BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1934, 17 December 1913, Page 4

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

UNITED SERVSCESi'Hf || LEAGUE SUNDAY OBSERVAN^i The special l!iblc-iii-schonia : S'fservices: held throughout the Dominion last Sunday appear-'toTl'iayo;, aroused very general interest. -.In Duii-J edin prayers were offered and 'sermonsdelivered in first Church, Knox Church, 1 , and almost all of the Presbyterian, churches, also at the Central Methodist' Mission, Koslyn, Port .Chalmers, Alos-. giel, and many other Methodist churches, and in all the Salvation Army; meetings, and in tho Congregational Churches at Great King Street ' and Kavensbourne, and at Port Chalmers, The Anglicans also observed tho day."' At Nelson tho Salvation Army, Mothr odist Church, and the Anglicans kept the day in the city, and in Brightwater, Happy Valley, Tahuna,-- and many other country places. Mr. Geo. Ward preached for the league.in Soddonville Presbyterian Church, 1 ' ■% Nelson district. At Palmerston North, the Church of England, Presbyterian Church, and the Salvation Army joined in the observance. •;* ' At Wanganui there was observance by Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches, and the Salvation Army in tho town, and goneraHy throughout the country districts. At Christchurcb, in tho Cathedral, Dean Carrington preached in tho morning, and in the evening Canon Shore, and the day's collections were given to the funds of the league. The observance was general in the other Anglican churches in the city. In the Presbyterian churches visiting ministers attending tho Assembly preached on 1.16half of the league, Dr. Gibb and the Rov. G. H. Balfour, of First Church, Du'nedin; delivering discourses in St. Andrew's; the Rev. R, £'. Davies, of Knox Church, Dmiediii, preaching in St, Paul's. The Methodists also joined in the general observance. Tho Rov. C. H. Laws, -secretary of the conference, preached in Durham Street Methodist Church, the Rev. C. 11. Olds at Richmond Methodist Church. Throughout the whole province, even to remote Darts, tho observance was genera!. The Salvation Army, also, in every case advocated tho cause at all its meetings. Tho observance was kept on the West Coast, where, at Rmianga. the Rev Mr.. Tweedy preached in the Presbyterian Church, and at Reefton the Rev. James Brown in tho Presbyterian Church. At' AVestport, Captain Granville spoko on the subject in the Salvation Army Barracks, the Rev. G. T. Cox in 'the Methodist Church, the Rev. James Burrows in the Presbyterian Church. A united demonstration was also held in the afternoon at Westport. when tho Rev. R. do Lambert, Anglican, the Rov. J. Burrows, Presbyterian, and the Rev 0. T. Cox, of tho Methodist Church, and Captain Granville, of the Salvation Army, dolivcred addresses. At Timaru tho Rev. L. Hudson preached 111 the Methodist Church. At Ashburtmi the day- was kept, by Anglrcaii, Presbyterian, Methodist chiirchesjfaiid the Salvation Army. At Blenheim, Nelson district, the Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists, and halvation Army joined in the observance. Tho Rev. AY, 0. Robb, preaehiii" in the Presbyterian Church, said he could sec no reason why the Bible should bu excluded from" tho public schools. . At Cartorton and Masterton the day was observed by the Anglican. Presbyterian,; Methodist Churches, and the Salvation Army, generally. ■«■'■ >■ 111 Auckland tho day was observed generally throughout the city, and the province by tho Churches forming the league. In Grey Lynn Presbyterian Church tho Rev. V. A. Thompson' urged the support of tho league, as he did ; also in the morning at St. James's Presbyterian Church. The Rev. H. Knowles .Kempton preached, on behalf' of. tho • leagub in tho Baptist.Tabernacle,''Auckland. : - ' ' '; '■' ■ . Preaching in Invereargill 'Chitreli'. of Christ, Mr. Bull, .the pastor,.- stroiigly emphasised tho grave wrong dono by tho compulsory exclusion oi" Bible lessons from tho State schools. He described it as unfair to the parent,'as increasing'-his difficulty in fulfilling his' obligation to teach his children the Word of God. It gavo a false impression of values in the mind of the child. "All the- power,of the State is back of tho obligation to learn'that two and two are four, and other things oil tho same plane—grammar, geography, etc. It was impossible for tiie State to bo neu-.. ilral, as it. was sometimes claimed that it must ho. Tho present law was positively anti-Bible, the Book was forcibly' excluded from the school curriculum. It the compulsory principle was right in regard to such thinirs as reading, writing,'; I and arithmetic, by what process of reasoning was it wrong when applied to such a statement as ■ "In the-■■■. beginning! God created Cnc Heavens and .. the' earth/' 01" "Blessed is the man-that walketh not. in the counsel of'-■'■'the wicked,-nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful ; but bis delight is in tho law of the Lord;'and in His law doth he meditateday and night r" AYas it wrong to enun"-; date iu our schools tho law 0f...;.G0d. against stealing, lying, murder, covet-, ousness, etc.? Could it bo riglit"--to"-create the impression in the minds of. our'children, in their school years, that a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ .was so important; nay, was so bad'a thing that it must he excluded ■ from'' their daily lessons? It was nwch„lo bo feared that the opponents 'of ' the proposal of the Bibie-in-Schools League' I to reintroduce. Bible lessons into the schools, do not realise what was involved in its exclusion. Tho National School!' Defence League professes to recognise the gravity of the present agitation,' l and seriously advance tho silly proposition to make it leeal for ministers'-and other religious teac-h-ors to enter i,the" schools for Bible instruction l'ni-,oiie' half-hour in each week; Would-.they.: attempt to teach the multiplication tablo j in that way? The rijiht of the peoplo —that is, the State—to reintroduce Bible lessons into the schools, wits-one that could not be contested with .any. show of reason. The rcoueat for a referendum was eminently reasonable, and those who oppose it must fear that tho majority of the electors are hot .with 1 them in their opposition. '■ The"league's j proposal that the rights . ; of ". parents'! should be conserved in a... provision ■ enabling them to exempt their children I from such Bible lessons was not to"'bo scoffed at. It was a reasonable"', and I fair proposal to meet (he difficulties,;of j a conscientious minority, and was made. I in tho utmost, fiioil faith. ' TheroVwore j evidences that. New Zealaiid'-'-wn'sj'.be'-.' j.'inniii!', to suffer from-Hie-e.vc:lusion'Jof.| Bible lessons in its the presonl industrial slrifoj.llmrVjwas'l a great ileal that gay* colour to thai 1111 both sides might was considered 1 rh-'ht. and the boast lb;.:* Mi(Ti'i : 'wiVsi'j nuil'ieieiit cj'ohikl for rinl!l.-il"uljni' as'Jje-J tween man to man in tli'eiriih'.'j-'.'AVbatsrt-V ever ye woukl that ■,'inen'!'!s'i'ouldfitib! to you, do ve.'ovrn .so*.(n; tluMi!' : '',-V/\va'i;y : heinu proved baseless. The rule"..iirlcd,; upon .seemed In be, "DoJIn, Jlin^ntliei: 1 - fellow what yon I;now yon, and 'Jo it first..'''.'"The ■ru!e''nboy.e i referred to had little or ■no/power wr:"*!-. it was not recognisM as',/ backed by" Divine arthorif.v. If it. mines from il.n\ : lips of our Divine Lnril,' these. ,;w!i<i'.' rcvereiico Him obey it !!!-;':'._■'".'■ ■ * : ''.': : :£;;!&'!!' V/ESUEY CHURCH;iPETpNH|' : '/: Ri>rvirps,....iin,- hnhnlf, ofythb:s!yjls.; ; 3Tl!! State Sclio-ilßVLeacue' "ere day '" Wssley^ChurchfiiiPetoMf-Th'oJ'

