BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1322, 23 August 1886, Page 2

BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

(continued)

7 In Holland, the Bible is read and taught by the teachers, who are required to avoid most carefully touching on grounds on controversy between the sects.

8 In Canada, school Is opened and closed by reading script are and prayer. Christianity is recognised as an element that ought to pervade all the regulations for elementary instruction. (1. In V ctoris, the system is secular. 10. In Queensland, secular; facilities for ministers out of school hoars. 11. In New South Wales, the Irish school books are used, containing Bible history, and also books of Scripture extracts sptcia ly prepared. Secular instruction is understood to include religious teaching, but not dogm«t c theology.

Sectarianism is excluded but not religion. 12. Socth Australia, the system is secular; provision is the teacher reading'the Bible before school hours if the parents of 10 children scud a v/ritten request, 13 In Western Australia, the Bible is read and taught by the teachers, under a conscience clausa 14 In Tasmania, religious instruction is imparted by the teachers from 9 to 10 a.m. in Scripture history and narratives undsr a conscience clause. Tue Bible, Irish school books, or others approved by the Board may be nsed. In South Australia, they are agitUing for a course of Bible reading and teaching on the basis of the London School Board. According to that plan a year’s instruction would be systematically given from selected portions of Scripture, in school

hours, subject to a conscience clause. The Loudon School Board system has worked remarkably well, and here the testimony of one of its l&te members on bis arrival in Australia, may be given. Dr Barry, of Sydney, on his arrival at Melbourne, spoke on this subject as of the highest importance and affecting the future of a great community. He had some experience in England of public elementary education, more especially as a mep?her of the London School Board, and what struck hip* most emphatically wjs the almost unahlmous^veidict’of the country in favor of miking religious instruction—l.o , the Bible freely read and taught—an integral part of the system. A fairly efficient scheme framed for that purpose was largely adopted, and he was not aware that a single ease of proselytiam had manifested itself. la Binning-

ham, the home of the secular system, they had actually been obliged to have the Bible road in the schools from which they had formerly banished it. So far as he knew, no denominational antagonism had ever interfered In carrying out this work If we could only get over our political and sectarian differences here, he thought there was uo reason why the same great object should not be achieved here in

the s-.me way. This an is interesting ccuti'-in ition of what has been understood

regarding th« London School Board system that it has worked without a hitch. All the elements of sectarian |Jifferences and denominational distinctions were

surely as rile in BogUod or Seottaad m

here- Yet the great lessons of divine wisdom nr ay be taught to the young there, as part of the school coarse, without any hurtful consequences, and even with threat success—Why not here? It is r list a I by some that tho people are indifTenatt Mr Swanson, in his place in the bouse, said, the people are not agitating foe a change. But this is not correct. There may have b ten no agitatio i on a large scale in North Canterbury, bat an association was formed in Christchurch in 1883 consisting of the various ministers, and prominent laymen, some of them members of the Education Board.

In Otago, an elaborate return waa prepared in 1881, the result of a plebiscite, and it was found from 13,600 replies that the parents of 11,886 children answered yes, and the parents of 1,613 children answered no. The number of parents for was 4,674, and against 602; being 8 to 1. Iu South Canterbury a plebiscite was also obtained, the result being even more favorable, 9 to 1. I* have not at hand the result of the returns from the northern parti (f the colony, but 1 believe

they would show an average of 8 t) 1 in favor of Bible reading. It cannot then be urged in the face of agitation sustained for many years, in several centres, at considerable expense, that the people are Indifferent. Bat, it will be said, as appeared in yonr issue of August 7, 1886, *' if religions teaching of any description were allowed it would immediately arouse all sorts of denominational antipathies.” That this Is an erroneous hypothesis, may be seen by the result of religions teaching in Britain, and rn the Continent, in the United States, and in Canada, and in others of

the colonies. The elements of seetarlau differences are to be found, perhaps with increased force in the home lands, and yet regilions teaching baa been systematically and successfully given. The object of the measure before the Upper House was the simple reading of the Bible without note end comment. There are two positions taken np against this, which are mutually destructive of each otere. The one ia, that it would be dangerous, or, aa appeared In the paper above referred to, trampling on the religions feelings of a minority. The other is, that it is of no value in iteelf—a delusion and a snare—and would lead to nothing. These positions destroy eooh other, for if it be so useless and inane, it mast also be harmless and can Injure no one’s feelings. (To be continued.)