BIBLE INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2200, 30 April 1896, Page 11

BIBLE INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS.

A-neebing of church office-bearers, Sabbath school teacher*, and others in acttse sympathy with the movement to secure undenominational religious teaching in the public schools wan hold in Fira.t Church Hall on the evening of the 23rd. The hall -was Wl filled. Mr George Raid was voted to the chair. The Rev. I. K. M'lntyre opened the meeting with prayer. Apologie» ■were then read from Revs. R. Taylor, Dr Dunlop, Messre A. C. Begg, B. B. Cargill, Duncan Wright, *nd 15. Roftevear. The Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland explained that eoine time ago the presbytery had appointed a committee to open negotiations with . the offioe -bearers of every church to see if they could not unite with the movement that has been carried out notth of the Waitaki — a movement in -which the Episcopal, Preibyterian, and Methodist Churches h»d united. Last year very largely-signed petitions were got up in Christchurch, Wellington, and other centres of population in the North Inland and in the north of the Middle Island, but down here in the south very little comparafvely hud been dene, so that nothing came of the movement beyond presenting petitions last year to Parliament, wbo appointed a select committee to take evidence, which was obtained from some of the leading ministers, teachers, and a number of other prominent men. Last eats-ion Mr Smith, member for Chriatcburch City, in f roduoed a bill, but as it was then late in the session nothing was done with it. The seme bill will be brought before the House this year, and it was desired that all ! over New Zealand those who favour undenominational religious instruction being given in the public schools of, the colony should get tap largely signed petitions to present to Parliament in support of Mr Smith's bill. Borne time ago a meeting of ministers aud others was held, at which the religious irstruction in schools question was discusred, and it was decided to torm an .association Ei-nilar to those of Christchurch, Wellington, Palmer*ton North, Auckland, acd other centres, to be wiled "The Scripture Text Book in Schools Association " Mr Sutherland" went on to say that the way it was proposed to give tbis undenominational religions instruction was by the introduction of the Irish National Text Books on Scriptural lessons. He uod<teto d that in Wellington they were .canvassing vigorously, and expected to get 10,000 signatures to the petition in that city alone. The bi&hops of the Anglican cburrhee north of ike ' Waitaki were thoroughly in sympathy with the movement, and that, of course, meant that the great body of the English Church people in tho.-e districts would also ba in sympathy ifitli it. The whole of the Wetleyaus and Prealyteriani were also in sympathy with them, and they found that when they went round with the petitions numbers of Ca) holies also signed Them, on the principle that it was better to have the Protsttant religion tiught than to have gcd'ess schools. Bishop Nevill r.05 only wanted the text, book, but something mflre. But it was no use for them to go iv with the bishop and a°k for something more -while the people in the Northern churches were asking for the text book alone. Unless they fell into line with them in this matter it would mean that they should not get what they wanted, at all, and would prevent the Northern people from getting what they wanted also. He had written to Bishop Net ill saying that if he could see his way to fall in with the majority they would be glad to have him at the meeting, but he had sot beard from the bishop. He (Mr Sutherland) wouldr say that a number of the bishop's clergy in Ducedin and throughout his diocese were iv sympathy with the movement, and a large number of the Anglican laity were thoroughly in sympathy with ifc. The Rev. B. P. Cachbmaille (All Saint")') said that he had been such a short time in Duoedin that he could not speak on behalf of his brethren ; but, speaking for himself alone, he said that he felt one great gritvauce against the State schools was that Bible instruction was excluded from the curriculum. This exclusion brought dishonour upon the Word of God. In the Home country it was felt most deeply that you could not educate properly without the Bible being taught in some fhape or form. He could entirely corroborate the statement that the bishops of ths different Anglican dioc ses in tbe Dorth were entirely in sympathy with this religious instruction movement, and were working hard for it. He was in Nelson at the time the petition was being taken rouud there, and was greatly surprised at the number of people who, unexpectedly, signed it. Mr Reid thought that the Scrip'ure lesion should be taught by the teachers, should find a .place in the school syllabus, and that the scholar, should be examined in this .übjecfc by

the inspectors. To enable this to be done he suggested tbe curtailing of thn history les-ons, and by that means admit of tbe Scripture lesson being included iv the nyliabu*.

