SCHOOLS & THE BIBLE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1832, 19 August 1913, Page 6

SCHOOLS & THE BIBLE.

FRIENDS OF THE CAUSE.

THE RECENT DEPUTATION,

NOW CRITICISED

. A meeting of tho Women's Bible-in-Schools League was held in St. John's Schoolroom yesterday afternoon. Canon Garland presided, and so largo was tho attendance that had it been possible an adjournment to another building would havo been made. Before asking Dr. Sprott, Bishop of Wellington, to speak, Canon- Garland called upon Mrs. Menzies to read a resolution whioh was to be put beforo members of the league at tho end of tho uieotms. This resolution read as follows

The Central Committee and other members present of tho Wouen's League for Bible -in Stato schools in the Wellington province, hereby axpress, 011 behalf of rhe 0171 women members of the league in Wellington, Ilutt, Masterton, and Wairarapa electorates, all of whom have signed a written request for the referendum, our profound conviction that no permanent Kettlement of this question can be effected unless and until tho matter has been referred to the whole people of the Dominion, so that every elector, whether for or against the league's proposal, can havo tho fullest opportunity of expressing his or her opinion by a vote -under legalised conditions as to what shall be dono in the people's schools, supported by tho people's money and attended by the people's children.

That, having read the report of tho deputation introduced to the Prime Minister by the Hon..A. L. nerdman, in which, the statement was made by Mr. A. R. Atkinson, and endorsed by Mr. Caughiey, that:—"lt was v,ery singular that the forces working for the Bible-in-schools movement were a mixture of religious bigotry and political cant,", we as women who appreciate our membership in the various churches constituting the league, express our indignation' at tho use ■ of such unjustifiable language, and our conviction -that our churches are inspired only by purity of intention and honesty of purpose in {heir desire for the welfare of the children of the Dominion and ■the permanency of tho national system of education. Mrs. Blackburne seconded the resolution.' Dr. Sprott on a Recent Attack. His Lordship the Bishop expressed pleasure at the resolution. He had just heard that tho speaker, who had keen reported in the newspapers as having used at a recent deputation the words "cant" and "religious bigotry," had now denied that these words had been used by him. Ho was willing to accept his denial, but he regretted that 'the speaker did not deal with it prior to certain remarks that had been mado in church 011 Sunday. A week had gono by and no contradiction had been mado-until now. 'No doubt tho author himself had regretted that his contradiction was not a voluntary one, inado at once. Ho wished to say something about bigotry. Many hard things had been said about the league, many motives imputed to it. Ho thought that some notice should bo , taken of these hard things, and that both supporter and opponent should content themselves witli using argument and not invective. In his opinion it was "bigotry" to imputo . base motives to such) a number of peoplo as those working in tho league, among whom were thousands of citizens of this country. To- ascribo their activities to unworthy motives or other motives tlian that of tho -welfare of their country was surely included in tho word "bigotry." It was an •interesting word, but was of doubtful derivation. It was tlio Spanish word for "moustache," and was first applied historically the torturers, executioners, and other officers of tho Inquisition. They wero called "men of tho moustache" because, in tho execution of their duties, they wore a mask 011 the uppor part of their faces and the lower was concealed by a hirsute appendage. It was a great mistake to imngi.no that they delighted in cruelty. Some were most liuuiane.' Error was a crime, and the persecutors wei-o so certain they wore right that they believed that no man of ordinary intelligence could 1 refuse to accept their belief. To believe that contrary opinions must bo actuated by base motives was to bo liks a bigot. Ho understood .that, at this recent deputation, someone advocated tlio Nelson system, : and according to tho newspaper -report, which.might bo a mistaken one, -the Premier, expressed his pleasure concerning it.- , A reply which, was made by Dean Fitchett, of Dunedin, to Bishop Cleary, of Auckland, about the Nelson system contained somo interesting points. In the course of tihat reply tho dean had pointed out that tho Nelson system wws essentially Protestant, It could l>e adopted if embodied in an Act of Parliament, bu!t, if eo, it would make the Roman Catholic olairn for grants for their schools almost irresistible, and eo ultimately bring to an end the national system of education. According to this system tflio ministers (non-Roman) came to an agreement among themselves to ■ conduct their Bible lessons, and they divided among themselves the various forms in tho schools. The Presbvterian minister might be assigned Form 6; the Wcsleyan Form i; tho Anglican Form 3. They all came 011 tlie samo day, but each taught the children in tlveir particular form. There was no recognition of "church." According to the principles of tho Bom an Church, its people could not accept that system, and if it were made a rccog-

