CHURCH PART

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1932, Page 3

CHURCH PART

PROBLEMS OF THE DAY

STATEMENT BY HEADS OF DENOMINATION.

WELLINGTON, July 18

In view of the Go, emor-General’s recent question concerning the relation of the Church' to moral laxity a statement- has been issued by t-.e heads of churches. Hid Excellency asked, , “Is the Church to remain silent . while the Bible is untaught ,ip many homes as well as in our schools P” Regarding!,-.; home religion many „ jiprqnouncemehtg'i have,. been made.,- On. the questfen of rd'tgion in schools there has been ydcon(jo|nt.l.> prepared-‘ in statement..! tem citizens j and oig mjsations in New/Zealand:, by official heads of the Churches. I't reads ■as follows :

ECGEAR SPIRIT AND LAWLES -

NESS. - “It lias, been said in New Zealand that we have-been living on moral and spiritual capital inherited from earlier generations. This has possessed a durable, quality and is, not easily or uuickly expended., yet i)fc can nipt resist the inroads made on it by the, seeural spirit indefinitely continued. Our public school system, particularly in the primary schools, affords the chief, opportunity, along with church and home influence, for building the character'of young New Zealand. As is file s.choo'l so is the nation. .“The outbreak of, lawlessness has 'occasioned ... . considerable.-.disquiet among loyal citizens of the-Dominion, it comes as. a manifestation;jefi forces which are a distinct menace' ‘to the national well-being and ehallerges careful, inquiry as to the tendencies, leading to lawlessness of all kinds. Such ‘tendencies are not entirey due Vo recent and immediate causes. They can often be traced, in large measure to processes which over a lengthy perid gradually afid insidiously undermine the moral character of the nation. In New Zealand a study o' these processes must take into aconnt the lack of systematic religious teaching in our public schools. Education* without religion may become

national menace. This was recognised recently by Mr Mosley, ' S.M., who said lie l ‘was convinced that education without 'a knowledge of the teachings of Christ was not worth anything.” T am convinced’, he said, ‘and it -took years'" to convince hie, that we

■ill never attain our ideals unless in some form or other the teaciicinos of Christ are introduced into our primary schools.’ • i AiELBOuitNE TESTIMONY. * “The c'oUuiAifucuig , laiiuenco of religious’.training .or lawlessness is evi-, uc-Aceu oy ttSwiiiony or me ,cu;-&v. picuiition officer in Meioourne regarding Children's CohiV. iie said - tuaE do per cent, or the chiluivir brought io court, had not “attended Sunday school, yet it has' been esDiinated that approAunai-ery ao per cent of Victorian, cnildren attended Sunday school Others in New Zealand- give similar eviumee. Trior to 'Mr Motley anuiutr- Magistrate in Christchurch, Mr McCarthy, commenting on tne -m----c.ease of juvenile crime, said: ‘Most of tne parents poro in the Dominion have been brought rip under ii system or. purely secular education, and i‘t is iiavmg- its ellect in many homes today. So . fan as, I caii see sail education should nave a religious basis, because,, whatever people may say, there a spiritual side to man which requires cultivation.’ Prevention is better than cure, am. toe clay schools by their lack of systematic moral and religious teach.ag lender tne /cask of prevention exceedingly difficult. We therefore, ° . . ...» urge all citizens to join in a campaign .a support of definite religious instruction common -to all Churches i n the' public schools in New Zealand: < This, ,-.e believe, will help to stem the tide cf growing lawlessness. Without it, i uch signs as we have witnessed recently will be multiplied toiMhe increasing detriment of our national character. To repress by authority di.es hpt end the force thus, repressed.

THE BASIC NEED. “To end the lawless spirit and restore confidence requires moral and religious qualities to begin with. The uasic need in our national life is to give God his clue place of reverence, and thiii end pan only be met by imparting sound Biblical instruction and 'by enunciating true Christian principles, because these are vital to sound education. .We seek co-opera-iion in urging, Parliament to reform the educational system and bring it into line with the general .British practice, so that the teaching of the fundamental principles and virtues of Christian religion hekl by all the Church shall be banished no longer from the .curriculum of our 'schools../],.. The statement is ... signed, "by Aveilll, Ptvjnate and X !W . Zealand, . the Key/ A'dam Begg. Mjdorator of the Presbyterian Church i f New, Zealand, the Rev M. A. Rug-, ! ■ ty .Rratt. President of the New Zea 7 . h.fid.'.Methcdist Conference, the Rev. .1? ed W. Gazo, President of the New ©aland Baptist Union, Dr .J. J. Xortli, President-elect of the New Zeahnjcl Baptist Union, Commissioner J. Cunningham, of the Salvation Army, tlie Rev James Crawford,, .President of the Associated Churches of Chrii-t, tte Rev J. Arthur Wilkinson, chairman o'f the Congregational Union of .V'ew Zealand, and the Rev J. J. Log- « 1,. , president of the' Lutheran ‘ lurch of New Zealand (Evangelical • * r Tianuel). , \ rrhdishon O’Shea lias "Iso no+’-fprl '’’at lie is quite, in sympathy with the tenor of the statement.