BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2281, 15 October 1914, Page 3

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS

FURTHER EVIDENCE CASE FOR THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE MR. J. CAUGHLEY SPEAKS Yesterday the Education Committee of tho Houso of! Representatives continued the hearing of evidence on the Religious Instruction in Schools Referendum Bill. Mr. G. M. Thomson, M.P., presided over the Committee. Evidence was given by Mr. John Caughley, M.A., who appeared as the authorised representative of the New Zealand Education Institute. Mr. Caughley said that the Bill would make possible one of the most revolutionary changes in our educational system,, in the relation of the State to religion, and in the constitution of our Legislature. Yet, it was proposed that Parliament should, without dealing with the merits of the changes proposed, pass the whole question over to the decision of the individual voter, who would vote on impulse, on sentiment, on religious prejudice, but would certainly not be able to examine the issues involved, nor appreciate the constitutional and educational questions which, even if put before him, would be outside the powers of tho average elector. He would be appealed to to support the Bible, and to give the Book to the children, and he would see little else in this revolution. Only a great and glaring disastrous defect in our present educational system would justify the excitement aroused by the organisers of the Bible-in-Schools League in their movement; no slight defect would justify it. Tho named "secular" had been extensively mis-used as applied to the present system, but it did not mean (in this sense) anti-religion, but •. meant abstention from the teaching of religious subjects owing to the State's inability to give such lessons on the same fair and equitable footing as it gives instruction in the non-religious subjects. It was sectarianism, not secularism, that limited th State's teaching to non-religious, or secular, subjects.' In New Zealand the supporters of the secular system included large- bodies of Christians, a largo number of Protestant- ministers, and a largo proportion of 'the very denominations which were officially supporting the Bible-in-Schools League. Surely these were not to be branded as secularists and enemies of the Bible, or as people -.who would forbid the Bible to the children. |

Necessity, Not Choice. It was not of choice, but of necessity, said Air., Caughley, ' that the Stato taught only non-religious subjects. It could not put into the schools of all the people any ~ fovm of religious instruction that could be utilised by onlysome of the people. v Noithor could the State justly force a teacher to give religious instruction contrary to the principles of the Church to which he belonged. The Bible, being the basis of all the contentions of the sects, could not fairly bo introduced into the State schools as a basis of instruction. ~ Mr. Caughley claimrtd that the present-sys-tem met the growing needs of the child's character, and said that tLo type of children largely justified the claim. The, Bible-in-Schools League's charge of "secularism" rebounded on their own system, under which there would be just that kind of teaching for at least. tiventy-one out of twenty -five hours per week. The official organiser of the league, and other exponents of its schemo, vied with one another in declaring how little the teachers would ''teach" when giving Bible lessons, but they, did hot agiee as. to what the teacher really would do; they contradicted one another. It was, said that the Bible was to be read as any. other Book, but such a thing was impossible, for he Bible was like no other Book, and its author like no other author.

' The cry of restore the' Biblo was really a demand to restore denominational schools under the State. Ho claimed that, where the State left religion and religious instruction to the proper agencies, those agencies were most active, and made' the most effective- effort.to meet their responsibilities. Where the State took a hand, it deadened religion and cramped its free, voluntary nature by restrictions necessarily imposed.. New Zealand had as high a proportion of Sunday scholars as any country in the world. Those who were making "all this stir" should prove that the present system was doing injustice to the children and resulting in deterioration of the national character.

Australian Comparisons. Mr. Oaughley, comparing New- South Wales with Victoria, said that for over fifty years New South Wales had relied largely on a "State-given travesty of religious instruction of itg children," while Victoria, had refused'to meddle in religious instruction. Taking the average for the'years 1901 to ?910, it was found that on a population basis New South Wales had fifty per cent, more summary convictions than Victoria, sixty _ per cent, more Supremo Court convictions for Berious crimo, eighty per cent, more divorces, twentythree per cent, more illegitimate births, forty-fivo per cent, more people in gaol, and 59 per cent, more drunkenness. In the. period, drunkenness decreased- in Victoria from 135 to 97 per 10,000, while in the same period ! it increased in New South Wales from 110 to 175 per 10,000. ',■.-•■

Mr. Caughley criticised the fact of the absence of a conscience clause-for teachers, and the demand for tho right of entry for" ministers. In Australia the ministers, in a very large proportion of eases, did not take- advantage of the right of entry to teach Bible lessons in the schools; lay helpers were secured. "We," ho continued, "confidently place this matter of the'teachers' rights of conscience in the hands of Parliament, even if it is 'sternly resisted' by a League which would crush conscience with the Bible." The teachers could never consent to be compelled to take part in the League's un-Scriptural, and, in the light of their, gross injustice, its utterly unchristian proposals.

Cross-examination. Mr. Caughley was then oross-exam-ined by Canon Garland, the organiser for the. Bible-in-State-Schools' League. Canon Garland asked the witness if he thought the ninety out of well over 1000 Protestant.ministers was a "largo number" to get to sign a petition against ' the Bible-in-Schools movement. Mr. Caughley said that ninety were sufficient to . redeem the opposition to the Bill from tho charge of being materialistic. Those who 'had signed the petition, ho added, were the brave men who had had the courage to come out in opposition to their church. Double the number who signed were of the same opinion, but .would not sign. Referring to Mr. Caug'hley's comparison of Victoria with New South Wales, Canon Garland asked the witness how In could say that the two States were remarkably alike when Now South Wales was nearly four times as large as Victoria. Mr. Caußhley replied' that in tho western half of New South Wales only 18.000 people lived. Tho committee has adjourned till 10.30 a.m. on Friday. The cross-ex-amination of Mr. Caughley will then bo continued.