Public Opinion RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

Southland Times, Issue 25692, 29 June 1943, Page 3

Public Opinion

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

IN SCHOOLS Sir, —Your correspondent “Veritas” has replied to the advocates of Bible-in-schools on a high level of discussion, and needs no help from me there, being amply equipped historically and intellectually to deal with those who would still have us swallow both Jonah and the whale. But it is heartening to know that one is not alone in the fight for truth and enlightenment, and in support of what he said about family life in Russia I should like to quote Hewlett Johnson, Dean of Canterbury, in “The Socialist Sixth of the World (1939). “Great stress is laid upon the value of the family, and notwithstanding all that is done by the Government for the children, neither father nor mother are relieved of their parental responsibilities .... The legal protection of motherhood in Western European countries is still behind the U.S.S.R.” “It is said that the Soviet order has destroyed the homes of Russia. If by ‘destruction of the home’ is meant moral infidelity and looseness of living, the charge, is false. The moral atmosphere has cleared.” “When Christianity invaded Russia in the year 1000, it came from Byzantium and in a form which spelt subjection for women by Church and State. Inferior places were allotted to women in church. Women might not approach the altar. At marriage a man’s ring was gold, a woman’s iron.” My own first contact with this oriental belief in the inherent evil of worrfen filled me with unchristian disgust when, at a crowded service in an English cathedral, I noticed that women members of the congregation were not admitted to the choir stalls, where only men were allowed. Your own leading article on “The Decay of

Faith” is a fine contribution to our *• thought on this subject and will be 3 welcomed by all who are facing the . position squarely. Faith is not a mat- , ter of the will but of the intellect. No ’ amount of wishing will produce sincere t belief if the thinking mind denies as- - sent. A disciplined outward observ--3 ance such as existed until recent times ‘ will only produce sheeplike submission ! or hyprocrisy. And this is what the advocates of Bible-in-schools want, to force on us. In addition to wasting 1 valuable school time, compulsory religious instruction will produce un- ’ happy distinctions among the pupils, as it does now where it has been allowed to creep in. I notice that the Rev. E. O. Blamires was careful to em- ■ phasize that they had made sure of ■ their legal right of entry. That is, they are content to be within the letter of the law while they break it in spirit; for it is still one of the three fundamental principles of our education system, that it should be secular, however much our practice may have fallen away. (There should be no need for me to quote 2 Co. 3,6.) In schools where religious instruction is given, it is in practice compulsory. As a parent I am reluctant to mark out my child for comment by insisting on his exemption for the sake of my conscientious scruples. Bible-in-schools advocates cannot shut their eyes to the hypocrisy that will result when teachers, knowing the declared attitude of board members in favour of Bible-in-schools, are faced with the choice between claiming exemption on conscientious grounds and submission for the sake of their families. In country districts , there is the risk of actual ostracism and ■ persecution. ‘ ANOTHER PARENT. ‘ Sir, —I quite agree with Mr Polson 1 when he says that many children in this J Christian country know little or nothing k about Christianity. The Bible is our 1 national heritage and every child should * be given religious instruction in order I ‘ to be fitted to become worthy citizens ' of the future. For many years the Bible } has been considered the secret of Eng- 1 land’s greatness. During the last century . a portion was read aloud in the schools 1 in England every morning and the nation became a people- of one book— J the Bible. The effect was wonderful. A c good moral and religious life was developed in every class of people. The ‘ following striking words were written j over 100 years ago by an English working man named Huntington: “A nation t must be truly blessed if it were governed by no other laws than those of the f Bible. It is so complete a system that nothing can be added to or taken from j it. It contains everything necessary to j be known or done; if affords a copy for j a king and a rule for a subject; it gives ; instruction for a senate, authority and } direction for a magistrate, and cautions j a witness, requires an impartial verdict ( of a jury. It tells the husband how to ( rule in his home and the wife how to j manage. It gives directions for weddings j and burials; it promises food and j raiment and limits the use of both; it a promises an eternal guardian to the r departing husband and father, tells him ( with whom to leave his fatherless child- ( ren, and in whom his widow is to trust. 1 It teaches a man how .to set his house c in order and how to make his will. It a defends the rights of all and reveals ( peril to every defrauder and oppressor. I It brings the best of tidings and affords J

the best of comfort to the inquiring and disconsolate. It exhibits life and immortality and shows the way to everlasting glory. It reveals the only living and true God, shows the way to Him and sets aside all other gods, and describes the vanity of them and of all who trust in them. It is the king’s best copy, the housewife’s best guide, and the young man’s best companion. It is the schoolboy’s spelling book, and the learned man’s masterpiece. And that which crowns all is that the author is without partiality 1 and without hypocrisy.” M. BROWNE. Invercargill, June 23, 1943. THE NATIONAL PARTY’S CANDIDATE Sir,—The letter of your correspondent “True Liberal” is typical of all anti-Nationalists at the present time. Something is worrying him. _ Everybody agrees that in Mr William Bell the Nationalists have an excellent candidate. And what does it matter if he prefers to call himself a Liberal Nationalist? Most Nationalists of today are the descendants of the old Liberals and Conservatives who, during the last war, formed a Coalition Government and brought the country through that time of anxiety and crisis with flying colours, despite the behaviour of the Labour Opposition, which did its best to hinder the progress of the war. As everybody knows, the present war is just a continuation of the struggle in 1914-18, and today our soldiers are fighting and dying for exactly the same principles as their fathers fought and died for then. TRUE NATIONALIST. WAR CASUALTIES Sir, —While Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg is giving an account of the brave deeds of our boys overseas would he please explain why the casualties in the New Zealand forces are so much greater than those of Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom in proportion to the population? FATHER.