?(morifmytfinvaclKM-tS-as^iKSJf'^ ■. l ' li 'dlessness ; of., i JtlKfJ.phjuetipiV^ ' U'i3s^kS^£^WoJ^il!''l^^'l^:|heWcii- ; !^y£^>WM&n^--?oXki- ( '' ;r ' ll '-' H'f- 'showed s ■ ;. : • ; ;sl;py'iiig?Xhe^ei;riiile|i : csiiltH"- rii^lebarr. ■ 'llook^whosn', ■ :'ihoir/iniii!o!M;a!^nahu'evi;-Ile^s!uiwc(l;tliat f : -;t hi'-in/l t>vfilv![Jt;,<oi'o^o.tt iilf^^tii<iyJifj.l<C a )>;if?lc .-nrto>.lh'c :; 'prmu!ry, : £ch'ool^ • iihg&a'?;'pla.tl'w ; ; -tlib; l(':uliiig]Ch!!i;clK'K< ; ooi(isu'iii^ i /icriaiiK'Assenibiy:-:iip\V;Kih|'ses'sioii : j ; j.)iad : ;carried :; it^by>J : Methodistiv > ConferejK:e^passd(|;;it*l)yJa i '.inajorit.y.'.6f ■iieaVlyloHd- lvS';lti.wasfgcn-l crally^jsiippoi ;^y ; JbyHtliG%C!iui;clr)uot. ■ hadgthelSalvatibiiSvArrnyi iiieu^p|i:its:flide;?|'.Alr!?Lew'is;<ioaltiwitii' ; the ;U'oman^Ca^iolie- ; that: no ; i.hijnstice'''would ;; Kl)o:|s(Eloiie:!to' toacSiers,'iiaiidUnaintaiHed'i,tha£*'iins.tead.. of 'imperilling : the national's syste'm'Wit i would .render it iinpregnable;-",;Tho gicat": danger'.'.to't'ie national ■' system -%being' that the' Church'cs; ;: impatient:under the' prolonged..^:'.resistance ..to:.;:their -''.just claim,' shoiiid take into their.own hands the training v"of:-j tlieir•';, children',.', and unite in .'demanding Government grants; In Western :i|SAustralia,Sland.S';Tasmaina/ \vliero. by.f overw'helmingievidcnc'e.r.w'hat is now proposed 'was' proved to bo completely- successful, no such danger, existed. The preacher showed.what Great Britain owed ■ to'.".tho Bible,. : and contended that'with so'momentous an.issue., at stake no; Government could refuse' the just,- reasonable, ami democratic appeal to allow the peoplo oi.tlie Dominion to decide, by;''refercndumfwljotlior they, will ■ have the Bibie> in ;their-.. day .schools. or not. ■ ■■i:fC l -'V. : '''i%"i¥s ; ;». : \y , r:i*. ; '' ;?.:'■

