BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2152, 19 May 1914, Page 7

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

WOMEN WORKERS MEET INTERESTING SPEECHES. Women workers of the Bible-in-Schools League in the Wellington district conferred yesterday afternoon at St._ John's Schoolroom, a dozen interesting speeches being given, showing the excellent progress which the movement is making and tho good reports which vero coming in from town and couiitry-.'- ■ ■ ' .

Miss Greenwood strikingly sketched tho present-day limitations of a State Bchool teacher who attomptod to givo tho best moral teaching to an intelligent heathen child of ten years. Thero was, sho said, no need to imagine tho heathen child, because they wero all too sadly conscious that there would be no difficulty in finding such a child in Wellington. Sho imagined herself botind not to givo anything approaching Biblo teaching, not even tho historic Bible facts. What, she should toaeh under theso circumstances sho could not say, but sho simply confined herself in tho • few minutes at her disposal to what sho was bound not to teach. Sho imagined that tho boy would like to know something about the nature and character of his Creator. Sho must not tell him, "tho Lord God merciful and gracious, . long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin," or "God so loved tho world that Ho gavo His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting lifo." The child might also wish to know something about the futuro life. Sho must tell him there is no proof of any future life—for there is no proof, opart from revelation. She must not 'ell him, "As in Adam all died, ■ even 60 in Christ shall all be made alive." Sho must not tell him, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me in that day, and not only to me, but to all thorn that love His" name." She must 'jiover teach him thoso noble words, "I have fought tho good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept tho faith." Sho must not instil into his mind the Christian virtues—forgiveness of those who have injured us, love of our neigh- , rour. She must not tell him tho story of tho Good Samaritan—she must not tell him of faithful self-sacrifice, but must loav6~all that out. • "•

Mrs. Menztes read-a report of-the speech of tho Hon. Dr. Menziea in tho Legislative ■Couuoil when tho Education Act was passed in 1577. On that occasion Dr. Menzies protested against tho decision then arrived at to expell all referenco to religious subjects from the course of study to be adopted in schools, stating, "We find that many petitions iiave boon presented to-tho Legislature Upon this subject, and,the expressions which they contain show- that over a very largo,extent of country in many districts tho most cherished feelings, of the community havo been outraged by tho banishment from the schools of that Book which, in tho words of the- petitioners, they regard as the Word of God and tho suprenie rule of conduct." A protest against the Education Bill, on tho ground that it was against the wishes of tho people, was signed by John Hall (afterwards, Sir John Hall, Premier), and the Hon. Dr Menzies. Tho ; speaker said that fivo times had her husband endeavoured to introduco a Bill restoring tho Bible to tho schools.

Adjutant [ftacßiiyi 1 Army, spoke .of tho 'conviction which 3iad come to their workers that early youth is .tho most impressionable, age, tho ago at-which'"tho inmd is more receptive- in regard to Scriptural knowledge. Tho Salvation Army would welcome tho whole Bible boing introduced into, tho schools, but recognised that tho platform of tho Bible-in-S'tate-Schools League was the very best proposal 'possible, and, while not desiriug that religious instruction should be forced on any child against tho wishes of. its. parent, felt it a matter of daty as regards their own children to spare no effort to got Bible teaching in the schools as a part of the ordinary school curriculum, being a very ileeossary nart of complete education, which had threo fides—mental, moral and spiritual. M"rs. Cook, speaking as a member of tho Methodist Church of New Zealand, said that it endorsed tho platform of the Biblc-in-Schools League at its last conference by a vote of seven to one of r tho ministers and laymen present. Shehad sent her own child to the schools'in Australia, where it was in operation, and through long residenco in Now South Wales she was thoroughly acquainted with its satisfactory and successful working. Fifteen years of residenco in New Zealand, and of Christian work in tho, city and country, had shown her tho great necessity for the restoration of the Scripture lessons to the schools, and the ineffectiveness of tho Nelson system to meet this need. It would be most useless where most required, that is, in the scattered country districts. Several of tho lady speakers reported' ■upon tho opinion in country districts regarding tho question. Mrs. Leighton, for instance, stated that in the isolated districts and busy dairying communities parents had no leisure to provide their children with religious instruction, so that they strongly folt tho need for somo form of Bible teaching in tho schools.

