The Bible in Schools.

Thames Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 10452, 29 October 1904, Page 4

The Bible in Schools.

SECULAR V. RELIGIOUS TEACHING. CIROULAIRi FROM 1 TIIEI REV. T|. AWILLIAMS. , . | The following circular! has' been ! addressed by the Rev. T. A- Williams i to menibei'si of both Houses of Parlia,- ' riient: —It will bo within your knowledge that the "Dibile-in-S-diools" party has requested the Premier, that, hi the proposed plebiscite, tho following question should be*Hubmit.ted to the electors': "Do you desire that the Bible les?onsi containei^ in the teixt boofc prepared hy the 'Bible-in-Sohools' Conference should be . taught in the% public sobools- by the teachers' of those schools within school hours.' May I be allowed to point out that the question so put would be manifestly ■unfair on the following grounds: (1.) It presupposes ai general knowledge of a text book of their! own creation or adoption whidx by no means 1 obtains. It would' be within the mark to say that not 2 per cent- of the electors have any knowledge of the text. book. (2.) It evades the real issue. It will be admitted that the introduction, of the proposedl text book, with its religious teaching, involves the breaking) down of the present system/ of secular education. This being so, the question! to. be •submitted' should, I contend hinge on this fundamental fact. (3-) Presuming that a. majority of the electors desire religious tea&hinig in .sio'iuo form:, the form, of question proposed by the: Bible-in-Scihools' Conference, .gratuitously assumes that theirt text, book is the only solution of thei pro'blemi as to what kind of change shall be made. Now it ; s passible that ai pro-iumedi majority would welcome a solution along ihu lines of Bible readingl without note*" or comment. .And one may reasonably ask. why ai coterie even of clergy —riiot by any mean si representative of all the cihiiir'chesi—sh'ould be allow- [ ed to dispoise of the thorny question lin thisi off-hand manner 1 I submit that the precise form and method of religious, teaching, .presuming: a majority for a. change, sho'illdl only %e-determined by tha people's representativeisi in Parliament after consultation! with; all sections of _the State and after due and wise deliberation;. On the.se ground'!* I hold that the proposed question of the Bible'-in-Sbhiools' party is absolutely unfair and should not be eintertained by you. And as t!o an. alternative questionl, which sliall be fair and' just.. to all, I would suggest the following: Are you in favour of the present secular 1 system, of education being maintained? It is the secular system that isi beingl attiioked, and this, fa.ct should lbomi'larg© in the question, and the only objection I can conceive to this must come froun tlio.se who would .uKike the present agitation appeair to be a battle for tho BibleCknnmcnding the matter to your impartial consideration.