BIBLE TEACHING IN STATE SCHOOLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15184, 1 July 1911, Page 5

BIBLE TEACHING IN STATE SCHOOLS

Bv the Vex. Archdeacon Willis, Cambridge.

IH.-THE' USELESSNESS OF THE PRESENT " FACILITIES." In the second article of this series I dealt with tho necessity for the school function. It may now be said, If the school function is so necessary, why, then, do not the clergy and the churches use the " facilities" offered by the education law for voluntary- Bible teaching in tho schools? But let us see what the "facilities" arc. They arc, at liest, most miserable mnd entirely of a negative kind. By tho use of the word " sooular," and the interpretation, given to it by most administrators, the education law prevents any Bible or religious teaching given by teachers, or anyono else, during school hours. The law only admits THE BARE POSSIBILITY of religious or Bible tcaohing being given out of school hours by saying nothing to forbid it. But if a clergyman or other teacher should wish to teach in any school ho can claim nothing as a right, even out of school hours. Tho matter is practically in the hands of the various sohool committo grant or refuse, and though refusal is not the rule, it is common enough to make it quite uncertain what anwer may be given to any application. Yet, miserable as is this negativo provision, honest efforts have been made to turn it to account, and efforts arc still being made. Tho fact remains, however, that not a tithe of tho work has ever been touched and tho verdict of the clergy, as a whole, has been from tho beginning that success is impossible. A CLERGYMAN'S EXPERIENCE. I myself was amongst those of tho clorgy of the Anglican Church who gavo the matter a fair trial, For a largo portion of three Years spent by mo in a former euro I taught regularly in three schools onco a week. I taught beforo school and after school and in the dinner hour. I must not write of all the difficulties connected with my efforts., Suffice it to 6ay that I only had tho attendance of a small proportion of tho children, and only lhat of those who least- required teaching. But from the beginning I deeply sympathised with, and pitied, those children who had to stay and bo taught tho Bible while the most of their fellows woro in tho play-ground. Moreover, I resolved at tho termination of my work in that cure that I would never again uso facilities which could only foster dislike of religion. Anyono must see that those of the children who think at all can only think badly of religion, the Bible, and tho parson, if thov all alike arc considered unworthy of any proper place in the economy of tho school. CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE. - But even if the case were entirely dif-. fcrent, and the clorgy were allowed to enter tho schools during school hours, and even, if tho clorgy did all they could do in all tho schools, thoy could reach only a very partial success would bo attained. There .must still remain a very iargo number of schools which could mot bo visited, and an immense number of children who could not be givon any Bible teaching whatever. This fact alone should bo sufficient to condemn the system. Nothing can bo satisfactory that will not roach all who aro willing to be taught, and by no possibility can tho clergy attend all tho schools in their parishes or districts, even on ono day each in tho week, which would bo thobarest starvation allowance. THE FIELD TO BE COVERED. I am privileged to live in one of the most easily-worked country parts of the dioceso of Auckland. But in my mtrish there aro already 12 schools. To nay a visit to each of these 6ohools, even onco a week, would keep tho tWo Anglican clorgy in this parish continually on the road. Ono or other of us would have to visit four schools on ono day of the week, and two cchoob on each of the oth.cr school days. The distance to and from each school, including that nearest our doors, averages 16 miles per school. Thus, to get through tho work, one or other of us would have to travel daily 32 miles, and on ono day of each week 64 miles. Wo should, in fact have to give tho most of our time to the work. LAY HELP UNOBTAINABLE. Wo sometimes hear it said that tho clorgy should got tho laity to help them. Tho answer to this is simple. Wc cannot get anything liko tho lay help wo want for our Sunday schools. This being so on Sundays, when lay people may 'be expected to be most freo of engagements, there is no prospect whatever of getting tho needful help on week days, when, for tho most part, the laity aro occupied with their businesses. J. ought not to close without some mention of

BISHOP NRLIGAN'S GALLANT EFFORT.

Tho Bishop, with his splendid optimism, thought he would try to do something, notwithstanding tho fact that so many had failed already. I will let tho Bishop.6peak for himself: "At tho General Synod this year (ISM) I stated that personally I should i:ot wait for legislation before trying to do something for the children in. our schools. . . . ' Immediately • after tho General Synod I wont on an extended northem tour. In most country districts it was quite evident that, if any religious instruction were to bo given, the only person possible for tho purposo was tho teacher. Accordingly, wherever I could I saw tho teacher, told him that, for my immediate purpose, I was indifferent to his religious persuasion: the only things I wanted to know were: (a) Was the teacher a professing Christian? (b) If permission wcro given by the committoo would the teacher give a. Biblo lesson for half an hour, daily if possible, prior to Government time?. . J Tho result has been what anyone who knows tho teachers would expect—glad and ready acquiescence. . , . Bequest was made by somo teachers for organisation into a society, and for being supplied with a syllabus for Biblo instruction. The outcome was tho formation of tho BIBLE INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS LEAGUE. Bibles wcro provided. School committees and school teachers in town and country all up and down the dioceso furthered the scheme. School teachers themselves, in many instances, undertook to givo tho lessons. Tho clergy, or devoted men and women of different Christian bodies, undertook tho work in many other instances. A simple syllabus was .generally adopted. Every possible advantage was availed of. Three years later (1907) tho Bishop made a, full statement as to what had been done by tho league, and tho judgment which he was obliged to deliver after his own practical oxnorienco THE RESULT IS SIMPLY THIS: Under tho existing conditions, of religion being an ' extra,' the ' facilities' are, to any general extent, of no \'benefit to tho children of to-day—tho men and women of to-morrow. Tho 'facilities' are futile. Thoy have been tried and found wanting." I think I havo now shown conclusively tho usclcssness of the "facilities" at present afforded. In my next article I shall deal with, tho need for a change in> tho law; and shall give a. reasonable answer to all objections. \