Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 5 June 1913, Page 34

Notes

For Our Young Readers For the benefit of our young readers we have decided to continue our ‘ Tricks and Illusions’ column throughout the winter months. Already the feature has been favorably spoken of and we are sure that those of our young people their elders too—lay themselves out to attempt the mystifying performances there described will derive no small enjoyment and entertainment from the pastime. The directions are as simple and plain as possible; and the tricks are all entirely feasible. But if any readers experience any particular difficulty in understanding or performing them ‘ Mahatma ’ will be glad to hear from such, and will willingly give any further help that may be needed. And in the case of our young people generally who are trying these tricks, it will be an excellent exercise in English composition for them to send a few lines saying what particular tricks have interested them most, and how they have succeeded in their attempts. Letters addressed to ‘ Mahatma,’ Tablet Office, Dunedin, will be duly forwarded to our contributor. A Model Syllabus We have received a copy of the literary and debating syllabus for the present season of the St. Benedict's Catholic Club, Auckland; and the programme strikes us as being exactly what a Catholic club syllabus ought to be. One feature which particularly pleases us is the prominence given to religious subjects. A society which includes in its subjects of study and discussion ‘ The Real Presence,’ The St. Vincent de Paul Society and its Work,’ ‘ The Existence of Hell,’ ‘Defence of Religious Dogmas/ and ‘The Infallibility of the Church,’ must be doing invaluable work amongst its members. St. Benedict’s is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects. We should have thought the debate I hat War between England and Germany is imminent,’ and a discussion on 1 The Immortality of the Soul,’ would have been a little beyond the average literary society; but St. Benedict’s is not an average society. The general subjects of debate are admirably chosen. Altogether the season promises to equal—if not, indeed, to excel — interest and instructiveness the previous records of the club; and those who know the standard set by St. Benedict’s in the past know that that is very high praise indeed. Bishop Cleary at Wanganui According to press reports Bishop Cleary had a remarkably fine meeting at Wanganui, the audience numbering anywhere from 1100 to 1300 people, and the proceedings being characterised by the greatest enthusiasm throughout. Apropos of the lecturer’s strictures on a now notorious pamphlet issued by the League, the following paragraph, which - appeared in the Wanganui Herald of the following day, is significant : ‘ Bishop Cleary speaking last evening, made special references to the pamphlet published by the Bible-in-Schools League, entitled Methods of Opposi-

tion, as scandalous. It is interesting to note that yesterday (Thursday) ministers and others received the following notice from the secretary: —“P.S. I send copies of new pamphlets issued by the League. If you require any further copies let me know. The enclosed pamphlet Methods of Opposition, is a revised edition. Please destroy any copies you may have of the previous edition.” ’ ' It will be interesting to see how far the revised edition ’ really corrects and withdraws the outrageous errors of the original issue. * Dealing with the lecture in its editorial columns, the Wanganui Herald of May 30 has the following extremely interesting comments: ‘ A special invitation had been extended to advocates and supporters of Biblereading in schools, and it was not surprising, therefore, that a very large audience assembled in the Opera House last evening to hear his Lordship speak. He gave a most convincing and impressive address, a fact clearly demonstrated by the almost unanimous vote given in opposition to the Bible-in-Schools League’s scheme. It was not a little significant, too, that the resolution should have been proposed by a staunch Presbyterian and a Sunday school teacher of forty years’ experience, that another Presbyterian and well-known school teacher thanked the Bishop for his address, and that at least one of the ministers present last evening, when asking a question, openly avowed his. opposition to the League’s proposals. It is significant, too, that Mr. Aitken and Mr. Grinstead left no doubt in the minds of the audience as to their views on the principle of Bible-teaching in schools, with- which they were in accord, but, like the rev. lecturer, they were strongly opposed to the system under which the League proposed to give effect to it. Bishop Cleary made the point perfectly clear last evening. He emphatically stated that he is not opposed to religion in the schools: he is in full accord with the fundamental demand, for which he says the Roman Catholics have been left alone to fight for thirty-seven years. But he demands that the views _of the minority shall be respected; that con-scientiously-objecting taxpayers shall not be compelled to pay for religious instruction ; that teachers shall not be compelled, under penalty of dismissal, to violate their consciences; that the Bible, and not mutilated excerpts, shall be read ; that the sacred rights of conscience, either on the part of the teacher or taught, shall not in any way be violated ; that the sacred duties of the Christian ministry shall not be thrown on the shoulders of unwilling State officials and that the State shall continue to occupy a position of neutrality as regards religion. Not the least important statement made by his Lordship was that the Church he represented would be perfectly willing to meet the representatives of other religious bodies in conference to discuss a scheme of Bible-reading acceptable to all, and he ventured the opinion that the question could be settled in forty-eight hours. If Bible-reading is to form part of our national system of education, it is surely most desirable that the suggestion of a conference should be acted upon. Otherwise there is very grave danger of reviving the sectarian bitterness which has been the curse of older lands.’ Regarding the striking and significant remarks made by the mover of the principal motion—a prominent State school teacher we shall have something to say in our next issue.