Bible In Schools League.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 42, 30 May 1913, Page 3

Bible In Schools League.

A meeting organised by the executive of the Bible in Schools League for the Raglan electorate was held in the Masonic Hall on Monday night when the Roy. Mr Beck presided over a fair attendance. After a brief introduction, the Rev. Mr Hay, of Auckland who spoke from a personal acquaintance of 15 years with Ihe New South Wales system, addressed ihe meeting. The place of the Bible in Literature, and its influence thereon : its power as the foundation of national law and of individual character; its neco-sity iu view of the inculcation of lofty ideals and a high moral standard ; and its effect for good on the children of the scho- Is he had been associated with, good that afterwards was reflected in the home and the parents ; these formed the introductory remarks. 'Phe speaker explained that under the system advocated the teacher took the Bible le>-»n and fruited it as he did any other 1 •- m. th? j “ religious ” instruction being given by the clergy, or by lay- . men deputed by them to do so, j under the supervision of the { teacher whoso proseqc.3 at such j ins:ruction was, h osvver. perfectly voluntary. The sectarian j spirit was entirely absent, and j his experience was that, by ;ho clergymen of the different denominations uniting lu* special purpose, differences of creed were fdrgottea in the 'more to ieach the same goal. n > ] t\ i the result achmved m ido for l union of the churcho in>t \a I of the perpetuation and the emphasising of sectarianism. The object of the League at th > j present time, Mr Hay expla■ :m h was to get the Government t > allow referen him to he tik u o:i the question, in order that the p • >pl might decide whether cle. gym ui were to have the right to enter the state schools for the purposes specified, rather than the m -re favour bestowed under the present system. Should Parliament refuso to cone •1 ■ the referendum, candidates at the next general election should he asked to explain their views, which, if favourable, would merit th - . support of the League, and, if unfavourable, it< hostility. Several questions were satisfactorily answered, and the meeting was closed i:i the usual manner.