BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10529, 17 December 1912, Page 6

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

PAHAGKAPirS ON THE MOVE- - MENT.

(By a Lutheran.)

Continued; It is impossible for a teacher to “simply see that the children understand the (Scripture) lesson as intelligently as' any other reading lesson from any other book without giving sectarian, dogmatical,or theological instruction. Take, for instance, the lesson on the nativity of Christ, “Unto You is Born this Day a Saviour, which is Christ.’’ If 'the children are to understand this lesson : intelligently they must know the ’following points at least: —Who was Christ, where was He horn, and ilwhy is He called a Saviour. If these points are not brought out the lesson will not he understood intelligently, and if it is to be intelligently it is dogmatical or theological instruction. Suppose a teacher would read an historical essay on “Nelson, the Hero of Trafalgar” with his class would, not every intellectual man and ..woman expect the teacher to tell his ’"pupils where Nelson was born, who he was, how [and why he came to Trafalgar, and why he is called the Hero of Trafalgar? The same rules apply to make secular and sacred reading intelligent. There is much ado made about | teaching general religious truths. ! To generalise in theory may be per- 8 missible, but in practice it will net work. What sane woman would think of ordering £5 worth of general draperies, and where would

you find the draper that would fill such an order? Such a way of doing business "would be unsatisfactory for both parties. Of course, if the woman is foolish enough to insist upon her general order, the draper will mako a selection according to his ideas of the requirements of the purchaser suitable or not for her. Such will be the case if the Bible is introduced into our public schools, and the teacher required to teach general religious truths. If the penole insist on having the Bible in the State schools the teacher will and must be guided by his or her religious views in giving the lesson. I can hear the promoters of the Bible in State Schools shouting Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, Governors, Premiers, lupsectors of Schools, teachers with 45, 30, and 28 years’ experience in order to disprove my statement. But undaunted I maintain my assertion for I have the unimpeachable testimony of One whose testimony outweighs, to a Christian at least, all the opinions and testimonies of the whole world, the testimony of Him who is the Alpha and Omega of that book winch the B.S.S.L. is trying to introduce into our State schools, namely, Christ Jesus, the Sou of the living God. He says, “Out of the abundance of the heart the month speaketh,” etc —Matth. 13, 34,_b. 85. If the heart is full, i.e., if it has fixed opinions and views—he they right or wrong—it must give utterance to its thoughts, and .nothing in the world will stop it. Only the person who is neither cold nor warm, a most contemptible creature, can bo indifferent when discussing the most vital subject—religion. If the people of Hew Zealand are |n intelligent people (which I think they are) they will not buy a cat in the bag. That the system has been in use for nearly half a century in New South Wales only proves that the people are satisfied, hut not that the system is good. The Mohammedan is satisfied with the religious system laid down in his Koran. This system has been in use for more than 13 centuries and has more than 200 million adherents. Do these facts prove that the Mohammedans’ religious iieas are right? As a Christian I must ascertain what the Bible says of its use, as an unbeliever I ask what does common reason and wisdom teach, and after I have found a solution of the question I may look about to see if experieuce substantiates what Scriptures or reason teach. The Augsburg Confession and its Apology which is subscribed by every Lutheran minister clearly shows what stand the Lutheran

Church took from its very beginning on the question of State v. Church. Article XXVIII. Augsburg Confession rightly says: “The political administration is occupied about other matters than the Gospel. The Ecclesiastical and civil powers are not to be confounded. The Ecclesiastical power hath its own commandment to preach the Gospel, and administer the Sacraments. Let it not by force enter into the office of another. . . let it not prescribe laws to the magistrate, touching the form of the Republic ; as Christ says John 18, 86; Luke 12, 14; and Paul Phil. 3, 30; 3 Cor. 10, 4.” The Apology of the Augbsurg Confession (Article XVI.) says: “The Gospel does not bring ns new laws concerning the civil state, but commands that we obey present laws, whether they have been framed by heathen or by others. . . The Gospel docs not introduce laws concerning the civil state, but the remission of sins, and the beginning of a new life in the hearts of the believers; besides that it not only approves outward government, but subjects us to them (Rom. 18, I.’’)