Mrs. Marshall, also speaking from •the country women's standpoint, declared that tho country workers had to come to the cities to take a hand in tlio industrial trouble before they could get their prodiico away to the London market, and the samo men believed that if they put their hand to tho-- question of the religious instruction of their children, they could with equal effectiveness secure their desire.

Mrs. Godfray, cliief olcotoral secretary for Suburbs district; Miss Grant, Bister Norah, and'other nrJsvo sympathisers and workers in the movement.gavo encouraging reports. _ Mrs. Coleridge dealt with tho assertionthat women had been deluded into eigning tho League's cards. The public heard a. lot about this, but if tho women of Now Zealand were so foolish and deluded, their public speakers did not hint such athin« from the platform at election time; In tlie Australian movement in favour of the Biblc-in-schools, with tho exception of Queensland, it was tho mop who had to sign tho cards demanding tlio reform. Women, for tho sake of their love for children, and their religious instinct wero firm believers in tho reform, and tho New Zealand workers for the Bible-in-Schools Leaguo found that women signed the cards as a matter of course. Tho speakers, upon Mrs. Garland's motion, wero heartily thanked for their helpful and encouraging addresses.

MEETINC AT KEIBURNE. THE NEW, SOTJTH WALES SYSTEM. A meeting of supporters of tho Biblc-ln-State Schools League was held in tho Kolburno Presbyterian Church last night. The I{ev. A. 0. W. Stnudago presided, and tho speaker was the Rev. (i. S. Cook. Thoro was only a, small attendance, due, no doubt, to the inclement weather. Tho Rev. Mr. Cook said that his object in addressing a meeting was to givo personal experiences of the way tho system was carried out in 'New South "Wales, where ho had been educated. Personally, ho came, under threo teachers during his school career; ono a Roman Catholic, one a Presbyterian, and one an Agnostic. In each case tho Scripture lesson's were given clearly, and intelligently. There were 1100 Roman Catholic teachers in the

I schools of New South Wales, and, during his time, ho had ncvor heard of an objection from a teacher. Regarding tho "right of entry," the speaker referred to tho remarks made about tho strife that would be raised, and said that, in tho States where, tho system was in operation, no strife existed, and thoy heard nothing about tho matter. Tho system worked smoothly in Australia, and it was recognised that religion had a place in tho life of tho people. To ban tho introduction of tho Bible into tho schools of Now Zealand was an offence to the Christian conscience, and was not adopting a neutral position.

One thing that surprised him, said tho' speaker, was the evidence- which had been produced by the opponents of tho system, who would not face the success of the Australian States, where, it had been tried. They had heard a lot about tho results in older countries', but in new countries tho conditions woro different, and it was the new conditions that had to l>o taken into consideration. In 1912 the ComptrollerGeneral of Prisons for New\ South Wales had said that, from 18T4 to 1911 tho prison population there hiicT decreased from 221 per 100,000 to 71 per 100.000. That, said the speaker, was ,i decrease of crime which was abnormal, and could not be equalled in any other Australian State. During the same year Sir John Findlay visited New South Wales, in the interests of prison reform, and on his return to 'New Zealand, in an interview, made a statement to tho effect that, undoubtedly, statistics proved that there had been a great decrease in crime, due to the education of tlio pnoplc—nnd that education, concluded Mr. Cook, . included Scripture lessons.

THE REFERENDUM. RESOLUTION IN CHRISTCHURCH. (By Telograph.—Special Correspondent.) Christchurch, May 18. A conference of over 200 workers in connection ' with tho Bible-in-State-Schools League, representing Canterbury and • Wosiland, met at the Y.M.C.A. rooms, Christchurch, to-day, ■ and great enthusiasm and determination wero displayed. A resolution was proposed by tho Rev. John Mackenzie, of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, seconded by Mr. H. Holland, Mayor of Christchurch, and carried unanimously, as follows: —"That this conference expresses surprise that, as yet, tho Government has not acceded to tho requests mado by the highest Courts of the Church of England, the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, and the. Salvation Army, endorsed so generally by their constituents, and supported by tho individual request of 137,000 electors, asking for nothing more than the referendum. Tho conference draws attention to the "attempts made by tho league's opponents claiming tho Prime Minister as in sympathy with them. This conference emphasises that tho leagiio is not asking tho Government, or Parliament, to decide on the merits of tho'league propbsals, or to say whether they are right, or wrong, but are asking the Government to provide tho machinery which will allow the people to directly decide that question for themselves at the ballot-box."

'Practically all present signed the "earnestness cards."