ARE WE BECOMING PAGANS?

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12099, 17 March 1910, Page 5

ARE WE BECOMING PAGANS?

STATE EDUCATION

AN ARCHBISHOP'S VIEWS

(Special (o Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. His Grace Archbishop O'Reilly, of Adelaide, accompanied by his private secretary, -the Rev. Father Kelly, arrived m Auckland by the P. and 0. steamer Mongolia from Sydney. His Grace has been m very poor health for some time past, and is making the Crip to Auckland solely for the purpose of recuperating by a. sea voyage. He left on his return to Australia by the Mongolia last evening. Interviewed by a Star representative Archbishop O'Reilly had .sonio interesting remarks to make on subjects which have received considerable prominence m tho newspapers of .recent date. ' Asked Avha-t his views were m regard lo tho recent controversy between Cardinal Moran, of Sydney, - and Mr Hogue, Minister for N Education, m the New South Wales State Parliament, his Grace replied that the position was a serious one. In his opinion tho question of Bible teaching m the State schools, Which formed the subject of such great contention is unwise, unworkable, and unjust m any but denominational schools. "It is unwise," .said the venerable prelate, "because there is no guarantee that the teacher is a believer m the Bible himself. It is unworkable, because m the State schools you have a collection of agnostics, Catholics, Jews, and others, and it would be impossible to formujate a scheme that would be acceptable to all. It is unjust, because you would bo compelling certain religious factions to pay for a system of education m Which they do not believe." <■ Asked his opinion m regard to the question of State assistance to schools his Grace replied that he did not think the question came within the sphere of practical politics of ouir day. The feeling m Australia- was strongly m favor of undenominational schools. "We Catholics have to bend to. that feeling," declared the Archbishop, "and we willingly do so. Sir Henry Parkes, as Premier of New South Wales, with many dissenting clergy to buck him up, boasted that he was going to break up the Catholic schools with his secular systemj and openly avowed that m so doing the priests' trade would be gone. In place of smashing them Sir Henry Parkes' Act had the effect of consolidating and ' extending, them, not only, m New South Wales, but m every part of the Commonwealth." '

"How often do we hear the question raised 'why do men not go to', church?' " continued/ his Grace. "I have no hesitation m Isaying that that problem only, concerns Protestants. It is not our trouble.. /Our wprry is to find seats for the men of bur faith. 1 have 22 churches m Adelaide, and I could fill a dozen, more to-morrow if I had them. The explanation, is that if you ,-bring upchildren as* heathens the result must be disastrous. If God's name is never mentioned m the school, and often never m the homes, what else can be the re* suit? If the boys and girls arc brought up young pagans, you -cannot expect them to , turn to Christianity later m life, so you find to-day that denominations other than the Roman Catholic are asking 'Why do men not go to church?' And the answer is not difficult to rind." ''Then do you think that religion is losing its sway ?". he was aSked. '"Yes," was the reply. "It is a heartbreaking thing to say. There are no people so splendid as the people of Australia. My .whole. heart goes oiit to the country and its people, but this breaking away is to be ascribed to a spirit of indifference inculcated m the State schools. Everything depends on the training of the youthful, mind, and the children of the Kist generation ;i.re the parents of to-day, and if they are untaught of €!od themselves how cait they be expected to teach their children?"