BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1932, Page 6

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

MEETING OF THE LEAGUE.

EXTRA ORGANISER APPOINTED

MASTERTON, November 4

A meeting of the Dominion Executive of the BibOe-in-SchoblS League took place on Thursday in Wellington. Reipfwrita.ti'ves attended from the North Island and from Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill. Canon James .presided, in the absence of Archbishop Averill. The Committee on Organisation recommended a more vigorous and progressive policy. This was approved, and an additional full-time organiser, was appointed with the object of persevering with the League’s activities ' until Parliament either accepts the Religious Instruction in Public .Schools Enabling Bill or adopts some .measure equally satisfactory. Recent develop-, ments have stirred the fe-lings *of -the League as they have not been aroused since the early activities of 1913. Tn reporting the fortunes of tire League’s Bill in the Legislative Council, the League’s..Parlianientr.ry Committee intimated that, the acid test had been placed on the .professions of faitli uttered by their opponents in their support of the Nelson system. The committee had been readv to accept such a definition of the Nelson system ns now carried on as would give it a clearer legal standing. Their opponents refused .this, just as they had refused.the League’s Bill. A long discussion on the Nelson sys- J tern revealed ?,il active and regular participation of the great majority of .the ministers present, hut the unanimous verdict showed a growing se”se .of its inadequacy. Here it is carried on outside iseliool hours. It is not part of tile educational system. The .objects of the League include the daily acknowledgment of God in the school system and restoration of . the Bible to its place in education. :TheSe objects prevent the League from ,acc°ptm£ the/Nelson system as their .god, while members make use of it as n. makeshift. The reoresenfatives of eight denomination® in the League reaffirmed them supbprt of tbfe Religious Instruction Pill, with its freedom from Coercion of either tfencherS bb bUoils.