BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1926, Page 4

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

A ( ALL TO CHURCHMEN. CHRISTCHURCH. September 15. “All of us are anxious and disturbed at the exclusion of religious teaching from our primary schools, but not all have realised that this fact constitutes a call to Churchmen everywhere to make a considerable sacrifice and to raise schools which shall be a standing witness to their, faith that religion and education are in essence inseparable,” said Bishop West-Wat-son to the Synod yesterday. “I know that this matter was very near Archbishop Julius’s heart, and [ am glad to think of the satisfaction

with which he must have heard of the

splendid generosity which has purchased for us Craighead School at TimariL "We owe much to the untiring work of the Rev. E. E. -Malden, our secretary. Our hope is that this school will do for the south of the diocese what St Margaret’s under the control of the Sisters of the Church does for the north, and that hero our girls will not ouly receive a first-rate education but will also realise the joy oi religion in mutual service and fellowship. “Wo must look to some bcnefactoi to provide us with a ‘lmpel-as He focus of all the spiritual life of the school. In the more distant future is -he prospect, if the school prospers, o’ devoting some of the profits to the pro vision of a primary school oil the lines „f St. Michael’s and of the Victory School in Christchurch as a witness to our ideal of true education. - Meanwhile 1 should like to cm piiasise "the.amount that is being done l, v our clergy through the Nelson system or bv teaching in out-oi-sehool horn's to gather the children together for religious instruction. It is a work of great difficulty, and for that reason nil the more creditable. 1 could wish th-.t it were attempted in even more parishes. Such activity is surely one of t|. o best methods «f impressing the country with the sincerity of our desire for religious teaching in the schools.” If necessary, said his Lordship, adults’ services should give wav to the instruction of the children, and Sunday Schools should occupy an important place in every parochial budget. The situation here was much the same as at Home, only that the peril oi neglect here was so much greater owing to the absence of religion in the schools.

“ One of our difficulties at present is in dealing will) a. generation which is largely ignorant or the Bible: H'o corn-in'.-’general ion should provide us. with a "„nv spirit and outlook, and with leaders possesccl not only of zeal but of knowledge. I trust that the leaders of the Sunday Sclvool and oi tlic Bible Class movement will bo able to work in close co-operation with ono another.”