The Annual Epidemic

New Zealand Tablet, 4 October 1906, Page 10

The Annual Epidemic

, The Wellington ' Free Lance ' applies, in its latest issue, a fly-blister of sarcasm to the Bibje-in-schools epidemic, that breaks out sporadically with the flowers that bloor% in the spring— tra-la ! The complaint has pretty well run its course. Barring some of the clergy, most of our population is now immune from its attacks. The malady (says the « Lance ' iV ,an article on the recent deputation to the Premier) < ap~ pears in" the spring, dies away when the weather gets warm, and reappears when the roses bud again. Here is how- our Wellington contemporary |« sizes up ' the leaders of the- dead or moribund movement—' the biggest sufferers from the spring epidemic \ who annually wake up an-d somnolently declare that unless ' something is done '—of course by somebody else — the rising generation will become ' frankly pagan ' : ' The "party" are so' anxious about the matter that their: anxiety breaks out once every twelve months. In themeantime, the poor heathen child has become more-.

" frankly pagan," and the Bible-in-schools party's only - suggestion, as of old, is, not that the party shall do anything, but that the State shall do what the party a.re too tired to do— which- has been the fault "of the party all the time._ They see what they think is an i enemy. They are too tired or too frightened to < tackle him. Let the other fellow tackle him. We will '■ stand by and " sool " him on.' .