BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1956, 13 January 1914, Page 9

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

Sir,—Permit mo a fow words in reply to Mr;' Chas. I. Cook, who wrote in your issuo of January 0. Evidently your correspondent is satisfied, his views liavo gained tremendously in tho discussion. His . references to' Anglican clergy aro' provoking ' and' undeserved. Without going into tlmt part- of tho letter I - refer to, I will ask Mr. Cook and all others who treat this great subject as he does—ivhother, on perusing tho statement made by Viscount Bryce, published in vour columns about a Week since—they still hold faßt to their opinions. Viscount Bryco is an honour to the British Empire—a man in the front rank of our great men. He has commanded the esteem of tho President of tho great- United States of America, who is himself a distinguished educationist and a great deal more. Viscount Bryce addressed by request, I believe, a largo gathering in Wellington of tho university men of New Zealand lately, and from a scholar and a groat thinker with wide knowledge of human affairs from long experience, iiis views I take to be worth tho opinions of all tho teachers in New Zealand put t together; and though I have not the exact'words before me, I believe lie declared that tho neglect of" Bible-teach-ing would be a great national disaster, predlining, as it has-already produced to a serious extent, a general lapse or national decay, of which there aro numerous signs even now, as tho daily papers disclose. One of our Judges lately rebuked very sternly a barrister in ail Auckland Court case, telling him lie had uttered a deliberate lie. Many cases of legal men lapsing have occurred in tlio last few years. Our gaol population reached a record to-day, I believe. Moro .children aro being criminally assaulted by males—l cannot call thom men—this is below animal life. Perjury is thought nothing of. Gross filthy language in common in "tho.streots, Tlio'recent strikes gave opportuntiy to a mass of ill-guided persons to doprive

honest people of their living; I),yj pn'-:. willing I niuspcii-L, I'lc.— jlouling.VJUie. most humane labour laws in Hie'Worlilvg| The numb''! - of eases in Divorro and sepaiulions, lias been commented on by our Judges and Magi^tniles. At a gathering ol the old settlors lately in Wellington it. wasMneo. to see so nuinv old people turning up, nnd Dr. Newman, A1.1'.. and Mr: John Smith called attention to wnal .....was due to the old people who put' ii!;.sail appearance each year, as 1 vwjuld imagine tliev do it partly as in < <pr> -• sum of tliniiks to the Almighty Who brought them safely over their, long sea voyages ill sailing ships filly years an.o.. Our voting peoplo now have iui timo iortliese old folk, tho ago is fast and .fur-, ions with an over-inercasing ratio 'ol violent deaths, suicides, and fatal acei-. dents and general swindling. It is eertninlv a timo for most Serious thought, rind lor a general banding together of all that are on the side of "righteousness" to take serious council togother and see if something cannot be done for tho general good, to stem the stream of llioso who are on tho down-grado that Biiroly brings loss and sad trouble. I propose a weekly concert, all unpaid talent. Lot tho various churches and societies take turns, givo choico vocal and instrumental itoma, first-class selected songs, and short sketches on great subjects; no debates. Admission, men and women 3d., children free. That is done in Liverpool and iu Dublin—altogether free concerts in coffee palaces. —1 am, etc., UNION JACK.