I MOLESWORTH SfREET METHODIST

The Rev. G: S. Cook preached on the. subject of Bible-in-Schools in. the Moles-fl-ortli Street ..Methodist .-. Church- ' on. Sunday. Ho stated that the Methodist Church iirNew.Zealand audi!Australia had been in favour of Scripture lessons in tho schools as far back as lie could, remember, and ..the last New Zealand Conference had'"endorsed the Uihle-in-Schools League's platform. The Church, existed for., tho spread of Scripturo holiness throughout the land, and was therefore keenly interested in tire children obtaining a knowledge of the Scriptures. The. league had faced two facts — firstly, the great dissatisfaction which existed concerning the secular system of education,'"so -great that'its advocates were now. afraid, to let it go to a referendum: .and,■ secondly, the testimony, which remains unshaken, to the success of tho ■■ Australian system of Bible lessons in'the schools, in the four States which have adopted it. It had been stated that the league was a clerical movement, but the 112,000 signatures to cards.of tits league reported by tho deputation to the Prime Minister disproved this;;- 1 Nearly all these cards were signed by. laymen and lay women, and in the. majority of cases as the resuit of canvass by lay workers. Butwhat do ministers exist for if they are not to take the initiative .in a movement with such objects as this,' and especially. ~to bring a knowledge of Scripture to that great margin of child life which would be left untouched both by the Sunday School and tho Nelson system ?. .To prove'that their system docs accomplish this, he read extracts from letters recently received from New South AValcs teachers. -,- ■ It.was significant that'tho Secular Schools Defence League had been cam*-' polled to step down, from their scculai'ity smcl favourably entertain the Nelson systcm-of Biblo teaching. He had been associated -in. the 'largest attempt.made in.the, Dominion to ino'.tho'iVelson system, .'and'pointed-, out some.' feature.",, which' made -.it partial and defective compared with, the' Australian system, of the .-working* of which lie had a lifelong knowledge. Nothing short of the best system' was good enough for tlis children of Now Zealand. He' referred to the cabled news of the, Christian 'education of the children'of the' President 'of'tho Chinese Republic, and-, quoted the'statement of' Sun -Yat" Sen: .."Our greatest'liopo is. to'make the Bible'6iid education tho means of convoying';'the' blessings of just laws and relief from suffering by civilisation." AVith strange inconsistency some of jour opponents iwoiiki read that programme . for '■ tho .Chinese with tiro greatest appreciation, while doiiig their best to keep the Bible and education apart for our own children;' Truly blindness in part lias happened to our Israel, and one isashamed sometimes in individual cases, of the blindness to th« need, , tho unworthy sectarian fears, and the imperviousness to evidence, which one meets. Splendid progress had, however, been made during the, year, and.tho movement was characterised'; by good feeling of the workers. He then dealt with some, common ; objections, contending that they were based-upon fears, not facts, and that these objections were satisfactorily met in the actual working of the system 'advocated by the league, which is not ah experiment, ■ but a system in active and > successful operation. Ho urged all those present,- to take an active personal interest, so that a re-ferendum-.-.'might bo speedily secured, and indicated some, of the methods by ■which they,.eoi!ld help te'this end. ■'

