BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 95, 24 April 1911, Page 10

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

DISCUSSION AT SUNDAY SCHOOL CONFERENCE. At the Free Parliament in connection with the Sunday School Union Convention held at Nelson last week, Eev. B. L. Thomas moved — " That this conference of Sunday School workers rejoices to know that the Nelson system of Bible teaching in the State schools' has been in successful operation for fourteen years ; that in the opinion of this conference ii is the most satisfactory and efficient system before the public, and this conference ■recommends the- system for consideration and extension elsewhere." In support of his motion, the speaker eaid that 99 per cent, of the scholars attending the Nelson public schools were present at the Bible lessons. These were given by the ministers of religion and selected laymen, each ''one taking a separate standard. There had been some hostility shown at times by half-hearted Christian pemople, and ho believed that the hostility which interfered with placing the Bible before children was a positive sin. Mr. T. Tiller, in seconding the resolution, expressed his preference of the Nelson system over others that had been brought forward. The Rev. J. H. Mackenzie explained the system followed at Nelson. It was in operation in the six city Stnie schools. These opened at 9 a.m., but the curriculum was framed to provide for three of the schools opening &t 9.30 on Wednesday, and the remaining three at the same hour on Fridays. The number of hours per week required by <we Act for the State school lessons v.t.s strictly observed. It was the half-hour between 9 and 9.30 on these mornings' that was devoted to the Lible teaching. The procedure was : The children sat id their desks, the leeson started with the singing of a hymn, then the Lord's Prayer was iOprated, and the Bible lesson read and explained by the teacher. The boya frequently read verses alternately, at other times m anisoj>. The bell rang live minutes before the legal hour of opening Lhe day school, and the class was then -dismissed, by the pronouncing of the Benediction. Some of the children remained in the i'oom, otheis went out and ''eassenibled for their Jay school lessons. In the moie senior classes a printed syllabus had been in use for a number of years. To show the unity of the Nelson Churches on the matter, the speaker eaid that the teaching staff consisted of six Anglican ministers and laymen, nLso three of the Baptist Church, two of the Methodist Church, two Presbyterian, ono Congregational, and one of the Plymouth Brethren, also two Salvation Army officers. The Anglican .bishop, moreover, took^n active part. Following on th|s syllabus a Scripture examination was held annually ; the elder children had a, written examination, and tke younger children an oral one. The questions were written down on the blackboard, and the State teachers had been very willing to do this. The success of the system had been seen in the large gatherings which had taken place at the annual distribution of prizes. On the last occasion the chair had Deen taken by a Judge of the Supreme Court. Similar occasions had been presided over by the Stipendiary Magistrate ajid the local chairman of the Education Board. He was satisfied that in the half-hour a religious lesson given by a person who believed what he taught from love to Christ and to the children would be an effective work. The Bible was not placed with the scholars' school books, but was deali. with as a special book, which was a desirable practice. The system was one which could be put into practice in every school if people were only in earnest about it. The Rev. C. C. Lewis said no one deserved to carry greater weight in the discussion than the chairman of the Education Board (the Key. Mr. Mackenzie), who, in introducing the system, had presented an object lesson to the whole Dominion. lie had, however, been impressed by accounts which had reached him of the New South Wples system. The Act in that State provided for Bible teaching by the State teacher during school houis, and also by ministers and other religious workers. The general feeling there was that the worts v.vs being efficiently done. As regards criminal statistics, which had been quoted as indicating that the morality of the community in New South Wales had not improved as the result of the religious teaching in the State schools, he contended that before that argument could have any validity it would have to be shown what the moral state N cf the people would have, been if there had been no Bible teaching. He could not conceive any legislation that would compel a teacher to teach a lesson contrarj to h:a convictions. A teacher who undertook to teach the Bible and then brought contempt' on what he was doing would show thereby his unfitness for his position as a teacher. Our day school teachers as a rule were religious. We could only have the Bible in our day schools by imity of the Chinches. On the ground of expediency, he considered ths New South Wales cyslem should be adopted. Daring the course ot a general discussion, the Itev. W. E. Lambert said he was glad to have had an oppoitunity of investigating the Nelson system, which he considered the best that could be de■vised. Ho had also seen it in successful operation in schools in Southland, Otago, South Canterbury, and Hawkes Bay. On the motion being put it was carried without a dissentient voice, a further motion being also adopted to forward a copy of the resolution to the Education Bone's iJirougliout the Dominion*