BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 549, 12 March 1913, Page 3

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

LECTURE AT TE KUITI, A lecture was delivered in the Town Hall, Te Kuiti, on Sunday evening last by Mr Little, of the Congregational Church, Wellington, on the subiect of Bible Reading in Schools. There was a large attendance, the hall being well filled, and the lecturer was listened to with close attention. Mr Little has been conducting a campaign in favour of the introduction of Bible teaching to Slate schools, and visited Te Kuiti at the invitation of the recently formed league for the advancement of the cause. The services at the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches were curtailed in order to allow the congregations to attend the lecture. The Revs. Armstrong and Gosnell were unavoidably absent, but the Revs. E. S. Wayne, S. Griffiths and McLean were present. The chair was occupied by Mr J. Boddie, who introduced the lecturer. During the course of the lecture Mr Little referred to the fact that the Bible was used in the schools of all Australian State 3 with the exception of three. In New South Wales Bible teaching in schools had been in existence for 46 years, in Tasmania 42 years, Western Australia 10 years, and Queensland three. In Australia all the churches were in favour of Bible teaching in schools, and testimony to the satisfactory working of the Act was given by all the educational authorities of the States. In New Zealand the Bible was used in Parliament, which was opened by prayer; the Bible was put into the hands of people to take the oath, and it was placed in the cells of criminals. Referring to denominational schools the lecturer said the Roman Catholics were building many schools and the Anglican Church would do likewise if the Bible was prohibited in State schools. This would lead to claims for denominational grants for schools and it would undermine the system of State education. By the introduction of Bible teaching in schoolß this danger would be eliminated. It had been stated that Roman Catholic teachers would be placed at a disadvantage if Bible teaching was introduced, but this was contrary to the experience in New South Wales, where no dissatisfaction waß created and where statistics showed that Roman Catholic children attended the State schools freely. At the conclusion of the lecture a number of questions were answered by Mr Little, who, in answer to one questioner stated he was not paid for his work in connection with the Bible in Schools movement, nor was he paid for his lectures.

On the motion of the Revs. Wayne and Griffiths a vote 7 of thanks was accorded Mr Little for his interesting lecture.