THE GENERAL ELECTIONS AND BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2324, 4 December 1914, Page 20

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS AND BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

THE UNDERSIGNED MINISTERS OP RELIGION HAVE SIGNED A DECLARATION THAT-THEY "WILL NOT VOTE FOR, ANY PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE WHO WOULD DENY THE PEOPLE THE RIGHT.OF DECIDING - FOR : THEMSELVES- THE ISSUE . SUBMITTED BY THE LEAGUE. They' invito all members of the League to follow their example :— S.T. Dunedin (Primate), C. Christohurch A.W. Auckland, T.H. Wellington, W. Walnieley. .Waiapu, Samuel J. Serpell (President. Methodist ConferenbeJL 0. H. Laws (Secretary Methodist Conference), 0. H. Garland (Principal Methodist Theological College), H. M. Ries (President Lutheran Synod), Jas. H. Gibb. Isaao Jolly, Alex Doull, Graham H. Balfour, Alex. Porter. W. Gray Dixon, George Bond; G. S. Cook, John J. Lewis, A. R. Fitchett (Dean), Thomas Fancourt (Archdeacon), Alfred Hodge, W. A. Keay, George Heighway, W. . M. Grant, M. Christensen, David Nield, Cecil A. B. Watson, Neville S. Barnett; John Walker, Herbert Reeve, J. R. Cassell, Wm. Nichol, John Kilpatrick. John Miller, I. K. McIntyre, C. Coleridge Harper, J. H. Sjkes, Charles Palmer, H. T. Stealey G. T. Petrie,. M.,N/ de L. Willis, W. Laycock, B. Dudley, T. A.' Pybus, G. F. StookweU, J. G. Castle, A. Douglas Mitohell, A. L. Hansel!, W. Fancourt P. C. Durward, Peter C. Ronnie, A. V. G. Chandler, Alex Sangster, James S. Ponder, J. Edwin' Jones, G. A. T. Rickaby, F. Latter; C. F. R. Harrison, Samuel Henderson, R. Raine, James T. Pinfold, Geo. T. Marshall, F: Carew Thomas, A. D. Stratford, J. Blackburne, W. F. Stent, Arthur J. Beok,.W. T. Currie, John Lilewall, Win. Kearnoy, W. Irvine, J. P. Cowie, H. A. Johnson, Wm. Chad. Wood, E. 0. Cruickshank, W. H. Hedloy, ! John Olphert, G. B.' Hinton, Thos. N. Griffin, Wm; Watson, J. G. Weir, Herbert Cule, T. A. Meyer, George Mao Murray, H. B. Wingiiold, J. a Fussell, Herbert S. Rosher, D. McColL A. Gray, Jame3 Standrmg, A. Greig, Ernest H. Kedgley, Jasper Calder, William Calder, David J; Garland, W. Edward Lush, Wm: Eugene Gillam, Chas. Penny, James Clover, James Wrigloy. M. A. Rugby Pratt, Pastor F. Bissett, Wni. H. Edgell, John Haselden, Chas. A. Tisdall, George B. Stephenson, W. H. Walton, James D. Wikon, Henry Clark, Wm. Spence, R. R. M. Sutherland, Alexander Don, H. Harold Robjohns, Alfred Richards, F. W. Young, H. G. Blackburne, Herbert Wilson, Alf. Mci Costain, Hy.. Ford, Henry Benny, William Wills, F. W. Clarke, Hubert H. Bedford, G.N. Watson, E. Robertshawe, C. E. Nicholas, Laurence Thompson, R. M. Ryburn, W. G; Hannah, AJf. Snowball, Gerald W. Davidson, Percy C. Davis, H. Watson, F. •W. Chatterton, L. Dawson Thomas, John Patcrson, Geo. 1 B. Inglis, E. Bish- ' op,; B. D. Ashcroft, Ernest I. Sola, Paora Temuera, Clias. F. Askew, 0. H. Isaacson, George Frost, William S. Potter, Job Banning, Samuel Bailey, H. A. Walke, J. Mayo, W. F. Grove, C. W. I. Maclaverty, E. Young Woodward, Robt.'D. M. Eivan, Sydney E. Hill, J. Kennedy Elliott, James Hay, Robert Barr, Geo. Digby Wilson, Cyril H. Harvey; Chas. A. Vaughan, T. O'Calkghan, Clement Houchen, C. Eaton, Gm. . P. Hunt, John Dennis. Jclm i H. ; Cable, T. H : Katene, F. P. Fendall, J. R. Hewland, H. W. Monaghan.H. N. Roberts, V. G. Bryan King, G. Fynea-CKnton, William Hain, A. K. Ross, R. E. Evans, John Cawley, C. Coates, C. 0; Oldham, T. Jasper Smyth, 0. A. Tobin, Frais. Knbwles, A. Hardy Couch, Percy R. Paris, .William Rowo, Harold E. Elisor, W., A. Hamblett, H. A. Wvnter Blathwayt, N. D. Boye3, E. M. Cowie. William Marshall, P; S.