BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 34, 22 December 1893, Page 20

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

TO THB EDITOR OF THE OTAOO DAILY. TIMES.

Sib, —Your irsue of yesterday contains a report of the speech delivered on the previous day at the Boys' High School by the Bey Dr Stuart, chairman of the Board of Governors of the High School in this city, in which report I find the following passage :— « The Bey Dr Stuart said :— Boys, I have great pleasure in meeting yon on the clokiog day of the school year, and the more so that I have tbe assurance of the rector that be reports favourably of the school as regards progress and conduct. Am I right in connectIng this result, in a measure, with the Bible-reading aod prayers with which each school day begins and at which mas' era and tcholars are present T These exercises, lam confident, will help you to obtain a true conception of God as Father. Shepherd, Judge, and King— the conception which will powerfully constrain you to t ike the Divins Word as your rule in all mutters, moral and social, as well as in lessons and recreations. The knowledge that the masters, from »heir years and station, must have the right cone-pMon of God in a higher degree than youraeves will inspire you with perfect confidence io their justice, fairnew, and constant desire for your true well-being and the direction of your studies on the lines of approved experience." It gives me great pleasure to learn that at last tbe reproach of tecularism has been removed from the high schools. And I hipe that the Press and public men who have so often proclaimed that when the Bible should be introduced into public schools the Catholic claim for aid to Caifcolio schools would be irresistible, will not now forget their frequently-expressed opinions and convictions on this point. I was, therefor?, disappointed at not finding any comment by you on this new departure of tbe Governors of tbe High Schools, and shall await with anxiety the fulfilment of your ofter-implied promise to help to aid us on the introduction of the Bible into the

public schools . But perhaps lam too pressing, and that in a few days you will fully meet my expectations, and begin an agitation for aid to Catholic schools. I urge you to do S3 in the caute of con* sistency and fair play.— l am, etc., Dunedin, December 15. t P. MOKAN.