BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1750, 15 May 1913, Page 9

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

MEETING IN SUPPORT. NEW SOUTH WALES EXPERIENCE. | A meeting in the interests of the Bible- j ill-schools movement was held in 'the -Methodist Church, Brooklyn, Inst night. Mr. J. Ci. W. Aitken presided, and there were seated alongside him the l!ev. Dr. Sprott (Bishop of Wellington), Rev. Mr. | \ indon (from New South Wales), and Rev. T. Kennedy Elliott. The chairman earn that the State was very careful of the bcdily welfare of its children. The churches did their best to leach the children the Bible, but what, lie asked, of the children who did not go to Sunday school. The b'lblc-in-Schools | League was hot demanding of the Government tho passing of a measure which would mean the leaching of tho Bible in every school in the land. All that was asked was that tho Government pass a Referendum Bill to enable the people to decido the question ior themselves. Bishop Sprott said that ho wished to stato why he supported the Biblc-in-schools movement. Every rising generation should bo taught the code of morality of tho cuium unity. It was entirely unreasonable that tho young should bo left to pick up the code by chance, 110 took for granted that the particular moral code recognised in New Zealand was the Christian code. If that wero so, every rising generation in New* Zealand should systematically be taught the Christian code. Every group ot human beings one could find in history had made sonio such provision. Where was the Christian code to bo found? Nowhere but ill tho Bible. Not only was our first-hand knowledge of tho Christian teaching to bo found in tho New Testament, but it was there in its best and highest form. These were really tho grounds why he supported tho Bible-in-schools movement. There wero rival moralities before tho peoplo of New Zealand to-day, and ho believed that tho question was: Shall the Christian morality bo the iinal court of appeal in this country? And ho believed that if this referendum were taken, and the cause lost, it might mean that New Zealand had abandoned the code of morals which it now held. The Rev. Mr. Vindon said that it seemed to him that in States where Scriptural truth was neglectcd it was impossible to turn the children out as tho best of men and women. Ho had never in all his experience of .the system in Austrajia known the slightest friction between minister?, and had never known a teacher or a child 'with whom there was any trouble. However, he did not say that there had never been a case in the opposite direction. Jii every Australian State where they had tho liible in schools there was no intention of going back to the old system. These States were all convinced that they had done the right thing. Ho advised his audience, if ever they had the opportunity, by the referendum, to_voto for the introduction of ihe New. South Wales system to New Zealand schools. The chairman called upon Mrs. Garland to speak. Mrs. Garland said tho could merely endorse tho sentiments expressed by the previous speakers. Tho system worked smoothly in Queensland, , and would come in time in New- Zealand. What a dreadful thins it would be, sho said, if New Zealand decided against God!. All I hose with the interest of the movement at heart should, assist the present canvass, so, that suihcicnt signatures to move the Government' to grant a referendum might be obtained. The Rev. .T. Kennedy Elliott remarked that the outlook for the movement was now very hopeful. Nothing had made him more hopeful than the reading ot the report of their opponents' recent meeting in Ihe Concert Chamber of tho 'J.own Hull, at which meeting there was no argument, but only abuse. It was time that it was understood here that the schools wfee not for the teachers, but that the teachers wero for the schools. In no civilised country were the teachers allowed to take a prominent part in such a matter as this. Tho teachers wero merely civil servants, AVhat "was asked by the league was simply an opportunity for tho people to say whether or not they wanted the Bible taught in schools. As to the Nelson system, it depended entirely upon the sufferance of the school committees. If the Catholics could propose anj*thing (short of denominationalism) in place of the system now advanced, no would consider it. He was sure tho league would win. Tho meeting concluded with an appeal by the chairman for assistance in the canvass for signatures.