BIBLE IN SCHOOLS DEPARTMENT.

White Ribbon, Volume 30, Issue 347, 18 June 1924, Page 9

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS DEPARTMENT.

The session of I Parliament is approaching. and it is time our branches got busy upon this important question. We would suggest that every Union sends at once to its M l', the resolution passed by Convention. Hy that resolution we urge every M I*, to support the principles embodied in the Bill brought forward last session by Mr L. M. Isitt. Here is a book which competent critics admit to be the source of England's greatness, a book which enjoins the loftiest moral precepts; which con tains the most deeply spiritual truths; which, moreover, is of the highest literary excellence; and this book is deliberately kept from the children in our schools. A University professor speaking in Otago, said that if only' for its value as literature, the Bible should be re-intro-dueed into our schools. Ruskin was not by any means the only writer of note who acknowledged his indebtedness to the Bible. The literary taste of the past generation was formed by reading the Bible. We wonder if the young people of to-day had been accustomed to its beautiful language, its lofty moral tone, its glorious poetry, and its Hear, terse character sketches, would they take the delight they do in Wild West fiction ahd questionable American films? Our Supreme Court Judges have ex

pressed great concern at the increase of juvenile crinie. Can we wonder? 1 h I tilde has disappeared from the school, and. alas! perhaps as a natuial sequence, is disappearing fiom the home. No longer does the child have se.t b fore it the lofty standard of conduct taught by the Christ. What standard have wo set up in its place? Anything better? Judged by its fruits, No! Let us consider the old paths, and walk in them.

Scientists cannot explain, but all admit that the Bible standard of self sacrifice, not self-pleasing lies at the root of all true advancement, either in dividual or national. When the Master hung upon the cross the Pharisees who taunted Him with “He saved others. Himself He cannot save,” gave utterance to a truth deeper than they ever thought of. When we put the Bible in our schools our future citizens will learn this truth, “They cannot save

themselves, and yet help to save others.” Under the present system, we are training tco many “leaners.” Let us get the more robust teaching of Jesus Christ into our schools, that we may train more "lifters.”