BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1675, 15 February 1913, Page 6

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Sir,—Allow mo to remind Mr. Milligan that abuse is not argument.; His letter reminds one of the advice to'pettifogging lawyers: "If you have no case, abuse the plaintiff's attorney." Believing I have a very strong case, 1 feel little inclination to follow Mr. Milligan's example and use strong language. . As Mr. Milligan allows, I can claim to know something of the work of a school teacher. In fact,''as a practical man, I lmist insist-on the correctness of, my contention, that if wo have any sort of religious, or rather of theolo-' gicalj instruction in our schools, children in one-officered schools withdrawn from, such instruction, must .go without all 'instruction for the time being. If they are to have any sort of instruction, they must bo under the teacher's supervision, that is, in the same room. Now, if they are in a room where, oral instruction of any kind is jjoinjj on, they are not withdrawn from that instruction. Indeed, the very fact of their being told that they were not to receive that instruction would make children listen moro keenly to know what it was all about. So as regards schools with o'no teacher. I claim the proposed Bible-reading would benefit one section of the community at tho cxponso of another. As regards the larger schools, and some other matters touched on bv Mr. Milligan, if you, 6ir, will allow me, I will deal with them on another occasion.—l nni, etc., CHARLES J. COOKE. Kelburno, February 12,

Sir,—ln Professor Mackenzie's "81 Bccauses," in his summary objections to tho Bible-in-Schools League, I should like to ask Mr. Mackenzie what ho means by "Because 4." He says "it is not tho duty of the Stat© to supply a 'complete' education to any- child." I think ho might have added "or man." Has even Mr. Mackenzie completed his eduoation? This is a common fallacy. that, quite a lot of people, and some in high places, fall into. Surely education means moro than "supply" or i"put into:" I believe it will bo conceded that it also means "drawing out"- and, whilo life lasts, wo are always learning. Indeed, I believe it does not end oven there. I should like to add a little to your Tcport of Mr. Mackenzie's address at the Unitarian Church on Sunday evening Inst. I nay say I went to hear Mr. Mackenzie, and I was not disappointed, as it turned out ns I expected. His address was simply one long cry of abuse of Canon Garland and tho leaders of tlm Bible-in-fitate-Schools movement, and ho charged, the Canon with "bluff." Well, I think he can put that out of bis mind, as I believe whatever may bo said there can bo no oharge of insincerity against the Canon. Again, Mr. Mackenzie puts stress on tho point that parents and clerics should teach the Bible themselves. Well, perhaps, but to show how Mr. Mackenzie and his'party riew these matters I did not observe a copy of the Bible in his Church on S'lnday evening, thourrh there might have been some about. Mr. Mackenzie never read a nassago of Scripture except his text, which lie placed "at tho end of his' discourse. Well, all I can say, if that is what is called "liberal religion" I for my part prefer to remain a -Tory.-I am, etc., THOS. M. MILLIGAN. February 13, 1913.