BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3268, 22 December 1881, Page 2

BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS.

I [To the Editor of tlie D.m.y Teleguafh.] j Sir, —A problem has niesented itself in almost every address of the candidates for political honors in connection with the past election, which has not been j solved by any one of tbe orators. It may be briefly expressed in one word, I the " Bible." Bible reading in schools has been brought forward under the evasive term " Educational question." Why should or should not the Bible be read in schools any more or less than Aristotle, tbe Koran, the Statutes of New Zealand, or Chaucer ? Why is the question raised ? There cm be no barm in reading any book which is instructive in schools. Why tence the point ? What is the object of the advocates for reading the Bible in schools? Is it not rather superstitious than religious ? Dr Arnold (ot Rugby) drew a broad line of distinction between the " Religion of the Church " and the " Religion of Christ," and attributed much of the scepticism and irreligion of his times to tbe prominence of the former and the neglect of tbe latter. Schoolmasters, as a class, are not more religious than ordinary laymen, and to have an extra balf-hour the Bible reading and instruction added to the usual school time would not improve tempers or increase their appreciation of religious advantages. The weakest part of the matter is that the parents of the schoolchildren should be applied to for an expression of opinion on tbe subject, nine out of ten of the parents never read through one of the books composing the Bible in the whole course of their lives, and probably never will, but they have a vague idea that their children will get some benefit which

may in some mystical manner be beneficial to themselves hereafter, and so they sign the document which is intended to deprive their little ones of their liberty and play. Hardly will these youngsters learn to look upon tbe Bible as a loveable book. If it were only to learn to read the book correctly, to gain a knowledge of the English language of the 15th or 16th century (old version), or to compare its historical and general information with that of other ancient books, tbe difficulty would be at an end. Think of the teachers of schools ranging from the intensely pious, the bi»hiy spiritual, the unnaturally moral, down to the mechanical, sensual, immoral guiding the young idea to read the Bible as any other book would be taught— by main force; every teacher interpreting differently according to his peculiar sect or no sect, crushing a childish expression of thought running counter to tbe teacher's tenets, and laying that sandy foundation for a repetition of that don't care sort of utterance so curtly given by Captain Russell, and reiterated by others, " i" have no objection to the Bible bting read." From such a remark we arrive at

about the average estimate, by educated men, of the importance or necessity of readiug the Bible iv schools. What talisraanic influence is supposed to be gained by the success of the present movement in tbat direction ? Will some of your professionally consecrated or ordained readers solve the problem, and supply this connecting link between - politics and theology, the loss of which has severed the union of religious bodies on the serious subject of public education, —I am, &c, Jon. December 22, 1881.