Bible in Scheols.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 30

Bible in Scheols.

TO THE EDITOX. ; Sib, — Probably the most striking fact about tha meeting held in the Garrison Hall last Sunday was that there was- neither a Presbyterian nor an Anglican amongst the speakers. We shall perhaps be teminded of the fact that the chairman was a Presbyterian minister, but his function seems to have been mainly the formal one of representing the Council of Churches (that forced plant which is so rapidly running to seed). Besides the politician and the Presbyterian figure-head, we have a Congregationalist, a Methodist, and a Baptist, all of whom, if they were in England, would in all probability be found amongst the Passive Resisters to the tyranny of the majority, and who are no doubt sympa- ( thisers ; and yet they are not ashamed in a country wliere but for their misguided action, we are fortunate enough to enjoy almost complete immunity from the worst evils of sectarianisii to come forward as the champions of the right of the majority to dictate to the minority even in matters of faith and morals. It may concern those vvho take an interest in this question (and Mr Wright's meetiags seem to indicate that their number is not gieat) to know what certain leaders of the Congregationalist and oiher Nonconformist Churches in England have to say on the subject. The Rev. TV Goodrich, in his recent presidential addre&3 to the Congregational Union of England and Wales, said: "The young must be re. ligiously trained. . . . But who is to give the children religious teaching? The Church or the State? Our reply is what it 4ias ever been : not the State, but the home and the Church. . . . Our logical position is that education, so far as it is given^ by tho State, must be secular, and secular only." At the same gathering Dr Guiness Rogers said, amid applause: "More than 30 yea-s ago Dr Dab and I fought this battle <m this very principle — nothing but secular education by the State. If only w * had been solid in those days we should never have seen this act." The Welsh Congregational Union, in July last, by a resolute appeal to Nonconformist principles, sounded forth no less clearly. Two other leading Nonconformist divines are no less outspoken. Dr O. F. Aked speaks of "the absolute banishment of religious teaching from the State schools" as tha Nonconformist ideal. The Rev. J. H. Jewitt says: "The only solution of the matter is to be found in the absolute Severance of the religious teaching from the official syllabus of all State-supported schools." Dr Clifford timself, after a great deal of wobbling, seems to have at last spoken out. judging from correspondence of his that has recp-ntly appeared in the press. "It is clear." he says, "that there never will be- educational peace until the educational work of the State is com pletely severed from the churches." One of the foremost leaders of Nonconformity in England is Dr Robertson Nicoi. editor of the British Weekly, and some time ago, writing editorially, he said : "We are fully convinced that the adoption of Eible-teaching will lead in due time to denominational teaching. Roman Catho lies and High Churchmen (in Victoria) have fiankly said so, and though some of them at least are in favour of Bible-teaching being adopted, they do not conceal that they support it simply as a beginning; of an^ organised syist?m of denominational religious instruction.'' Numerous, other doliveraiicos of leading Nonconformists might be quoted to tha same effect; what is the explanation of the difference in their attitude "in countries where- there is no State endowment of rcligicnt Can it be that it is only, when

