THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3117, 24 June 1881, Page 2

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

[To the Editor of the Daily TeiiEObaph.J Sik,—From signs of the times it appears that the clericals are again going to try their strength in the matter of spoiling national education. Always retreating, (perforce; and by reason of the steady onflow of the wave of knowledge which is sweeping them betore it) they retreat fighting—fighting to the last gasp; and, as the Partbians of old, doing their best with showers of barbs to harass the vanguard of their conquerors. Having attempted times out of number, but in vain, to arouse public opinion and set it beating in synchronous unison witi their own old-world gong by means of meetings, and artfully worded resolutions, they now seek to import discord into the schools by another method. They have obtained permission from the Education Board to send circulars home by the children, addressed to the parents, in which the latter are asked if they are in favor of the Bible being read in Government schools. To the unthinking, and those not accustomed to look below the surface, there may not seem much out of place in the request. To these it may appear as nothing more than the usual method of attempting to settle disputed questions by a resort to the vote; but to those who take beed of aught beside mere show—to those accustomed to sift and to think—above all, to those who by a study of tbe peculiar processes and

of the clerical mind have been led to distrust them whenever they meddleX with social politics—it means more; far more. It means that, if occasion offers, another determined attempt is to be made to render nugatory the probable benefits accruing or likely to accrue from popular education. It means that, by hook or by crook ; by force, or finesse, the discordant elements of sectarian rancour and theological bigotry are to be imported once more into the minds of the growing generations. It means Sect at throat of Sect in deadly grip; and all the sects at the purse strings of the Government for subsidies and capitation grants. Once more will be heard the jealous bickerings of those who have lived to so little purpose as not to have learned that subtle " Homoousian" and " Homoiousian" controversies ought hot to interfere with the three R's.

If the Bible is to be read in schools it means Protestant and Catholic wrangling over the question of " What Bible ?" Is it to be the " Douay" version ; or the so-called (and farcically so-called in a country tolerating all creeds) " Authorised" version? And when "what Bible" is settled, will not the vexed and vexatious question of " what parts " crop up P Assuredly so; and in the meanwhile education may wait and be neglected. Arminian, Socinian, and Trinitarian, each will have his pet aversion; and will fight—aye, only history can teach us how they will fight —over pedantic questions of translation, interpolation, and the like, while the necessary equipment for the battle of life, knowledge, will rust in the background. And on top of all this will come pertinent questions from the Heterodox: who will ask if the children are to be taught from one book conclusions denied by another. Who will ask if the children are to he taught that Man has existed on the earth for six thousand years only, from one book, while science primers talk to them of "Devonshire Cave Explorations," and the existence of man in Britain two hundred thousand years agone. Who will want to know what authority is supreme, and who is to decide, when school books on gravitation and the rest of the natural laws, and on the facts of physical geography, clash with the book of the clericals. Who will want to know if the facts connected with the genesis of the dascendants of Lot are likely to form the groundwork of alessonjin physiology; and the hewing off of thumbs and great toes, and the peculiar numerical apportionment of virgins taken in warfare, a study of social ethics and humanity. And then, when all this squabbling is fairly initiated, a few sensible persons who have no " doxy," but who strongly believe in the practical, will, likely enough, sneeringly ask " whence the need of all this; and cvi bono ?" Was not the system working well; and shewing good results ? Were not, for once in the history of the last three hundred years, the more pronounced animosities of the sects quiescent ? y\ ere not, for once in the history of the world, the masses of the people being educated ? And were not chances innumerable within the reach of enthusiastic theologians, who thought children in danger apart from dogmas not comprehensible to grown men, without interfering with a grand and far-reaching comprehensive scheme of national education ? Was there not Sunday ; in the which if hearers went not to the clericals it was Eerfectly easy for the clericals to go to carers ? If the schools were not open to zealots were there not the corners of the streets —the highways and byeways ? Or was the zeal and enthusiasm of so lackadaisical a nature, that nothing but working by deputy, and the adding metaphysical burdens to heavily laden school teachers, would solve the problem of how to impart spiritual instruction. Let all those who love their kind, and who wish to see mental and physical progression, fight hard against this new attempt to strangle the education of the young— their weaponß are their votes at the next general election and their common sense always.—l am, &c, Tbigon. Napier, June 24,1881.