The Hon. Downie Stkwabt said that if the meeting were .considering the advisability of petitioning Perilamnnt they were simply beating the air, as act above one-third of tbe members of the present House would support | this movement. What; was wasted was nob j petition?, bub th.t those in favour oftb.it movement should vote at (he next election for men who would support their views. •There was no hope of getting Mr South'* bill pasted until the personnel of the Parliament w»» changed. It would be bette-, instead of getting up petitions, to get up an agitation .and- indace the electors at the proper time to vote for men who would support their cau«e. The Rev. Mr Sutherland agreed with Mr Stewart, but submitted that one of the bet caeina of ge'tiug the personnel of the House changed was by largely signed petitions being sent to the House. When the general election came round, and when gentlemen now in the House Bought re-election, they would know what the" public actually wanted, and they would be quite prepared to vote es the people desired. The Rev. James Gibb said he was voiding" the opinions of tho meeting when he s-ated that whether right or wrong, whetber with sufficient reason or without sufficient reason, they were persuaded that the teaching of the Scriptures in the State schools was essential to tbe well-being of the community. Bair-g convinced of that, on what they regarded as good and snffi-ient gronmla, they were determined that their will should sooner or later be given effeofc to by Parliament. Ha had seen a short time ago a document which purported to be a kindot plebiscite taken iv 1881. That document showed that tho people were unanimously in ! favour of Bible-reading in the State schools. He (Mr Gibb) said that no man in his senses would venture to affirm that the people during tbeie 15 jefcrs bad retrograded, and ha had not in bisownmird the slightest shadow of & doubt that if a plebiscite —era again taken it would be found that an overwhelming mejirity of the prople in Otago end Southland vrou'd bo found in favonr of Bibk -reading and Bible- teaching in the State schools. He, however, ad mfrt el that while people were in favour of this movement they were not particularly enthusiastic abontit. But if they put a paper before them and asked them if thoy desired th« Scriptures to be taught in tbe schools they would at onca assent, though if their sj mp&thies involved their coming put to a meeting, or taking any st°p which involved some little labour, he was not so wire of their support. The following resolutions were unanimously pasfed :—": — " (1) That those present and as many more as may jcin them form an association to secure the introduction of the Irish Nutioiml Text-books of Scripture Lessons into the ppblic ■schools of the colony. (2) That'the association shall be called The Scripture Text-b-ok in Public Sc'aools Association. (3) That the object of the association shall be to secure such amendments of 'The Education Act 1877' as shall rrake a lesson from the Irish National Text-books of Scripture Lessons part of the regular school work on every school day. (4-) That the association, shall seek to seoure this object by means of sermons, lecture?, public meetings, distribution of literature, petitions to Parliament, and any other means that may ba thought necessary to secure the object aimed at. (5) That anyone, male or female, who is in active sympathy with the abject of the association shall become a member on signing the constitution or on authorising another to sign it for them. (6) That the office-bearers of the association shall be a president, a secretary (who shall also aot an treasurer), and au executive committee of 12, who shall be elected at any meeting of the association called far the purpose."

„ After the adoption of the above constitution, Mr B. B, Cargill was unanimously elected president, and Mr Duncan Wright secretary and treasurer. The' following gentlemen were elected to the Executive Committee, with power to add the remaining members and to organise branch associations and sub-commit-tees as they may think desirable: — Revs. J. Gibb, Isaac, Jolly, R. Taylor, E. P. Oachemaille, and Mes<rs A. C. Begg, J. P. Simon, Thomas CouU. Ernest Rosevear, and Sauuders (South Dunediu).

After some discussion, in which the Hon. W. D. Stewart took part, the doxology was BUDg and the benediction pronounced.