- Hay, Wm. Raeburn, J. McOosh Smith, Thbmas Neavv Ml W. Butterheld, P. B. Haggitt, Wm": Wollstoin, H. W. Klingender, Alfred 0. Williams, H. L. Riohards, J. S, 'Flotoher, R. P. Keall,' 0. Aker, E. Whitehousa, Harold R. Jecks, E. S. Wayne,'E. T. Wynne Bond, A. C. W- Standage, Henry Whyte Johnston, D. Di Scott, James '■ McCawj John ■ D. McKenzie,' -J: B. Brocklehurst, John Charles Eccles, J. A. McNickle, J. C. Davies, Ed. Cowper Tennent, Robert Francis, Alex Miller, Robt. L. Walker, W. Raine, E. J. 'McFarlane, Walter J. Piggott, Alfred Drake, P. J. Cocks,,J. Ernest Parsons, Percy Battoy,; Joseph Sharp, John Dukes, Albert C. Lawry, Joseph Blight, C. W. • Carrington, Horace Paclce, Cyprian Wobb, 0.; F. Saunders, W. G. Lucas, James Lowery, Robt. Gordon Kirgan, A. T.'Thompson, G. Y. Roby, James B. Hall, Charles Mules, Herbert Blathwayt, J. Hornby Spear, Wm.. Geo.' Baker,' J. P. Kempthorno, Fredk. J. Tylee, Jas. J. Clarko. William F. Findlay, Henry E. Rutledge, J. D. Russell, R. Sholto Bishop, Thomas Russell, Geo. Stubbs, H. B. Goertz, Fred. B. Lawrence, Charles Duncan, James A. Lamond, Thomas E. Carr, Haiold A. Sharp, J. Morland, J. Richards, W. H. Roberts, R. George Coates,'A. Wingfieid, A. Bruce Todd, : George W. T. Herous, David Campbell, A Macdphald; John McGregor, lemuera Tokbaitua, H. 0. Townsend Hanby',' J. Halland, Jolin E. Holloway, W. H. Orbell, Thomas Knight, C. Brierly, John Webber, H. W. Burridge, J. M. Simpsoii, John H. Rogers, Herbert' East, R. A. Woodthorpe; T. ,0. Gullwick, Thomas Fisher, Angus Macdonald, J. Leburn Patullo, James Wilson, George W. Blair, F. H. Bailey, Geo. W. Christian, Staples Hamilton, G. B. Nanson, P. H. Pritchett, Percy Revell, James Pattison, Jas. I. Monfries, John E. Lopdell, L. J. Hodson, Thomas Allan Norrie, S. Stephens, Walter S. Bean, Chas. Anderson Fraer, R. J. Thorpe, Mackenzie Gibson,. Alex Whyte, James Lymburn, A Don Nicholson, E. J. Dabourno; James Fordyce, James Hay, Walter F. Knowles, F. B: Redgrave, Thomas A. Hamilton, Henry Williams, John H. White, Nicholas Turner, John S. Rishworth, 0. L. Wilson, J. W. Robinsonjj H. T. Rawnsley. Edward Jenning,' Thomas Trestmil, Wm. Lea, L. Hudson, W. G. Williams, Fred. Hi Spencer, E. Streeto, Duncan Rankin, J. Russell Wilr'ord, Arthur F. Williams, Thos. S. Grace, David J. A. Shaw; Erio D. Rice, R. F. Geddes, William Gittos, Duncan Macpherßon, J. B. Finlay, Fred H. Petrie, R. Young, A. Reader, W. A. Burley, Wm. McDonald, E. Bishop, Honry T. Purchas, G. S. Bryan Browß, Chas. Porter, 0. J. Mutter, R. J. Thorpe, J.> R. Shore. John Ryley, Wm. Uphill, G. M. Macdonald, Herbert, J. York, W. Grigg, Samuel MoMaster, Wilfred'; Bowden, Donald Mackenzie, Leonard H. Fenn, A. J. Petrie, Robert Wood, J. A. Julius, Perqy Jones, David D. Dodger, W. FordPHutchinson, F. Quintrell, R. Ashton, Thomas Tweede, Win. T. Bliriit, P. S. Smallfield, A. Laybourn, T. Gurnow, John J. Bates, Alfred Peters, Albert E. Haynes, P. Keene, John H. Hawkoß, J. T. MoWilliam, J. J. Legarth, W. A. R. Fitchett, F. J. Daynes, Walter Harper, Henry A. Wilkinson, F. G. Brittan, A. H. Julius, John Craig, Geo. G. Howes. The Bishops or the Ghuroh of England appeal to its members to remsmber the inlunotlon of Christ to put first the Kingdom of Cod and His righteousnassi and earnestly and unhesitatingly exhort them to make the religious interests of the country tho first question, by voting only for members of Parliament who will pledge themselves to vote for .the Religious Instruction Referendum BUI. The President of the Methodist confercnoo, the Rev. S. J. Serpell, in a pastoral letter to Methodists, writes:— "By its vote the Conference reaffirmed its support of the Bible in Schools policy. The Bible is the heritage of every British child, a right it is born to; not conferred as a boon \ by. any Government, but a right »e----tiunsd. D 2 the toil* bwod, and death of 4