tefljSffiy n V^-

.'SER.JIOXSIN.SEVENTY'CHURCHES. .;'■;(Bi";: CorrcE-notHient.' '■■p ; :4 '7'i' AusMand, December 14." .'.:. 'Biblc-in-Slatc-.Schools Sunday was generally■■ obseived yesterday throughout the Auckland'provineo by the, Atigli-van,.-'.'Methodist, ' and. Presbyterian Churches.mid the Salvation Army. In seventy churches hi Greater Auckland sermon's .were, preached en behalf of tho league,-:' 1 -; "-}M ..•:- .'■;. . . " : ivThe. R-ova Knowles'";'Kempton, speaking at tile .Baptist Tabernacle, said that two names' were .familiar to all-Baptists ■ in the Southern Hemisphere—lliosllev.'. V. C. Spurr, of Melbourne,',ami the Roy':" F;--AY. Rorcliam, of Hobart. ;.Mr.-Spurr t- bad written:—-,'-' 1 - have;.; advocated tho.. New. South'*"Wales system i-.'because ' it works well. Testimonies, from, teachers f.how.v.that there', has been no sectarian dillie\l!ty'» A J{onia'i'i'!-iCatholics use tba Bibio declare that they like . them.. The., systemi has. justified itself; it'is'this' orjwthing ;ithcre is.-.no alter-. . liaiivo. thatj-will. work.■..!-'; Mr. Boreham l!-liad/writton^'i"Tho'^s,v,stem, works :inost !;'])prfectly-iJlicreS ; - : .-Tlio3"eliildrcn / '.liko it, I'thb niiiiist'en;" like-it^;-and the teachers kiuiytiiiiig-^bptter. 1 .'■ \y. .'- )l-:-The!.ltevv (ieo.'.Bon'dj-'rliairmai) of the I ■• : AimklaiiilSDist'rict', Methodist 1 .. Church, r , "(jnot( , 'd.*th'ei"Arehbisliop''''ol"- Canterbury j;n'hiMJ^]).re'sen'ting.lhe"Y' : Bible;/to.. King ~Goorgc;';'ajr.eordiiation■■ as saying:' "The ■ groivth'-aiidstrciigili bf/'the Empire owe .j,m'iicii\to';ithp'".Eiiglish'^Bili|e;'. i - HJias.set spoech ;.'it haspoi'I'luea'ted.'l.iteralnrpiaiHl art;'it liasbelpcd I'lii'Veinove: social'.wrongs an'd .to amelior-' .- conditions'.of; labour'.' 'ilt inodi- ; . lied .■ the 1 ., law's-! ol '■' I he";realm and shaped ■ : : tlu':hational ;: reply Kssijj; ' '(;boi'g( ; |i!;uksaid:::;sfU : iis' my ...eoniiileiit may never cease .■ i.liif.cli'erislCthc'irrnoblcyinhi'rit'.incc' in the. ; . as-' ' i'jjecT^fjs.jllio^lirstV'of-Kiißtio'iViilj' treasures,, ■! ; mbst^yaltia!)jp;ftliiiia;jtiie!.world ; '■ *Y,otsfaddcd'' : 't InV ) .teiis.>'oF ; '-,tliou'- : . children are''; deprived of a ' : ;k'ii(i!v!e':lge>,l Ihis'-'natii'inal. treasiire-.be-;;[y-;itise llio--;Uiblc ' is-. Slate; ■■ ; ; schooh.-- °: ; vi;. ; -»; - %'".'";' ? is ";£■&■'.■ '"■"-€ '' 'i'.J;-Th'e Hpv':i / vW.; i ,-tßeadyy-.(e'x-p'residpii(.-. of ;;;(|\e.;-Met!iot!ist t 'C-ou fere nee 1 : -asked wfe ' ; jrHV'iihbourSt.ate.syslcni of"er]in'ation,.be; - : ;■ rflier'e ' : i)i-;N.e;wi;Zealand

