BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3133, 13 July 1881, Page 4

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

(Dune'Hn Star.) We have always insisted that, notwithstanding professions to the contrary, the real ..bjpct oT the Rible-in-=ebools agitation, at all event' in thi* part of the Colony, is not only to deseeulari?e the primary schools, but to practically denominationlise them. The petition prepared for presentation fco Parliament and signed by the Moderator on behnlf of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Otngo and Southland most completely supports our conclusion. Although the final paragraph asks that the question may be dealt with either in the direction of allowing school committees to arrange for the reading of the Bible in school hours under a conscience clause, or "in such other way as to your wisdom shall seem best," it is evident from the whole tenor of the petition that both doctrinal and moral instruction from the Bible is what is intended and desired. The petitioners state their conviction that "an essential part of the education of youth is the knowledge of the great religious verities ;" and they further assert that, " they take the ground with the whole of Christendom that the Bible is the Word of God, given to man for the purpose of supplying him with the necessary help? and motives to fit and guide him fully to discharge the relative duties of life." For these reasons they pray that " the existing scheme of education in this Colony may be completed by provision being ma c for the moral culture of the youth of the lar;d by means of the Bible." This can hardly be interpreted to signify nothing further than the mere reading of a chapter daily without comment, which has been so frequently affirmed to be the only object aimed at. The Synod, in truth, demand that " relig'ous verities"—verities, of course, from their point of view—should be taught in the s tate schools, and that the " moral culture " of the children should also be in accordance with the Bible as interpreted by Presbyterian canons. The petition has no other possible interpretation, and beai'9 distinct evidence that time and circumstance have little effect on the mind ecclesiastical, which h as intolerant as ever, and, if it had the power, would show little consideration for the opinions of those who might happen to be in a minority. This is very distinctly brought out in paragraph 6, in which the petitioners state their assurance that the question of " the Bible in schools " cannot be regarded in any sense as settled, but that sooner or later it must be opened up and dealt with anew; and that "to ■■••apple with it and effect such an alteration as will bring the Act into harmony with the minds of the majority of the people will be to earn their hearty support and lasting gratitude." Judging from the prayer of the petition, embodied in the final paragraph from which we have previously quoted, the Synod would have permissive powers given to the school committees to arrange for religious instruction in their several districts, the effect of which in <~*tago would without a doubt be that this instruction would be, in nine-tenths of the schools, in accordance with the tenets of the most numerous denomination.