our fathers. We are guilty of a crime against the life of the children of our country by 'withholding from them the 'Word of God.' I commend to your prayerful, 'practical sympathy and support the polioy of the Bible m Schools League; ... Refuse to vote for. a man'• who refuses to trust the parents to say what their childrenshall or shall not read in our public schools."

Tho Chief Secretary and following officers of the Salvation Army have signed an appeal expressing the earnest desire that the people may have the opportunity of deciding the question for themselves in accordance with the proposal made by the Salvation Army— with other roligious bodies—through tho | Bible in Schools League:— Albert Powley (Chief Secretary), Thoß. E. Vine* (Brigadier), Wm. Foster, F. E. Sewell, .Chas,' W. Bear. John Glanullo, A. Moßoberta, N. Smith, Florehoe Bixks.lL S. Podmere, Tom Gibson, Chilton, E. Squire Nicholson, Chas. H. Lord, F. A. Huston, K. Potter, Gill Inglis, Daisy 0. Smith, Horace Smith, Cecil Frank Seaman, Jas. Hughson, Eva Hughson, T. E. Holmes, E. Radcliffe, Charles J. Rudd, J. Hultgrist, Len B. Forig, 0. Dawkins, 0-. E. Ransom, E. G. N. duty, 0. A. Gunn, Henry Jos. Haywood, A. J. Marshall,' Ed. Bower, N. Jenkins, F. Shearman, J. M. Watkins. Henry M. Adams, Nellie Newton, Q. A. Smith, Grace E. Shipway, R. Gosson, R. Lister, T. Buttimore, Samuel M. Haeps, A. Russell, M. O'Hara.E. Trenberth, Marie Larsen.E. A. Hill, J.'M. Hawkins, George A. Walker, -'Alexander Hanford, Walter R. Home, A. Russell, Allan Hildreth, H. Rimmer, J. Parsons. R. Greenfield, D. Buckingham, H. B. Hawkes, W. G. Middlemisa, John Graham, W. P. Campion, E. Radcliffe, Annie E. Wheeler, J. Cunningham, Im, Fraser, Arthur B. Rowlands, B. Dewe, J. T. Briddock, J. W. Hawkins, V. Jenkins,H B.'Hawkes, Samuel S. Green, A. E. Calcott, J. Cwuingham. Alfred E. Kemp, G. Willetts, Ar'tiur B. Rowlands. ■ Rose H. Rowlands, 0. Styles, Mabel E. Marshall, Thos. A. Shearer, John Graham, W. C. Erskine, J. Cairns, Lilian Rolf, Herbert Rine, Alfred Thurkettle, William J. Hoare, Andrew Gray, S. J. Baldwin, Henry Latton, Captain W. Whitby, Edwin L. Wain, Robert G. Lamond, Robert Simpson, Mrs. Whitley (Captain), Martin H. Brown, W. E. Vyle, W; Schefferle, H. H. Dunn, Winifred A. MoKenzie, Harold F. McKenzie, A. W. Sawyer, Wm. Gist, Robert F. Sansom, •E. Buckingham, Annie Maru. •) ' Tha Assembly' of tne Presbyterian Church, held 21st November, 19H, by a vote of 131 to 14, passed the following resolution with reference to the report of the Bible in State Schools Committee:— ' "That tne Assembly reaffirms their approval of the system of Bible in State Schools promoted by the Bible in State Schools League, and continues, to'co-operate with the League in the effort to get that system into the State Schools of the Dominion. That on. Sunday, the 6th December, ministers be requested to bring this matter before their congregations. That the Assembly urges all our people to realise the orltical stage of the movement, and recommend them wherovor possible to glvo tho Issuo ; due prominence at the poll." Tho Rev. Dr. Cl&b, of St. John's Church (Presbyterian), Wellington, said:— l "Lot it bo known that at least you will abstain from voting for any man, be his party what It may, who will not dearly and definitely promise that ho will support tho Referendum on the Bible in Schools issue." " The "Outlook," the :organ of tho Presbyterian .Church, , in an editorial article, writes:— "A very large