BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1488, 10 July 1912, Page 6

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

PROFESSOR MACKENZIE ON THE SUBJECT. OPPOSED TO A REFERENDUM. At Sunday afternoon's meeting of tho Men's Brotherhood, held in tho Now Theatre, Professor Mackenzie, of Victoria Collego, emphasised at length tho following points in connection with tho subject of introducing the Bibio and Soriptural instruction into StaCe schools:— (1) That it is tho duty of the State not to interfere in purely religious matters. (2) 1 hat. in t-Jio opinion of a very largo number of tho most eminent Biblical scholars (German and British) tho Biblo inspired ger re 6arded as uniquely (3) considerable number of Anglican and Nonconformist scholars and theologians have ceased to believe the chiot dogmas of orthodox (bee for example: "The Encyclopaedia m mi i An S''ean Liberalism," "Tho New Theology/ etc., etc.). ,to 'introduce tho Biblo into our btate schools would Ire:' (a) Virtually establishing a State Church; (b) a pious fraud, and utterly demoralising, unless •i /i.u ,VCTO free to uso it (tho 13'ble) according to tiieir own hon- v est convictions, and (if they wished to) itt tho light ot modern Biblical scholarship anu research; (c) imposing a religious test on teachers; (d) introducing, inevitably, sectarian influences into our State system—«s» for example, in Scotland, where, although almost all the peoplo are Presbytenan, there is scarcely, a single education board (of tho 972 boards there) in. which there have not been several sectarian squabbles over,tho appointment of teachers. Sectarian "influence" in this connection, is (I aiu assured by many New Zealand teachers) freely ana widely exercised as it is. What, then, would it bo like, if Biblical instruction were introduced into our State schools? Tho statements of those who have the effrontery to represent our State schools as making no provision for moral discipline and moral training, are absolute-, ly. without foundation. If children are late for school, if they lie, cheat, or commit any oifonoe, regarded as such in'any civilised community, are they not 'duly punished? In fact, the children aro under strict moral discipline every moment of tho school day, and it would be little short of i a crime at this time of day to attempt to enforoe moral discipline in our schools with tho aid of Bishop Clcary's Purgatory, Bishop Crosslev s Hades, or the Rev. J. K. Elliott's Hell. No fewer than 557 prominent Anglican and Nonconformist clergymen in Britain hare signed a manifesto in favour of tho secular solution. The leading Liberal 1 statesmen, university teachers, and men of letters in Britain have declared for the secular solution. If parents and the clergy are in downright earnest as to the value of, and necessity for religious teaching and Bible knowledge, tliey can have no difficulty whatovor m providing such teaching and knowlodge at their own expense and without doing an irreparable injustioe to tho teaching-profession, or, in any way, interfering with the existing national eys> tem. '

Tlio State, however, might concede to tho Churches tho right of "contracting ! out" in tho matter of education, as is 'done in Scotland, cn 6omo 6uch condi-, tions as follows: —(1) That they provide and maintain schools ""d schoolhouees to plans approved, by the Education Department; (2) that their teachers be trained, paid ( graded, promoted, etc., subject to precisely the same conditions as the State teachers; (3) that the State pay a liberal capitation for, the secular, part, of the ' instruction, if declared by State inspectors to be up to the standard" and quality y of that of the State schools; (i) that the State pay nothing whatever for buildings or maintenance of buildings—merely a proportion. of the money necessary for the remuneration of tho teacher (for ' secular services). ' . ' To allow tho people of the Dominion , to settle the :issuo'l)y means of-a referendum would be absolutely/subversive of the neutrality of tho ; State in matters of religion. That before entertaining,, for a-, moment, the idea of sucli' a referendum the State insist that a "secret ballot" of the head-teachers of our State schools bo taken on the . question. Tho State should see to their interests, and consult, their wishes, before submitting to tho' dictation of interested 'sectarians and ecclesiastical agitators.

THE WELLINGTON LEAGUE. The Wellington Bible-iti-Scliools 1 Leagu®, which was recently incorporated as a branch of the Bible-in-Schools' League of ' New Zealand, met on Monday afternoon in St. John's manager's room, Dr. Gibb, < president, in th® chair. Tho chairman stated tint ho had reooived a communication. from tho Eov. Mr. M'Kcnzio, of. Christchiircln - secretary to the General League, from which it appears that Canon GvU'land, who led tho battle for Biblo in schools to victory in Queensland, has accepted tho post of organising ogont for Now Zealand. Canon' Garland would begin work on August 11. Further, Mr. J. G. W. Aitkon had' lyeen asked and had consented to acoept the treasurership of the Central League on the distinct under- ■ standing that ho 'was not to bo lett to finance tho .movement single-handed. A. request had como from the Central Executive asking that each of tho four chief centres should contribute a certain initial sum. It was deuirablo that tho fund should bo in a healthy state before tho new agent's arrival, for office expenses and the cost of printing would bo at, onoe involved. They in Wellington were-.-requested to begin with; a contribution of not. less than £60. He suggested that they should hand over the balaneo in tho hands of their local treasurer, Mr.. Allon, to Mr. Aitkcn. It was a fairish sum-about £10. On the motion Archdeacon Harpor, it.TvaS rcsohed tnat this should be Xno, and that the executive should meet that day week to oonsider tho wholo question of tho ollington contribution. It is understood that a largo public meeting ,will be held nftor Canon Garland's arrival as possible.