THE BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1693, 8 March 1913, Page 3

THE BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS QUESTION.

REV. I. JOLLY REPLIES TO BISHOP cleary;' (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, March G. The Rev. I. Jolly replied to Bishop deary's denunciation of the introduction of the Bible into the Stato schools to a large gathering to-night. Bishop Crossley, who presided, referred to the progress of ■tlie league in the north of Auckland, and particularly assured his hearers that the league had a big future.

in a forcible speech, said that whilrf the league agreed with Catholics on some points, the latter demanded denominational grants for their schools, which could not be granted without the wrecking of our educational system. The training aud formal ion of the character of tho children was the first consideration, and the State was bound to take such steps as were practicable to secu?>j that, and to have Christian ideals taught in tho schools. Bishop Cleary had charged the Australian authorities with mutilating tho Bible, and blamed the Christian Churches approving of Bible reading lessons, nor was he more fortunate in his attack on the character of'the selected lessons. But tho selections sl»wed that there was no thought to eliminate the supernatural from tlia narrative. The teacher did not give sectarian or dogmatic instruction, but saw the lesson rend intelligently, and, if ho chose, to bring out the moral lesson. It was with pain that lib observed that Bishop Cleary had charged tho league with using the conscience clause as an instrument of pros'elytisni, to tamper with Catholic children. That was an absolutely false accusation. If tho majority of tlie Dominion's people wanted Bible instruction in schools, they had a right to demand it, while protecting tho minority by a conscience clause.