sitiiilliminorily-.riilc ; tlu-'ivast- : riiajority ?. Seventy-live per'Vcnt. of the population ,is;: embraced In .the, 1 churches, and 'ofli-; to the. Uiblo-in-Sebools- .' ;moven'iJ]).i; ' ■'■ .;''.-' '-■■ <.\ '■■'■■■ <-.■■;' '>.TliLvllt. ; v." A. Jliehards, St. Sepulchre's '' Anglican. Church,- quoted .Mr.;.. .Harold. Johnston, secretary of llic -Moral ivlu- . cation. .League, l - London. ■',■ In'.cqiiniri'o:-; where,a.more or less soct;lar, ; ' :; siinitioii ; .had'been reached it \xns becoming'more 'amKiiiorp. evident that this solution was ; tiofi so) nt ioiii at all. It' represented'-'at. ■ioa'stoiiiy.a stage'preparatory to ' a>solu- . said that' I ,silence ite ; t)i ; pfcxistci!c<'' , o[-God, of'the' undymoral accountability U).i,!.!i;:' : iC'i;catoi : ' was .practically a denial ;lhe.so ; fundamental truths, and was ,tbeostablislimeiit of Atheism as a State 'crced'*ats''i!u''i.:.oxnense : '* of Christians. Tlia& : Ajisfrhlia;Sliad > cnt"Uio Gordian j;i!ot':"iu'*all'States - but'.two's effectually liembvedi;.objections :.;■ to '■.State, \school :."".' '■'.. V- ;.' ';'.'■:■- ;i?:Tiic ;l{,svi;; JT.'Hi Hobjonn.v. general , : F.ceretaryr.of';tho ■ ; Dible-iii-Siato-Scliools .; .League'j-AueklaiHl province, speaking at. .'Epsom' -- invited consideration of-.: tins ■'■ ;qucstions;; What did my Hible' cost? ■Wiiatfis it worth? The Bible' \ by the blood of those who translated;, and-priiitcd.it; the covers scorched by" '< the .'lire's* of Smithiickl,' where* v it ; wass ■' .burnt.■'.-It is the foundation', of 'Kng-; ; land's greatness. William Tyndnll'pray-.' ed God to open, the eyes of the Kingof .England, 'so that in. .'three, years there would be a liiblc in'each church. The. need to-day was to pray if) open' the.eyes of.the'people of Now,. Zealand to.understand what the Bible cost- and was' worth.' Other men have laboured, - nnd wo■ enter into their labours. -..We must/'labnnr so that the children yet unborn-.will enter into ours. .Wo must 'work, and fight and suffer so that-they may have, .and - mav. road their. '■ open■ r" -. . >->;* w- f.

IN CHRtSIChURCH

' ; '.%kr ?"■■■ ChristGhurch, December. 15. :; ; '.■'■' At the Bible-iii-Schools Sunday .yesterday over 163 churches—Methodist, Anglican, Presbyterian, and the Salvation Army—participated. In West-port, a big eliiltlren's demonstration took placo in Cadaow's Theatre (hiring the afternoon, the speakers being the Rev. -Mr. Cox, Methodist,- the l(ev. Mr. Burrows, I'resbyterian, and Captain Olenville, Salvation Army,