The Mutilated Bible in Schools UNKNOWN TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2669, 10 May 1905, Page 33

The Mutilated Bible in Schools UNKNOWN TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, — I am pleased to .ir«e some more light—

j at least, "sidelight — cast on the programme j of the so-called Bible-in-Schoc's Referendum League by the account given by youi Wellington correspondent of the counterblast of the State Schools Defence League. The manifesto therein referred to will help to op&n the eyes of Christian people to th« enormity that is being perpetrated by thig precious Biblc-in-Schools League in the

name of God and the Bible.

It is evident

that the State- Schools Defence League is on a rationalistic basis, and its objection is to the supernafcursri in .the Bible. With it* standpoint in that respect I have nothing to do: but with its endeavour to defend the public schools from the . designs* of this Go-called Bible-in-Sehcols League I am at one.

I have already called attention in your columns (on the 22n<3 ult.) to tho .extraordinary circular issued, I understand in thousands, by the so-called Bible-in-Schoola Referendum LeSgue. In cold type its programme contains these two statements as to the object of the league: — (1) "To rouee Christian people to a sense of the vast importance of the struggle to restore the Word of God to its place in the curriculum of tho public schools." (2) " What, we seek is to place the Biblci in the schools and let it speak for itself."

Thafc two such assertions should be made by a league professedly acting in the nameof God and the teible and the Christian. "Churches" of this land or of any land, when the very -oppos-'te, at least of No. -2, is the truth, shows how blunt the moral sense of the community has become or howignorant ifc is of the facts. If such a» circular had been issued by a commercial' firm the public prosecutor would -instantly have intervened. " What we seek is tc place the Bible in schools and let it speac for itself!" A lot of mutilated scraps, snippete, and texts wrenched from their context and framed under headings setting forth a counterfeit of Christianity,- or g, " Christian " Buddhism, are being palmed off on the Christian community as th& '"Bible in ichcols speaking for itself!" If thie is the product auc) these are the methods of present-day organised Protestantism, through General Assemblies andi conferences, then I do not hesitate to say that the most dangeiroas enemies of tho Bible ' arfd cf the Christian faith are these same assemblies and conferences. Is it to the Roman Catholic Church that the Christian people of New Zealand are to look for a defence of the Bible and of th<* Bible revelation? Yet the fact is that it is the Reman Catholic Bishops who have alone denounced this mutilation of- the Christian Scriptures. Is thic what Protestantism' has come to? "The Bible is Ihe religion of Protestants!" Here we have the " Protestant Churches " endeavouring to fei-co the Government to impose this mutilated Bible and false religion upon the public schools as a national Bible and r.«w national religion of New Zealand. A "union of churches" with a vengeance! May God scatter all such " unions " to the four winds.

I believe, Sir, multitudes of Chrisfiaaj p&ople who have given their suppoit to this Bible-in-Sohook League are in total ignorance of the nature of its progra.mme, : They are deceived and imposed upon. I lately asked a leading Victorian minister if he was awarci of ihe nature of tic Victorian Bible-in-sohools selections. "New," he said; "the masa of the people vototife on them in entire ignorance of their "contents". I showed him the New Zealand version of the=e selections. He was perfectly amazed, and admitted that my description of the " selections " as mutilations of Scripture is correct. And more amazed was he to find that the dogmatic teaching by the selections presented a perversion and counterfeit of fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. It is not surprising, therefore, if the great mass of Christian people are ignorant of the desigßs of this New Zealand League when such a circular as that lying before me is being issued in. thousands.

And you report from Christchurch thafc tho league is delichled at the success of its - agent down sourh at having bagged go many Otago M H.R.s to pledge themselves to submit this mutilated Bible and false religion to a vote of the adult population, including Maoris! '"The Otago M.H.R.'s who have promised adherence are Messrs Millar. Bedford, Arnold, Sidey, Reid, and Allen." Good, indeed, for the 4eague's agent. If ho issues a few moie thousands of these circulars and gets people to believe the statements therein no doubt he will gret thousands of "adherents" among the Christian people who are deceived into thinking that tho ''Bible speaking for itself " is thj> gift of this league to the nation. A stone for broad ! A counterfeit, for the true !— T am, eto., Lovell's Flat, May 3. P. B. Feasee. P.S. — Xo one has answered my question in your columns, April 7 — viz.7 ''"Could: any of the gentlemen referred to say whether the Bible ' selections ' of the league have over been submitted for approval to any of the Church courls in New Zealand and adopted by them?" That is a poser for the "leaders." I repeat it.— P. B. F. — The scorpion is the most pugnacious creature in the world. If you were to place a couple in the same box one would U<* Stung to death withiu a f^w minute^