generally read"; Tennessee (2,220,000), "The Bible is our rock of public safety"; Alabama (2,250,000), "Custom in our schools neither enjoins nor forbids"; Illinois (5.350,000). ditto; Mississippi (1,750,000), ' "The Bible is not exeluod and is generally read "; Michigan (2,655,000). ditto; Arkansas (125,000), "Read in part of tho schools"; Texas (3,600,000), " Bead in some schools"; Oregun 1550,000), ditto: West Virginia (1,150,000), "No law prohibiting • Bible-reading"; Florida (650,003), ditto; Delaware (195,000), "Biblereading universal"; Pennsylvania (6.900,000), "The Scriptures must not, lie omitted "; New Jersey (?,,195.000), " Head in nearly all schools"; Georgia (2,600,000), "The Bible cannot, be excluded"; Connecticut (1,000,000). "The Bible has always been read"; Massachusetts (3,090,000). "Bible has been read in schools for 278 years"; 'Maryland (1,503,000). "Head daily in our schools": South Carolina (1,400,000), " Generally read "; Rliodo Inland (480,000), "Universal custom to Toad the Scriptures"; Indiana (2,778.000), " The Bible shall not bo excluded"; South Dakota, "May be read without sectarian comment"; Virginia 11.930,000). "Rca'd in nearly all schools"; Ohio (4,500,000), "AVc thoroughly b-slievo in it, as. it has a good influence upon our children": Missouri (3,695,000), "Optional: character-building is an important factor with us " : Nebraska. (1,525,000), " Encourage mornl culture; generally read"; Kansas (1,675,000), " Bead in part, of our schools"; Wyoming (1,200,000), "Loft to local hoards to decide"; Colorado (700.000). " Bead in some schools"; New York City, "Rules observed for nearly three ecnturios; aud all schools arc opened by reading tlio Bible." In England tho Bible is read; in Ireland either Dcuay or authorised version read, and ea,ch school furnished with a "Ten Commandments Tablet" to be bung on the wall; in Edinburgh and Glasgow the Bible is read daily. In Canada, at. Ontario, the Bible is read daily, the "Ten Commandments" to' be repeated once a week; at. Saskatchewan the hoard may permit religious instruction in schools: in New Brunswick the Bible is read in schools.

In Capo Colony tho Bible is read daily; iii Orange River Colony Bible history is lauglit. In Austria- two hours per week are devoted to religious instruction; in Belgium two hours arc given to moral instruction per week: in Prussia- four hours per week: Berlin ditto: and Hamburg two hours per week. Germany banished the Bible from her schools, but has now restored it. Moral instruction is given in France for three hours per week. In Egypt the Koran is read daily, and scholars arc taught tho necessity of religion lo man. In Japan morals and industry are taught. '11l Now South Wales flu; Irish National Board Scrip-lure lesson books arc used: In Tasmania, instruction in sacred history is imparted. In Western Australia Scripture lesson? rvre [riven orally to impress the value of the Scriptures as a ba«is of moral instruction, s In .South Australia religious instruction is optional.

Tn New Zealand, with a population of 852,462, education lias been purely sccular for 30' years.