THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1529, 11 January 1879, Page 3

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

The following is the text of the overture to the Synod adopted by the Dunedin Presbytery on Wednesday, on the subject of Bible reading in schools ■ “ Wheieas the Education Act now in operation in New Zealand makes no provision for the reading of the Bible in school hours, and is, on this account, unsatisfactory to a largebody of the inhabitants j

“ Whereas the attempt hae been made in some quarters to represent and to curry out the system us absolutely secular, excluding any reference in the public school to Q-od, or to a future state of existence, and so weakening the principles of morality which the youth of the lana snoultl trained to understand, as a necessary part of their education • “ Whereas in consequence of the godless character thus assigned to the present national system, the feeling in favour of of a denominational system has been gaining strength, so that the Bill of Mr Curtis, recently before Parliament, was only lost by the narrow majority of six votes in a full House; “ Whereas if suph a Bill had passed into law, many who would prefer a national system iu which the Bible was permitted to be read, would avail themselves of the provisions of such an Act in order to secure for their children a sufficient opportunity of becoming acquainted with Q-od’s Word, and in consequence Die national system would bo in danger of being destroyed; “ Whereas a knowledge of Dio contents of the Biblo is necessary for the right understanding of a large part of English literature, and of many of Die most important passages of history, as well as for tho understanding and confirmation of true morality.

“Whereas in Victoria—where the so-called secular system has boon lor some time in operation—it has proved unsatisfactory, so that there is a probability of its being soon abandoned; “Whereas there is no ground for expecting in New Zealand any better result from Die present system ; “ Whereas provision for the reading of the Bible in the public school.) may bo made without interfering with Dio just rights of any by a clause being introduced enacting that the Bible shall be read at a fixed hour ('he right being reserved to parents or guardians to withdraw their children daring such lesson, pn giving notice in writing of their desire to do so) in ell public cchoob, excepting those where the committee having charge shall have passed a resolution (binding only during their term of oilier) dispensing with such reading. “And whereas such an arrangement would contribute, in the highest degree, to the intelligence and morality of tho rising generation, would satisfy the desire of tho great body of tho inhabitants, would remove Due strongest ground on which a denominational system is demanded by many, and would thus tend to tho outicl'd'd'on and permanency of the Ddtional ,

“ It in humbly orerturcd by the Vivs'lntcry of JDuncdin to the Synod of (Jingo, indicted to meet in .Lnmnvy, JM7'd, to take the premiaos into consideration, with (ho view of adopting such nurtures for seen ring Mio clnily reading ojr iul> in the public schools as in its wisdom it muy (ifcm expedient.”