THE BARRED BIBLE

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 11110, 6 May 1911, Page 3

THE BARRED BIBLE

Sir, —If arguments wero needed •to prove the absurdity of prohibiting Uio Bible from a place in the curriculum ol; our schools, the opening paragraph of your leading article of Saturday on "Ihe Bible and Modern Criticism," which 1 dare say none can : question, should bo enough to convince the most obdurate of those opposed to its. introduction. If it is not taking up tod limpli space in your valuable columns, I would be glad if you could reprint the portion' of tho paragraph in thie connection. It reads as follows;— ' "The celebration of the Tercentenary of tho Authorised Version of the Bible, which is to commence in New Zealand to-morrow, will be an\ impressive reminder to men of all shades of religions thought of the incalculable influence for good which the translation of 1611 has exorcised upon tho life and literature of the English-speaking peoples. .For 300 years it has hold a supremo and unrivalled position, and some idea of what effect the supremacy of such n hook must have had upon the national charactor may bo gathered from Huxley's declaration that it has bc»u woven into all that is best and noblest in English history; that it has become the national: epic of Britain; tint it is .written in the purest English and abounds in exquisite beauties of. literary form: ;ind that it forbids tho veriest hind who 'never left his village to bo ignorant , of the existence of other countries' and other civilisations, and of n groat past, stretching back to tho farthest limits'of the oldest natioiis of tho eartlu If- this is not enough, wo have the deliberate verdict of. limnanuel Kant, one of tho profoundest philosophers of modern times, that 'the existence of the Biblo as a book for tho people is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced.'" ;

If there is truth in these statements, wli.v are our children robbed of the opportunities of nn acquaintance,.,', with. such a book? ' It io not'.enough to say they con hear of it in the Sunday, school or at-home. If the State, is to undertake the education of our hoys and girls, we. may surely expect the State to supply the best literature available. The Bible is practically the basis of all religions, and the dogmas adontcd liy various sects ham nothing to do with the value of the Book as a. necessary aid to knowledge. Trusting you will find space,—l am, etc., RATIONAL.