BIBLE IN SBHUDLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16818, 22 August 1922, Page 9

BIBLE IN SBHUDLS.

PROPOSED SGRIPTURE LESSONS.

AFFIRMED BY COUNCIL OF CO‘NGEEGATEGNS.

The plat-form of the movement to soc-urn Bible instruction in State whonls. whir‘h wan adopted a! HIP nnitfid t‘onfernum of rhln'che'. held in \Vollington on August 12, was: affirmed at a meeting}- of the Christchurch Colmvi‘ ni' Christian Congregations Inst» (voning. His (Erm‘c An-hbishop J'uiius was in the ('hnilx

The platform adopted by the ennfr‘renvo was ax follows:'--

(1) That a text-book be prepared by representatives of the Christian Churches for approval by the Education Department, including (a) passages of Scripture and (b) a selection of hymns. (2) That this text-book be used in the State schools for Scripture les- ! sons, to be given by the teachers, with simple explanations, for fifteen minutes daily, to be opened with the Lord’s Prayer. (3) That a conscience clause be allowed for teachers unwilling to give Scripture instruction, and for parents not desiring their children to attend such instruction. (4) Jn the event of any teacher ! availing himself of the conscience . clause, the School Committee shall | make suitable arrangements for conj ducting the Scripture lessons. j The Bev J. Paterson said the matter ! was discussed fully by the council some j months and it was decided to defer ! taking any action in view of the fact ; that there was a likelihood of a con- ; ference being called to consider the 1 question. That conference had since , been held in Wellington, and resolu--1 tions had been passed urging that j Scripture lessons should be given in j State schools. The resolutions were unanimously adopted, and these were later placed before Mr J. Caughley, the Director of Education. Mr Caughley | was unable to express himself definitely one way or another, but stated that the text-book suggested by the conference would provide a very good basis to work upon. All the delegates at the conference felt that it was essential that the children of every denomination should be given a knowledge of tlie Scriptures. They considered that that was all they could ask of the authorities, but that they had a right to ask for that much. If the suggested platform was adopted and put into effect by the Government it would mean that in every school there would be a daily reading of the Scriptures The scheme was a scheme for Biblical instruction only. The conference realised that it had no right to ask for religious instruction in schools, but that it did have a right to ask for Bible rending only. Many of the delegates at the conference did not consider the scheme adopted an ideal one, but after going into tne whole matter thoroughly, the scheme was unanimously and, he felt ho could also say, enthusiastically adopted. As ono of the delegates at the conference, Mr Paterson said he wished to say how very greatly the conference had been | assisted by Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P. The representations of the conference were afterwards placed before the Minister of Education and the Prime Minister. Ho was able to tell the meeting exactly what the Ministers had said to the deputation, but he hoped that, it would not bo many days berore the decision of the Government was made public. One tiling he could say, without giving away a confidence, and that was that the scheme met with the persona.! approval of Mr Massey. After interviewing the Ministers, the deputation got into touch with the representatives of the teachers, and he felt he could say there would be no difficulty experienced ir. connection with the teachers. Air -T. C. Prudhoe, another delegate to the conference, supported Mr Paterson's remarks. He stated that the : clieme provided for Bible lessons only. The scheme as brought down was practically on all fours with what the late Sir Charles Bowen had introduced in his original Education Act in 1877. All ; along there had been a desire on the • part of the public for Bible lessons in j school. In 1902 a vote was taken -n j Otago on the question of whether the Lord's Prayer and Bible reading should he introduced in State schools, and 32,406 voted in favour of their introduction and 1208 against, being 87 per cent in favour. Scripture teaching was given in the secondary schools at the present time, and he had never heard of any opposition to such teaching. The scheme proposed would give the people j only what they asked for.

ln rep‘q: In a (luvstimn. the rhzu'rmnn stated that Hm mmtvr of n reformulum “as not mum! at the r-(mfercnon.