they are m a minority that they insist upon their "principles,"' and that their objection is pimply t< the endowment of ihe other fellow's religion? We learn from the Daily Times report; that the Rev. C. H. Laws referred to the New South Wales system, and proceeded to shov the good results obtained, there by the introduction of Bible-reading in school's. It is to bo hoped that Mr Laws explained to his audienca that the New South Wales ' system comprises not merely Bible-reading, but also religious instruction imparted by = clergymen and others in school hours — ■ which, by the way, is largely a sham, as has been shown over and over again, liiem what are the good results? Is that colony more moral or more religious than Xe\*y Zealand or "Victoria, where pure secularism) prevails? We learn from a cablegram pub. lished a few days ago that in Sydney "a deputation from the Public Morals Association waited on the Chief Secretary to ask him to introduce legislation for checking; immorality and suppressing houses of illfame. Startling statements were made as to the growth of immorality and the increase of these houses." This appeared lit the local press on the very day before tho meeting, and the probabilities are that Air Laws had read it. and that most of his audience had read it. It does not appear, that he considere-d it incumbent upon him to reconcile it with his statement as to "the good results obtained in New South Wales. !> We learn from the Outlook that Mr Laws quoted certain testimonies ; but the remarkable thing is that "the "good results" seem t:» have nothing to do with the morality or religious life of the community. We> ler.rn, for example, that the best the chief' examiner, after 38 years' experience, car* - say is that "he never heard any dissatisfaction expressed with the authorised Scripture lessons." The reason, probably, is that the people, including Hie clergy, are too indifferent to express dissatisfaction. Another of Mr Laws's ''testimonies." and! th<% best of the lot, was that of the Undersecretary, who says: "The Steripture lessons were calculated to exerci=e a beneficial effect upon the pup.'ls, both morally and intellectually." It will be observed that this expression of opinion is purely abstract and academical, and nothing; is said as to the aciual effect. The Under-Secretarv is either more cautious or ir ore conscientious thin, tho minister who oould quoto such "testimonies" ss proof of "good results."' Dr Morris, chief examiner, is equally cautious; it appears that after 41 years' experience in New South Wales the best he can say is : "So far as my experience! and observation go, the system works very siroothly," etc. The same old story. . but; not a word about actual results of any

kind. It is to be hoped we shall hear no. more about New South Wales until some evidence* i- forthcoming to show results that are it: consistent with utter indifference to the whole subject, for it has been proved to dc-n-ionstratioii by others as v.-el! a~ by myrelf that the sv^tom is a more sham, as our proposed scheme of Bible-reading would almost certainly prove. What was the conclusion come to by Dr Dale, of Birmiagram, when he visited Australia? "That the religious life of Victoria (where tho system is purely secular), as measured by, attendance at the church services and th# Sun-day schools, was more vigorous than that of New South Wales." Dr Dale had a serious conviction that, "on the whole, religious teaching given in ordinary dayschools' lessons, instead of increasing the influence of religious life on the life of a community, and that secular -schools make the work of the churches easier."

Let us hope- that no New Zealand audience will again allow any of the clerical agitators to insult it by holding up NewSouth Wales as a pattern. If th^y had any sense of the fitness of things they would lnever name that State 'n connection with this que^ion, for if the condition of matters there shows anything, it is that there, as here, the clergy neaJect their most important function and duty, the. rr*>ral and" religious training of the young. Ther© the law gives them the right to enter the schools during- school hours to impart religious instruction, and we have it on tha authority of the Minister of Education that if they avail themselves of their opportunities at all, it is only to a very small extent — about one visit per annum for each school: iv the average ! Our experience is the s?me — they have failed to avail themselves of the facilities afforded them, and the pres-ent agitation is simply an attempt to shuffle their proper work on to the wublio teachers —to stow the> skeleton of neglected! duty away out of sight where they can'tf hear the rattle of the bones ! Dr Gibb, as chairman of the Conference, has given us> the assurance that, in case of defeat by referendum. 'Ie and his narty will abandon, agitation, but nothing: is . c aid about any intention to me»ad vh°ir ways and do something to prove th^ir sincerity by devoting some tims to the imaortant duty they .have nesrlerted so long. If they should get thpir referendum the chances aro that the voters will use it for the purpose of giving expression to their resentment, and teaching fhe clerical .rgiiators a sah.tary lesson. I know of a case in which thp head master of a large school offered to bring the children to school half an hour before the- school hour in order to enable the mini^tei' to eive them reliaiou-3 instruction, but th-o minister declined the offer — on th°- ground that this would break in too much upon ihe day ' Probably Ihis minister, like so many othersv finds that social fu notions s»'eh a« marriages, christenings, "socials." no-licen=«.» meetings, etc., take up most of their time, so fhafj they cannot cvpri g-et up a revival without the aid of a Oiosy Smith, a D-* Torrey. ott some other itinerant mi e sioner ! — T am. etc., J. MACfinEGOK.

Dunodin, March 29.