bible-in-schools.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19765, 21 December 1935, Page 9

bible-in-schools.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Mr de la Mate still will see that placing the Bible in the school-s of New Zealand under the conditions proposed by the Bill is not the same as religious, education in the schools of England several decades ago, when there was definitely coercion. Your correspondent has dug up Dr. Parker from an almost forgotten past, and seems to have no other foundation for objection than what Dr. Parker said in 1894, his pronouncement being occasioned by the unfair conditions of his times. The question at issue is; Do the people of New Zealand, in 1936, desire the Bible in the schools, taught under the conditions proposed in the Bible-in-Schools Bill? The definite indications are that the majority do desire the Bible teaching, and desire it to he administered agreeably by all the denominations. Plebiscites taken over the Nelson system have shown this. The small minority say: "No; we will have no Bible-teaching in the State schools; and w'e, the minority, are going to dominate the majority, who earnestly desire the Bible in the (schools." One large denomination stands out because it cannot agree to co-operate, and must teach - its particular denominational dogmas or nothing at all. Mr de la Mare does not believe in the Bible in the schools, and has expressed his viewpoint. I suspect he does not believe much in the Bible in any case. 'Many do not agree with him. He has quoted Dr. Parker. Many will think he is not fair to Dr. Parker, who, if he were here now, would, as a believer in, and , lover of the Bible, have no protest at all, but would probably have a very lively interest in getting the Bill on the Statute Book. Mr do la Mare apparently does not think so, and is not likely to see light and change his opinion; and so, expressing appreciation of the courtesy of the Times I leave Mr de la Mare to Dr. Parker. —I am, etc., JOSIAH SALISBURY, Hon. Secretary, Hamilton Branch, Blble-in-Schools League. Hamilton, December 20.