Archbishop Julius, -who was chairman of the Wellington conference, said that the chiirti'a ho represented took up the matter many years ago, when they were opposed by the mass of the people and by a great many of the free churches About twenty years ago the General ~\vnod considered the question, and in 1007 passed a resolution urging that schools should be opened with prayer and Bible lessons. A society was then formed, and it did a good deal of work but it did not get much nearer its eoal. At the 1022 session of the General Synod the matter was discussed again, and it was decided that the policy of the Bible in State Schools League, which had been been adopted by the Synorl, could only be amended with the concurrence of the league. Therefore, when the conference was held, nothing was eliminated from the platform of the Bible in Schools League. But certain provisions such as “the right of entry ” were not emphasised. They were not eliminated, hut were dimply not included in the new scheme. His Grace said that what seemed impossible of attainment in 1907 had come within their reach to-day. He hoped they would clear the word *f\oular out of the Act and bring the Word of God into the schools and the school system. Lot the children become familiar with the grand old Book that was Hie glory of the race. The Rev j. Paterson then moved : “ That this Christchurch Council of Christian Congregations receives with pleasure the report of the agreement concerning the reading of Scripture in State schools readied hv the Wellington conference of Hie representatives of the various denominations present, approves generally of the plan suggested, and urges upon the Government to give effect to the recommendations, as it considers that a knowledge of the text of the Scriptures must form u. ar.ro or the essential education of ad the children of this "Dominion. The motion was seconded by ’Nit Prudhoe. The Rev TT. Wdliams raid the plat form looked like a repudiation of “ Hrright of entry.” He asked what connection the conference had with th • Bible in State School-i League. The chairman : None at all. Mr Williams: Then wb.-.t right has i*, to usurp the functions oi the league? The chairman: It has not done that The Rev J. Paterson explained that he was the secretary of the Bible in Schools Leaj.nn* and his Gra e was pre

sident, lml the league was not connect—ed with thr‘ conference. Ho detailed what lmrl boon clone by the league primtn the confm‘onco and stated that. it was now practically defunct 'l‘lw cmv {V-I‘enro r-xmsistod of I'em'eicnt-ativo; ap» pointed hv tho various (fimrchOs. and 1“ had no connection with the Bilnlo in State $011M: League. He believed that it" the platform as pub fm'ward was Carried out there would be nothing to worry about

The. Rlnr T3l Ready expressed hi< gratification with the result of flu- com forence. “0 mid he was not keen about. the right of entry for ministers. but he was koon nhout, the entry of 1110

Bible into the solmolsx If he might oxpn’ss lli§ porSnnn] convictions on the waiter, thvv were that the Bible sllmllil go in whole. without any 10th or text books. Ho lrr-lieved the Bible would >ponk for itself. Archdeacon l“. N. Taylor suggestei that the motion should be “‘m‘ded 50 that it would lm apparent that the present schcmo «my not the last Word on the subject. so that xhr door could l’m opened for modifivntions or thvn:sions.

The Rev J‘ J. North vxpressed hi: 'Cgretr that Arvhdoncon Taylor 21101111 u trying to upset the scheme by mak n 5: provision for the rig-{ht of entry. "specially :13 it was left alone by the mnl‘erenco. '

Arohrlnncnn Txn‘lnr explained that what }u- wanu'd +0 :00 was :1 01mm“ enabling: modifir-a'tions {0 1w mndc. H': was um, thinking \"hnuv of tho lightnf entry but also had in mind M" Hr-ndy’s suggostrinn about the Bihlv only being: introduced into thfv sxhooh Mr Paterson said the only hope of {jotting anything: at all wafi \n did: to the platform adopted by tlw conferencc. IL was made (:h‘m- that tho right of entry: and other matters; on which (minions were divided whlfld nnt ho

brought- intn the pl-xtform. Tlmy wore n>king for Scripture losanns only. The right of entry was purpOSely left out nml if abhor lmu'livs wanted it. it Wat their business. Ho thought il- would lw n. :I‘enf pity if after receiving the svmpnthetiv mnsidcmtinu 0f the Gov(‘rnmmlt in th‘ matter. they should run the risk 0f fnuling their own nest.

Archbishop Julius said the decisinnr» W the rmlfm‘mws‘ were in strict m‘rord—mce with what had been laid" down In loneral Synod.

The motion was carried by 11 lan: majority there being a f!,-\\' dissen lients.