BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17231, 10 April 1930, Page 5

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

A NEW COMPLICATION MINISTERS’ DIFFICULTIES (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. New conditions introduced into the Nelson system of Bible instruction in schools have led to difficulties 'which are exercising the minds of school teachers, parents, and clergy. “The new conditions introduced into the Nelson system of Bible instruction in schools make it a farce, and quite unworkable,” said a minister when interviewed concerning the effect of an instruction recently issued by the Education Board that all Bible instruction must (be carried on out of school hours. “How can we induce interest in the children being taught while the lower classes, or those whose parents exempt them, arc playing football outside? Children will soon realise also that they do not have to attend unless they want to. Even now in man) schools visiting ministers have to do the marshalling of the children. “Any system that depends on the free volition of children, as the new instructions seem to provide for, will be a failure. It appears to many of us that the conditions existing before the rationalists intimidated the Education Department with threats of illegality will have to be reverted to, or ministers will have to give the training up as a bad job.” The Association of Anglican Clergy discussed the matter on Tuesday and passed a resolution that it would be advisable to stop the lessons unless the former conditions were allowed by the Education Board. The meeting desired, however, that no definite action should be taken until the Council of Christian Congregations had met. It was stated that it was useless for one denomination to drop out before the others. The case would be only weakened.