BIBLE IN SCHOOLS AND SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

White Ribbon, Volume 27, Issue 332, 18 April 1922, Page 15

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS AND SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

(Supt.: Mrs Driver.) Only two reports have reached me as to any work done relating to these two branch s of our work AucKland reports tint the Superintendent of Sabbath Observance has distributed literature on the subject, and is ever on the look out for any practical work in the interests of Sabhath-keeping. The Wanganui District Union congratulated the Presbytery on its protest against Ministers of State being taken out picnicing and sight-seeing on the Lord’s Day. Mrs Bathgate, the Y Superintendent, is one of a Committee of* Bible in Schools, and visits a school

weekly for Bible instruction. Othei .schools are visited by Ministers and laymen. In Dunedin regular Bible lessons are given in all the public schools of the city and suburbs. All the workers are keenly interested in their children, and much good work is being accomplished. During the year it was proposed to hold Sunday cone* rts. to raise funds for sending one of the local bands to Australia for a band contest. The City Council gave permission for this, but a strong appeal and protest was made by the Council of Christian Churches, the President of the W.C.T.U., and your Dominion Superintend* nt. and the decision of the Council was reversed. A contribution towards the expenses of the* band was raised by the Council of Churches, in order that their lass through the refusal of a Sunday concert might be lessened. At the last General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, held in Dunedin. 1n November, the question of the Bible in Schools received carefu' attention. The Committee appointed to deal with the matter reported that in their opinion the policy of the Bible in Schools Teague (Bible reading and the right of entry to the clergy for special religious instruction) should be abandoned. Some Presbyteries expressed their high opinion of the Nelson System, whik others thought it yielded little result. Most of the Presbyteries favoured an effort to secure the use of a prepared Scripture text-hook, to be t: ight by the State Sehool teachers. Tin Committee recommended ar approach to other denominations, with a view to the presentation of a monster petition to Parliament, through the Minister of Education, requesting that provision for Scripture teaching should bo made an integral part of our educational system. The recommendations of the Committee were adopted by the Assembly. The Presbyterian Church has therefore abandoned the platform of the Bible in Schools League; has affirmed the policy of securing the use of a Scripture text-hook, to he uf*d in all schools without comment. and with a conscience clause for both teachers and parents; has urged its ministers to avail themselves of the Nelson system; and has instructed its Committee to conf* r with other denominations regarding the preparation and presentation of a monster petition to Parliament. Your co-operation in this will no doubt be solicited.