BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2200, 13 July 1914, Page 8

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Sir.T-Ovcr your report of Bishop Sprott's address on the Bible-in-schools' question,, published in your issue of the * Bth instant, I note'/the heading "Bishop. .-, Surely, . • Sir, anyone who has followed-tho|argu- " nients', used in the- present unfortunate, controversy willadmittbat the chief critioism levelled by .all :parties aaainsfc . the Bible-in-Schools League's; proposals ■ : is that tho suggested scheme,;• if eiven eifeet to;, would impose .011 teachers, irrespective of creed, the task of giving religious lessons to. y the . children,: Kiiowing thisj one ; is surprised and dis- ''- appointed, to find' ■,that the ■ • Bishop, ■" " throughout his . lengthy . and," at times, • eloquent vaddress, makes no ; attempt to v;• reply,; to - this, the main- argument of "' his opponents. As you say, Sir, the' Bishop does "reply .to j critics," but in. - doing so ho appears to overlook their' criticisms. :' ■ it Ajy accident or.,de- ; sign that■' the; league leaders, ■, almost; without 'exception; either.-ignore t-hei V : charge that they, would compel teachers to-give at most, content themselves -jvitKa hasty denial, arid introduce the "next point?" ' Can! Bishop, Sprott" or Canon Garland tell us why, the lessons'given by teach-" ers, under tho Australian system, which ; New Zealand is asked to adopt, are offi. ' cially described as general religious: in- ' struction?.' vTlie riama^is suggestive, to say- tlie least. ' ' Again, v I take it; that no: text-book is-likely to. be compiled, i or could, bo compiled, that does not con- ' tain such controversial: ternis as God, Our Father, Saviour,' prayer: heaven, atonement. When the poor unfortunate teacher sets out to comply .with the •' .:. regulations.' and "see-that tho childrenv .understand" thesa terms, .lrow is ho to set about it? Perhaps-our/-worthy" Bishop will oblige by giving, iis a sample explanation of each of the above terms;- . such:as might bo used by a teacher of" any or no religious .'beliefs,, without ■ viplatinj; his own. conscicnoe, and -with- V cut giving any religions., instruction • either.direct-ly ,or ;by imnjication. ' Bet-'- ; t-eij still, the Bishop, or, say;' Canon Gar- '■ land, ■'might take somo representative . lesson ,from an Australian : ■ text-book, and give us 3 practical demonstration of how the State-paid teacher might treat it. Personally, I cannot see how tbq teacher can avoid giving religious - instruction. If the: leaders of-' the league;will condescend to how tho \ difficulty can be overcome . tbey : . will ; thereby disarm a large number of their opponents, and at the samo time show that they are. not afraid to. discuss the " question on its merits. / Hitherto,' I think: there has been, too much battle-, cry and too little-endeavour to meet-the real difficulties. - - . I notice that Bishop Sprott describes ■ the, two parts of the scheme—Bible lc2soils and right of entry—as "being muand'as together forming one consistent system of religious training.". ■ Does he, in the face : of this, deny that the teachers are to ,- be| called oil to assist in religious instruction?: Finally, letme ask Bishop Sprott. and\his fellow-workers in. - tho cause, why they so , consistently / seek the security of Church: synods, assemblies., and'so forth,when they tvish to confound their enemies 'with their rlogic' and eloquence?" Why.-doesn't' somebody accept tho oft-Tcpeated challenge of the Schools Defence League,, and come out and debate the question . in 1 tho open?—l am, etc.. 1 . / F. AV. MARTIN. - Linton. " v -:--v '.'v'.' [Bishop Sprott dealt with the position!

■lifi ? '"'.■yJ.'v'-'-.. ■ ,v of tho. teachers m his address last, yoar; ■ : as wilt; be seen from a footnote to a let-' tor from. Professor Hliutei" iu : this-is-sue. 1 ;