CANON GARLAND—AGITATOR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11215, 22 October 1914, Page 5

CANON GARLAND—AGITATOR.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Wo must ali.thn.nk Professor Hunter, tho Ittiv Mi* Bates aixl M 1 Caughley for tho evidence they gnvo before the Parliamentary Comrmtteep against the Clergy in Schools Bill. Peritiit me to mention a few matters they did not refer to. A. That Canon Garland, being an agitator pui'o and simple •and a sfci'aager to New Zealand, should not have been recognised in any way by the Parliamentary Committee. B. The basis of Christianity is brotherly love. • But there is far more brotherly love among our children now-, when tho Bible is not t;vught them in .the schools, than there will be directly we admit that book and the clergy behind it. O. Crime is far less in Noiv Zealand than in New South Wales, a woman criminal being scarcely known here. D. The teaching of the New Testament in the soliools will not inculcate morality or virtue among tho children, there being no such lessons in it. To prove that I need only • point to Scotland, where Bible teaching rules, and where the illegitimate birth-rate is, I understand, tho highest in Europe. E. That the great doctrine of brotherly love is, not followed by the sectarian churches or by the Europeau nations is proved—(l) By the manner m which individual New Zealnaiders are d'ivided, notably the Anglican and Weslevan, the Presbyterian _ and the Roman ; (2) by the following late statement of the Rev Mr Royeo to tho New York "Evening Po~t": Thafi Christianity continues to exist in the outward eectiiing is most true. True, there are still popes, patriarchs, bishops, missionaries and thousands of churches, whero f ii e Bib'.o is read and prayers are eaid the year round. But if these popes, patriarchs, bishops, ministers and churches, all combined, cannot enforce upon the nations of the Christian world the first principles of the religion they profess, then it is perfectly evident that Christianity lias downin practice, at least —and the question presents itself to practical minds why this waste of men and money upon a mere theory of life that is not workable, uuon a mere sentiment which has no practical value? Tho modern world boaste. of its efficiency, of its practical, utilitarian ability; and yet it is spending millions upon millions in the support of Christian churches, Christian ministers, Christian missionaries, whose solo reason for existing is that thev undertake to persuade men and nations to live in harmony with the essential principles of Christianity, which are love to Cod and man. But the actual conduct and character of the Christian nations of the world at this moment, as revealed by the state of thing 3 in Europe, strip the churches and their ministers of ail spiritual significance. To put it in plain language, it seems that they are not doing what they profess to do and what they are paid for doing, and hence there is a vast waste of money and energy. One has a right to oSpect that, after nineteen hundred years of civilisation calling itself Christian, the Church and her ministers shou'd have influence enough and power enough to prevent the savago bmto instincts' of maukind dominating not only kings and other ruler's, but the whole body of people composing tho nations of Europe. This much we have a right to insist upon, and if the combined influence •of all organised Christianity cannot bring about such a result], then it is, I think, perfectly fair to conclude that tho Church, machinery has broken down; that it does not do what it professes to do, and is not worthy tho support it ia receiving. Of course, lam acting upon tho assumption that the people who support tho Christian Church do so with expectation that it will not only teach tho principles of . Christianity as beautiful sentiments, but will insist that at least the fundamental principles of Christianity must be regarded as controlling forces by organised society euch as States. From tho abovo X conclude that Christianity, like tho German military machine, is-breaking down, and with the hope that Parliament, in its wisdom, will go back to the position those noble New Zealand men of 1875 (notably of Canterbury) took, when they resolved that this cursed sectarian clerical Bible teaching should be kept out of our schools, and tho little tots of children allowed to grow up together in brotherly and sisterly love, as a.t present.—l am, etc., NEW ZEALAXDER. October, 21, 1914.