THE "BIBLE" IN SCHOOLS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14341, 10 July 1914, Page 8

THE "BIBLE" IN SCHOOLS.

TO THE KDTTOII. Sir,-We have it ex caihcdra from ‘’St. -•■ I icae.el that i bo Catholic l l \der;r ion is crturbed" ! Well, well! now it is ollicially o ,■ i i e e d for us that, when a certain body protests against a gross violation of the fundamental right of religions ■ •quality and freedom, it is "pertorbed.” ■’at. Michael" is not content with attempting (rather childishly) the role of ialaliihiiity, which I understood, perhaps mistakenly, to be centred somewhere lav distant from Wanganui, bat he also comes out in the guise of a prophet. Just listen ! "It fart her foresees that t he great energising hope of the Homan Catholic ■ ha: eh of State aid will be completely ■ x,inguished the moment the law of our hind p. nails the entry of their priests to the State schools, to teach their own children, in their own way, their own religion.-' I suppose that, as a Catholic, I may fairly lay claim lo having a better knowledge of the state of Catholic feeling on the education question chan "St. Michael,” who, notwithstanding his nom <!e illume ami his views on this question, as well as his diverting theological utterances in connection with Sunday concerts, is a rank outsider, and I would accordingly make bold to say that “St, Michael" is actually wrong, marvellous thong!! it may seem, when he says that tr.e ‘expectation of State aid is the : il energising hope of the Homan Culi <)'!•' ('harch.'' I hasten to assure "St. Mi; h-iel” that our "great energising hope" is something very different to what

! c iniayises if is, n;1 lias actually '-cry iiVlSc- to do with As sd. I should like to - cm;: I - U , however, Hi::! ‘'lUli,'" of I);!!'

"great energising hop W for Hi" past 117 years oi' .s'i lias been that -unlike his-co-religionists will) their late-boni enthusiasm—we should be aide to bring up our children in a p'ope;ly Ciiri-1 ian manner.

an I io ibis as;,!-■ again unlike las core! ig'i onists of many ami varying brands —v.\ Save (.(insistently opened our pockets ‘sets for '••.ai:e school iaxation purposes aud for the maintenance of our own •sel* .o.m. which amounts 'to uihmla'-y 'i-alile taxation for conscience sake. “St. Michael'’ further assures us—what a i: eo ;:.e it is to hare an ii’l'nl>i ; >U* adviser on these matters! —that the Catholic claim will fall to the ground when—

’ suo.d;! have said “if" —the Biblc-in-St hauls proposals become law. In all hj -.minty L must again di-agrce. Instead of failin''; to (he giouud, it will become st.engt cue ! be this fresh imposition, ami m iy I e .elated some!king as follows:

“Von eomivl-elled r.s for U7 years, in obedience to the dictates of conscience, to e:ret our own schools, for Ciu istianitv was b.!ai-h''d from vour school-, and then

j on chan - ad sour minds aid esrabii-bed a k",;l o ; beligious' teaching extracted mini the L'lo'.'cstaut Bible, and. gave us Hie in lilting tr.iv; sty of an olVer of the rigii; ol entry into the State schools, where our children. 1 y rea.sru of our :,7 yemw of riii "? for religions educatin'!, do not, aLimd, As you have endowed Proles'antis.-:; in the .’■'(are schools parfly nl mr ■.•VI-en.s., wo demand a sii'-dav for the

•i.eular e.'niatnn resnlls of our own schoolwhich we ereeieil a.i the 'lidding of ccnscieiu’e. when mm-Catholies we:e

emileui •. ish Menuc:; paganism.‘ " Again Kx cathedra ! “The Bibh-in-s: bools pro

po-ais were so fair and equitable to ail parti.s as to ' c unanswerable." “Si . Atic'iaei" gives me a pain. “St. Michael's"

“siaali minority” (only Ljll.fliK! or so) likewise 'lava a pain. Lair and equitable! Fair and eor.habie to sit idly by content ■V' ’ll “:eli::ed paganism" for 37 you r.s, while I iLhoiics sweat aud toil for Hie e-cetimi and maintenance of their '"iui-tiap schools, and then when the “Bible-iii-sebools" congregations are dwindling to nothing through She catting off of the supply. Io turn round, and. completely ignoring lac history of the ■past :’7 years’ si niggle, and scorning am! laughing at its toil am! s.lf-sacrilice, offer Cal holies the mncheiy of an oiler of Hie right of cut- y into State schools, (This quite apart from the other objections to the proposed scheme, which are not incomiderable.) .'..gam, Sir, am) finally, "St. Aiiihael” gives me a pain.—T am, ei.a, ' CATHOLKThS.