number of electors i are now prepared to put Bible in -Sohools before party politics. Un-. questionably, In our Judgment, this Is the position every Christian eleotor should take up: they should regard the oomlng eleotlons as a test as to whethor things.eternal shall havo supromaoy over thing 9 temporal, whether principle shall not oomo beforo political Interests; They should • make up their minds that a comparer tively small section of the, community shall no longer keep out of the schools the teaching ;' of that righteousness which alone exalteth a nation. The ''Methodist-Times," the organ of the Methodist Church, writes :—•■■ "THE COMINC POLL. ■'SHALL FIRST THINGS BE FIRST? "We'are almost face to face with another poll, and the question we are bound to answer as in the sight of God is, 'What are we going to put first f No Christian man or woman can afford : >to divorce, political action from religious duty. The watertight compartment arrangement by which religion is confined to one Bphere, and political action to another, is one of the devil's suggestions' for ruling religion out of life altogether. In God's plan of life for His people there is only ono ooinpartment, and in that every purpose must be made to harmonise with supreme devotion to Himself. How much of theireoognition of God is there to be in the vote we caßt at-tbe coming pollP ... A vote tha.t has only a regard for the material interests of New Zealand is a vote to reproduce in New Zealand the conditions that have mado Germany a of contempt and indignation throughout the world. By all means let due regard be paid to matters affecting defence, education, land tenure, etc., but let it be most solemnly remembered that suoh things do not rank "among tho things that ore first. The building up of the moral character of its people is of infinitely greater consequence to a country than the 'attainment of its highest educational ; Ideas or the development of its richest commercial and industrial resources, and it is that fact that supreme regard must be paid to in ■ the vote oast at the coming poll by those who iprofess concern for the best welfare of the State. It is not so muoh the triumph of Masseysm, or Wardism, or any other partyism, as the triumph of those great principles of morality and righteousness by ;. whioh alone a nation can be exalted." The Methodist Synod of Wellington passed a resolution:—' .'■'.' "We therefore strongly urge all those interested to use their influence .so that the right of the people to a Referendum may be seoured from the next Parliament." Tho Auckland Methodist Synod passed unanimously the following resolution. — "The Synod expresses its continued approval of the platform of the Bible in Sohools League, and resolves as follows:—That the Synod deeply regrets tho action of Parliament in denying the people the right 'to deolare by Referendum whether they are : favourable to tho propositions of the League or not, believing that such action is a flagrant denial of the elementary principles of true democraoy. Tho members of the Synod plodgs themselves to use their utmost endeavour to urge the policy of the League in public and ih private, and to counsel the members and adherents of the Church to do tho 3ame." Tho Canterbury Methodist Synod passed a resolution hoping that at the coming election candidates will be returned who will favour the proposal to give tho whole people who support the sohools the right to say whether or not Bible teaching shall be introduced. Tho South Auckland Methodist Synod urged the need of necessary legislation to enable the poonle of the Dominion to express thoir will. (Published by ArraagomeflX.)