Religious Instruction.

Southland Times, Issue 19033, 29 April 1903, Page 2

Religious Instruction.

J'er United Press Association

WELLINGTON. April 28

The conference on tho subject oi seiuring a text book for Bible-reading in schools opened to-day. There wer<j 12 .> delegates, representing all parts of the colony. The Rev. Dr Gibb fDunwlhi), who presided, reviewed tho proceedings which had led up to the conference being summoned, and reminded delegates of the agitation a few months ago in various parts of • the colony in favour of Bibloteaching in State schools. The generally approved platform, he said, was that some in«ans should be devised whereby there would be a repetition in the schools of the Lord's Prayer and Scripture readings from an approved text book. He felt assured a referendum would disclose that an overwhelming majority of the people was in favour of such an alteration in the etlucatiouul system. The Presbyterian Assembly had approved of the Victorian scheme of Scripture instruction in schools, but the Presbyteriun delegates were left with their hands us free . A3 tjioso of the other delegates. The conference should either adopt the Victorian scheme, modify it, or formulate a new scheme. Having come to a decision, it should then take its scheme to the Premier, and in the name of the churches ask tho Government to adopt the scheme.

The first step taken by the conference was to decide that tho press should be excluded from its deliberations. Subsequently the secretary announced that the following resolution had been passed :— "That this meeting proceed to consider the Victorian scheme of lessons us a

basis for the lessons to he adopted for use in State schools." Tho conference resumes to-morrow.