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BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

• (To the Editor.) .Sir-Like Mr. W. J. Speight, nothing gives moro pain to me, brought up as 1 wa.s trom my earliest years in the faith and teachings, of the Church of England, than to find myself in opposition to tho leaders of our national Church upon this great and vital question. I was both unpleasantly surprised and grievously (lisappointed to find that at tho meeting of tho General Synod but two members could be found who would take a. stand against tie subsidising, at the expense of all, of the religion of some. This is opposed not merely to the whole essence.of Christianity, as I understand it,, but -to most elemental principles of natural justice j not ■only is the change proposed not Christian, but it is not moral. :; " On the motion of Mr. .T. W. Henderson, seconded by.. Demi I'itchett, tho Synod has put upon record its conviction that a referendum is "the only fair .method by which a decision can bo arrived at." This application to religion of the policy .which governs the worldly affairs of materialistic mankind, the policy that "might is right" and "the weakest go to the wall," is indeed a "new theology," and comes strangely from professed followers, of tho Master. Is it too much to say that this movement itself, mark tho breakdown of Christian ethics? I for my part cannot reconcile it with the eighth commandment. Tho Bishop of Nelson said what I suppose no one will dispute, viz.—that "the parent had the right to say what doctrine his children should bo taught," but he should, I think, havo added that the' parent should not leave that teaching to others, >nor should'he. look to unbeliovers and those of alien faiths to assist in paying for it. Bishop Julius stressed "(lie abiDlnte necessity of • bringing- the children back to the' Word of God." but while this is all very, .well for those who- belong, to the Church, we must not forget th<at there are other points of view be-' .sides—that Roman Catholics, Jews, Seventh Day: Adventists, Unitarians, Theosophists, Mormons, v nll have their qwn opinions 'as ..to-what constitutes tho word of God, or what'interpretation should bo put upon it. It is vert-,cold comfort that tlis lcaguo offers these citizens, ufhose interests are to be'considered adequately 'protected by means., of the exemption ■clause for conscientious objectors, lam irresistibly, reminded of tho luckless owl in "Alico in Wonderland":—',

"The.leopard took pie-crust, and gravy, ; and meat, While the owl had the dish as its share of the treat." .• of; us' aro to assist in paying. the piper, but only somo of us aro to bo privi-, leged to.call the tune. Perhaps it: will bo clear to others what is so mc-r-tlio injustice of tho. proposed innova-' tioh, if we shift the scone and the actors change their roles..Let us suppose that in Cochin China .AVesteni has introduced elementary public schools on tho secular principle, and that these have, been equally successful ' with our own. After many years tho principal Buddhist sect* unite to advocate tho introduction of, let us.say, tho Upanishads as a read-, ing.text book into the schools. Buddhists, forming something like 75 per cent, of the population, have no hesitation in describing tho'system they advocate as. unsectarian, and by dint of much' repetition many of them como ultimately to believe :it. -Many Buddhist _ priests arid laymen from the neighbouring kingdom of Siain testify, to tho overwhelming success of the same system in that country, and it is proposed to '..submit tho whole matter .to tho popular vote. Now let us suppose that Canon Garland and our bench "of Bishops are engaged in missionary work in Cochin China nt the time,' and that the Christian population amounts to about 5 per cent, of tho whole, the rest being composed of Hindus, Mahometans, and various, other ■'sects.'-Now that I have read their speeche;? , I: have no doubt that our clergy would calmly and patiently bow to;the will' of tho-majority; regretting perhaps that-the ' doctrines to b* introduced' were not such as they could subscribe to, but. at the,' same time cheerfully recognisine; that "the only : fair method by which a decision can be arrived ,at is by a referendum' sub-' milted to tho whole "people." . I say.that now tlmt.l havo read their, speeches I have no doubts as to the 'attitude, they would adopt, but I must confess v that formerly I should have been 1«S« con-, fident: Thus,'sir, yon will see that I cannot agree with the Bishop of.Waiapn when Ko stated that "the scheme''proposed was absolutely just to all, and for.that reason, ho. was pad to .'support it." Indeed I. caii only regard his Lnrdshin-'with respectful astonishment. It is because' I ■ think that tho perfection of justico is to be found in the absolute-'neutrality of our ■ present national system' that I shall never ceaso to uphold it.—l am, etc., '•'■'. . .'■ - G.ai. NICHOLLS. 'Wellington, January 23; 1913.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19130129.2.24

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1660, 29 January 1913, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
824

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1660, 29 January 1913, Page 5

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1660, 29 January 1913, Page 5

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