CHURCH AND STATE AND THE SCHOOL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14440, 5 February 1909, Page 6

CHURCH AND STATE AND THE SCHOOL

I!f.v. X. A. Davis. Of laic considerable attention has been paid by sonic controroiuialists to the conditions arising among our children and alleged to be due to our secular system of education. Or Cleary has stated "(he ease as the Church for which he sjieaks regards it with unusual clearness, thoroughness, ami candour; and withal with n court cousins that commends both the writer and his argument. The learned doctor deserves credit for his vigorous contribution to the discussion, and his reasonings are sound in so far as they indicate the absolute necessity for definite religious training; the unavoidable duly of the (.'lunch to see that it is adequately provided for, and the improprieties of placing any obstacle whatsoever in the way to hinder the carryin;; out of this laudable work.

The question upon which we who uphold the purely secular Stain system are divided from those who think thai, religious instruction should bo given or at any rate paid for by the State is quilc another one. It is not with irs a question of expediency, of compromise with agnosticism, of statecraft, or of mere opinion. To me, and 1 take it. to most evangelical Christians who think that the State should l« restricted to secular instructions, ihis is a matter of principle, and of Christian principle at that.

Amos Lawrence, the great American pbilosoplter, v/ben asked tor advice, once said: "Always act upon u principle of right, and in doing this nover reckon the cost." .These were brave and true words. The end can never justify improper means; the result can never condemn right doing. To think otherwise would be to lie a casuist, and to sacrifice morality to expediency, to undermine the foundations of society, and to .delmse and degrade onr inanhcod. Jesus Christ came that He- might sot men free, and though tire key? of licaven and of hell may have been given to the church, to no church or Stale or men has ever lieen given l.bc key to the bunion conscience. In thai realm God has no vice-regent. And it is here that this question is vital. In England the predominance of Anglicanism has enabled the Anglican Church to usurp religious instruction in Stato-sitpporle.il schools so that Slate religious instruction then: means Stare instruction in Anglicanism. Cannot our itoman Catholic friends sec that any system which rcsogniiics the ri'„'lit of Hie Stale to give religious instruction must in a democratic community mesr. that the denominational theology of the majority may at any time be made a compulsory subject on its syllabus? If the Slate has any right to teach or support ihe icaching or religion ?t has necessarily i right to discriminate and to select and teach that which it. may consider the right religion. No " conscience" clause can afford protection from such a possible, interference with the liberty of conscience which our system secures to all. ,: Conscience" clauses in themselves are a wrong. They aflirm the power of the Stale to grant as a privilege that whicli is a common right. In admitting the right of the State to grant such a privilege its right to withdraw it is implied. And this wo denv.

In Homo itself the denominational Stall* schools have been closed In Franco a similar column h;is Ixsen found to Ix: neces-sary. In KnglniKl the battle of tho "Nonconformists'' for deliverance from Anglican intrusion into ilie domain of llio conscience? of children is being fought to-day. And while, prohablv. the great majority of even Protestants favour some form of religious instniction liv tlie .State, there is a large a.nd thoughtful body of Christian people who deny it* piopriety, and hold t.hat secular education slmuld lie by tJie Sfaic, hut religious education by the churches.

There is a fear among many religionists that if the Bible bo not taught in our State schools our children may grow ui> in ignorance of it., and their moral and spiritual interests buffer. Doubtless the fear is well grounded, ii ihe Church i* not prepared 10 make sacrifice.*. Th« church iJiat does not provide specially ami adequately for the religious instruction of itschildren is guilty of ti serious dereliction of duty. It ought in lie prepared to do the work, and pay for the doing of ii. Indeed' it alone rati do it. Religions instniction in State, (schools could not be satisfactory, since it requires qualified teachers, neither sceptics, agnostics, nor non-Christian. Any religious tret for State employment would 1» repulsive to our souse of human right, yet without it the sytrtcm. would be a 6 liaUe to a-buee as with it it would be flerifojife .. .'

The present secular system we believe to lie right. If evils appear, owing to lack of moral or religious instruction, it is not because the Stale is not doing its duty hut because the Church is not doing its pari. I do not think the Church is doing its duty. It ought to face the fact 6, and in view of il,s commission and responsibility device means whereby our own children, as u'.dl us those of Hindoos and Chinese, may he taught th" sacred iloclritiw of our faith, iliis is a p.irt of a groat true principle which, when trulv stated and clearly seen, abundantly justifies ih» svstem of 'secular education we have deliberately chofon ill .Now /.-aland, nml it is to be hoped will zealously defend.

lherc is, of course. little likelihood of any recession. Public opinion is vcrv largely in favour of ibe scular system. " Those ipiite properly tonWrval'ivo powers -the pulpit and the press-,,,-,, if not ~it o. gel nor Willi ,is. with ~s •„ „ considerable exlonl. Ihe press has moved to this position more rapidly ihan il anally moves j„ advocating reforms, hut having' ,„ C veii is .splendidly slauncli ami courageous. Those who cry out for a return to the old evil days of Church dominance over ih" Stale or of Church union with the Stale—dare of iiiUileiftiieo and indignity. -net surprising since the Church was herself in the wron*' cry in vain. Wc have not forgoiien the lessons of history, and if our faith in God to-day be' larger our faith in councils is proportionately less. The liberty we enjoy was bought too dearly to be lightly surrendered by ilieir sous. Therefore, wo depur.Uo any suggestion of departure (voir, our spiendidlv working democratic system of free and secular etlueat|/on by the .State, and s.r; to the Church, let the example, of the Mate encourage you. As our secular educators are making good citizens, go you and in llie bcsl way you can gin Ihe children under your influomo and make of them good Christians. Tints Church and State, each free in its own sphere, will help each other best. Bui cither State religious instruction, or Slate grants in aid of such instruct ion—never.