Attitude of Mothers' Union.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume III, Issue 6, 1 December 1912, Page 92

Attitude of Mothers' Union.

It is reported from Christchurch that the Mothers' Union is entirely sympathetic with our proposal, and that 1500 mothers have given m their adherence.

The Rev. -^VH. Petrie, , speaking at Johnson ville, stated that until he came to New Zealand he had never had any experience of a State School system which did not include religious instruction. Brought up m Scotland, he had attended a National School, where, although he was a Scotch Episcopalian, he had received Bible lessons from the head teacher, who was an elder of the Presbyterian Church, and : to . this day he (the speaker) recognised the obligation he was under to that teacher. In his ministerial life he went to Western Australia, where, on his arrival, he found that he was at once invited to visit the State •Schools to give religious instruction. In one school to which he went regularly for years, there were over 1800 children, and it was a pleasure to him to meet five other ministers regularly m the school m the most friendly relations together, working for the common good of the children. Subsequently he went to Norfolk Island, where he found there was only one State School attended by all the children of the island. He and the Methodist minister visited the school regularly. He thought it an interesting fact that while a few years previously there had been denominational schools under the Anglican Church, so soon as the New South Wales Government had introduced the religious instruction system, when the island came under that Government, the Anglican Church abandoned those schools, throwing m their lot with the National system.

An excellent example is being set at Oamaru and Rotorua showing how the Bible m State Schools movement is drawing the Churches together. The second Sunday m December, which according to the Church of England Calendar is the second Sunday m Advent, when the position of the Bible comes as the Iyesson for the day, has been chosen by the ministers" of Oamaru and Rotorua as Bible m S~tate Schools Sunday. Sermons are to be preached m all the Churches on that Sunday, and enrolment of League members follows after the services; '

At a meeting of the Anglican Synod at Christchurch, Canon Garland addressed the members on behalf of the Tveague. One immediate result Qf his speech was a con.-

tribution of £55. made by the members of Synod there and then towards the expenses of the movement. The Synod gave the following resolution :— " That this Synod endorses the programme of the Bible m State Schools League, and m the name of the Diocese extends a hearty welcome to Canon Garland m his work of Organising Secretary."

At a meeting of the Primitive. Methodist Synod, held at Cambridge, the question of the Bible m State Schools movement was disctssed, and the following resolution passed: — "We express hearty appreciation of the platform of the Bible m Schools League, whose object is the introduction of the New South Wales system into the State Schools."

The Diocesan Anglican Synod of Auckland passed an unanimous resolution warmly commending the Bible m State Schools movement to the prayers and sympathy of the members of the Church, and urging them to do all m their pdVer to further its work. *

Canon Garland states emphatically that the Bible m State Schools League of New Zealand has no intention of suggesting the use of the Irish Scripture Lesson Boots used- in New South Wales and Tasmania. When Western Australia 'decided upon Scripture Lessons m the Schools, it prepared its own course of lessons. When Queensland two years ago made the same decision, the Educational Department, through its Literary Committee, drew up two volumes of Scripture Lessons, which have been widely approved, and against which not one word of criticism has ever been brought. The League hopes that the day will come when New Zealand will similarly prepare its own. At the present, however, ttie question is not, What books shall be used ? but, Shall there be Scripture lessons m the Schools ? When that is affirmed by the people, New Zealand can easily follow m the footsteps of Western Australia and Queensland', m preparing its own lessons.

The Auckland Central Committee has elected the following- officers :— President, Bishop Crossley ; VicePresidents, Archdeacon Willis, Rev. W. Ready, Rev. I. Jolly ; Financial Secretary, Mr. R. Clar!<e ; General Secretary, Rev. H. H. Robjohns ; Pressi Secretary, Rev. A. Miller,

A Women's league at Auckland was formed on the Ist October, at a meeting held m the Pitt-street Methodist Church, when the following officers were appointed :—/President, Mrs. Caughey ; Vice-Presi-dents, Mesdames Crossley, Jolly, Ready, and Hay ward ; Treas., Mrs. H. R. Hesketh; City Sec, Miss Miller, Manse, Edendale, Auckland ; Press Secretary, Mrs. Gawler ;l Electoral Secretary, Mrs. Bottrill ; Kindred Organisations, Mrs. Hewitt ; Deputation, Miss Hamiifondi; Teachers, the Misses Hopper ; Literature, Mrs. Cook ; Prayer, Mrs. Scanlon ; Kaipara Electorate, Mrs. Dunningham, Ahuroa, Kaipara. Canon Garland, Organising Secretary, has recently given sermons or addresses at the following places : — S. Thomas's, Newtowni; S. . Paul's, Wellington ; Methodist Church, Newtown ; S. Mark's, Wellington ; Primitive Methodist Church, Newtown. And during, a fortnight m Auckland Province at : S. Mary's, East Street Methodist Church, Holy Trinity (Devonport), S. Stephen's, Salvation Army Barracks, S. Sepulchre's, S. Matthew's, Pitt Street Methodist Church. He also visited Hamilton, where a meeting of women was held, Mrs. Maiming (Mayoress) presiding, and also a general meeting, m which the Rev. Jas. Wrigley (Methodist), the Rev. A. Gow (Presbyterian), and Captain Vile (Salvation Army), took part, the Primitive Methodist and Baptist Ministers writing to express their sympathy. At Cambridge, m addition to a meeting of women, at which Mrs. Gow presided, a separate meeting of ardent supporters was called, and was well attended, to discuss rhe plan of campaign. The public meeting . was presided over by the Mayor. Mr. C. Dickinson, the Rev. Spottiswoode and Lieutenant Osborne (of the Salvation Army) also speaking. On his return to Wellington Canon Garland visited S. Matthew's Church (Brooklyn) and S. Luke's (Wadestown), and left for the Otago Province on the 9th. He is to meet the Executive m Christchurch, and address a social gathering arranged by the Women's League ; he also speaks at the Diocesan Synod. A meeting is to be held at Oamaru the following day. In November he visited Napier, and m December goes to Nelson, Auckland, Marton, and Wanganui, as well as fulfilling many intermediate engagements.