BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9954, 16 September 1910, Page 2

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I'u the Dunedin "Evening Star" of last evening, under the heading of " What the Papers Say," I have read: "So far as wo know, a sound argument in favour of the introduction of Bible lessons iu State schools has never been advanced, and if there are sound arguments in that direction we should like to hear them.—Christchurch 'Star.'"

Wo earnestly hope that before this reaches you you will have received more than sufficient reasons to convince you and your readers that the Bible should be restored to our State, schools, but in the event of such not being the case, will you allow mo to give you several reasons why the Bible (or selected portions suitable to the understanding of the children) should be put back to our schools:— 1. Because the Bible is the most ancient and authentic history. 2. Because- the Bible has done- more than all other books to improve, purify and establish the English language. It is said to be (truly) " a well of English undenled." , 3. Because the Bible contains the highest standard of morality in existence.

4. Because no person's education is complete without a good knowledge of the Bible.

5. Because nearly all the. greatest scientists have been inspired by the Bible, from Sir Isaac Nowton down to the recently deceased Lord Kelvin. 6. Because nearly all the world's greatest benefactors and heroes have been inspired by the Bible —the Hampdens, the Miltons, the Cromwells. But your whole paper would not hold all their names, but I will mention only one more, as his name is a good illustration of what the Bible has done for a nation—mv highly esteemed countryman, John Knox, who, when his country was at the lowest depths of ignorance and degradation, established parish schools all over tho country, where every child whoso parents were unable to pay fees received a free education, and the most important point about those schools was that the Bible was established as a lesson-book. And mark the result. Mv countrymen have becomo the most honoured on tho face of the earth, so much so that it has becomo a proverb that " whoever reaches the Pole (North or South) will find a Scotchman on the other side." < In order that I.may not be misunderstood, tako notice that we have not advocated the Bible in schools in order to teach religion, but for tho reasons stated. It is a deplorable fact that those who are most opposed to the Bible as a desson-book are some of the ministers who are specially supported to teach it in their various denominations, and while they sing, " Behold how good a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity," and also, " Let names and sects and parties fall and Jesus Christ be all in all," they object to their children reading the Bible togethor, the very tiling that would tend to make '"'sects and parties fall." Earnestly hoping that the people of Xew Zealand will soon come to see that it is their duty to insist on the Bible being restored to our State schools, as history proves absolutely that where the Bible has been keot from the people, and more especially the schools, nations have gone down, as evidenced at the present time by Spain and other countries from whom the Bible has been kept back, —I am. etc..

JAMES STEWART Dunedin, September 11.