iiiswl one education in this country would be mads "exclusively Protestant," oind 'therefore Roman Catholics .mould have a right to ask for special grants. People should not allow themselves to bo attracted by this. . That which tho league had adopted was tho' hast. Nothing was claimed by them that they were not willing to allow to others. Their sysWm granted right of entry to all forms nf religion. It was tho very antithesis of bigotry. "Alt the More Reason Why." The Rev. Mr. Cook was the next speaker. Touching upon the Nelson system, which had been advocated at tho recent deputation, he asked who would teach it. Would it be Bishop Cleary, Mr. Jelly, or the Rev. H. Elliott? Those who were advocating this system were not prepared to lift a finger. It was brought forward not by the bulk of the people,

but by different speakers, ami it was unfair. Another speaker had said that Bible reading had fallen off in the homes. Even if it were true, was it not all the more reason why it should be introduced, since the secular system had acted'so disastrously? Mrs. Atkinson was a "-ood woman, and an able one, continued the speaker.' She spoke as representing the W.C.T.U. Mrs.'Atkinson spoke ot ancestry. So far as the W.C.I.TJ. was concerned, sho should have como back to the first principles of this movement. Frances Willard, who occupied one of the highest positions in the United State. I *, surrendered that position, and made the W:C.T.U. a world-wide ■institution. She stated that Scriptnro lessons should, bo part of the ordinary education in every public school, and should be given by the teachers in text books. That was the ancestry. Mrs. Atkinson spoke for herself, not for the W.C.T.U.,. for we know how many branches have dissented. Mrs. Atkinson claimed to 1» the daughter of Ptfntaiis, How, then; could sho stand in that com-

panv that seeks for nationalism in undenominational schools? In Tasmania the system worked very smoothly, and there was 110 religious strife in the schools, When the time for the referendum in New Zealand cams it would be found that tlio people would consider the children, and not party. Many parent, were not religious, but tlioy wanted the Bible taught in the schools to their children. A Tributo to the Movement. Mr. Aitken paid a strong tribute to the work which had been done for this Bible-in-schools movement by the women members of the league. They had given, their time, their enthusiasm, and ihpir energies, and ill, the collection of funds they had done yeoman service. Now was the critical moment in the movement and until they were successful in getting the referendum through the House the efforts.of all workers for tlio cause must not (log. Tho ladies hnd set themselves to gain in the next three

months and if they gained that they wero equal to getting tho referendum through sooner than anyone anticipated. Canon Garland's Speech. Canon Garland, before touching upon olher matters, read the resolution already referred to and upon being put to the vote, of tho meeting, it ivas carried unanimously. Continuing his address. Canon Garland stated that this was largely a woman's affair and in the last resort she was more concerned with the moral training of her children than were men. When it camo to tho moral training of her child and the enlarging of its scope, politics occupied a back place. In regard to the.opposition of the teaching profession it was evident that thero'wero dissentients amongst them. It was quite true that a resolution against the Bible-in-Schools League had been, passed at tho conference of teachers held at New Plymouth, but, at this conference, a pamphlet—the work of Bishop Cleary and Prolessor Mackenzie—opposing the Bible-in-schools movement, had been placed before each delegate. Thero was no one to supply delegates with the Bible-in-schools' sido of tho ease. What was the value of an opinion expressed in such circumstances? There were fifteen New South Wales 'teachers. hero at the time, members of a cricketing team, visiting this country. They mixed with the New Zealand teachers and everyono elso freely. Why were' they not brought forward in that conference, oven in camera, and asked to give their opinion of tho system? Those 42 teachers who voted against it did not represent all the profession. Then there was tho Southland Institute, which declared that it was a matter for tho parents, not tho teachers, to decide. As a league, they had never, directly or indirectly, approached Mr. Massey or the Government. They had never mado a request. Tho Government might have waited until they were asked for something. Tho league meant to wait till they 'know wliat the peoplo wanted, and when they were satisfied that they did want something, they wero going to ask for it. Ho was of tho opinion that Mr. Massey was a patient, honourable man, who never aoted tyronacally or despotically in anything. Ho did not care what his views were. All they asked for when tho time camo wag to allow tho peoplo of the Dominion to say what their own views wero on t'his important matter.