SECULAR TEACHING V. AN OATH.
. « "to the editok op the independent. Sie,— lt has been asserted over and OTer again by those who advocate the restriction of oducation in our public schools to secular subjects only, that it is not the business of the State to interfere iH any way in the religious instruction of the people— that the State can by good secular instruction train a child to become a good citizen, and a useful member of society, and, therefore, it should restrict its teaching to that, as that is all tho State is called upon to do. If this be so, I would ask why does the State provide by law that when evidence lias to be given in a court of juatice, a solemn oath must be taken, in whioh God himself is called to witness, by the deponent, that he will speak tho truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth ? Surely the State requires hero a good deal of religious instruction, aye, and of religious belief too, if the oath is to be considered as binding on the conscience. And if no provision for religious instruction be made, on what grounds can tho State expect a child to whom the Bible has been a prohibited book during his school course to be acquainted with the nature, meaning, and object of so Bolemn an obligation ? Perhaps I shall be told tho secularists have no desire to prevent the giving of religious instruction to children at home by their parents, or ministers. To this I reply, many parents are wholly unablo to teach this subject to their children 5 many, alas, too careless to do it. And as so ministers of religion, they are few and very far between in our country districts. And I would • furthor urge that as it is the State which imperatively demands tho oath to be taken, and authorises the magistrate to examine the deponent as to his right conception of its nature and meaning, so it is tho duty of the State to see to it that provision be made to give effect to its own requirements.— l am, &c, E. T.
SECULAR TEACHING V. AN OATH.
Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3303, 15 September 1871, Page 3
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