BIBLE TEACHING IN STATE SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1051, 1 June 1912, Page 3

BIBLE TEACHING IN STATE SCHOOLS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The time has now fully come lor the friends of Bible teaching in State schools all over the Dominion to take active steps to secure a referendum-

1. Three-fourths of the population agreed.—Three of the largest bodies iu this country —the Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Methodists —are now agreed as to what should be done. All these three bodies have declared in favour of introducing into the Dominion what is known as the New South Wales system of religious teaching in State schools. They have done this deliberately, in their Supreme Assemblies —the Anglicans in January, 1910, the Presbyterians in November, 1911, and the Methodists in March, 1912. This is a tremendous advance, thank God, the like of which has never been reached before.

2. In favour of the N.S.W. system. —The system which these three bodies have agreed upon is a well-tried system. It has been at work in New South Wales since 1866, in Tasmania since 1868, in Western Australia since 1593, in Norfolk Island since 1906, and in Queensland since 1910. It may already be well-called the “Australian System” ; and soon, let us hope, it will merit to be termed “Australasian.” It ensures two things : (i) Bible teaching being given in school hours iu every school in the State, by the State teachers, to the ohildiea of such parents as desire it, aud (2) opportunity for supplementary religious teaching being given, iu school hours, in all schools, by ministers ot all denominations, to the children of their respective peoples. 3. Referendum demanded immediately.—The course that will probably now be lollowed by the three religious bodies named is to demand that the question of the adoption of the N.S.W. system be referred immediately to the people. A Bible DCiioo.s Reterencium Bill should immediately be introduced into Parliament, and made law as soon as possible. But who is to be made responsible for seeing this done ? The suggestion of the writer is that the onus be thrown on every member oi the new Parliament to do his proper share. This will involve each electorate doing its own part iu the first instance. Each electorate should petition its own member. The members individually will thus be interested. It is waste of time petitioning Parliament collectively —the electors must go to the particular individuals, ou whom they each have special claims, if anything satisfactory is to be accomplished. 4. M.’sP. to be petitioned everywhere. —The friends of Bible teaching in schools, in each electorate, should now go to work to get petitions signed. They should not waste a day. Each electorate should petition its own member to find a way to the introduction and passing of a Bible in Schools Referendum Bill. The petitions should reach each member of Parliament before Parliament meets next month (June). No meetings of electors need be called. If the ministers of the above-named religious bodies will each head a petition and ask his congregation to sign it, on Sunday, June 9th, that will prove an excellent beginning. But, if ministers do not act immediately, from any cause, the laity should go to work themselves. Let each earnest person in the community get a few friends to join him or her, and send their petition forward —all the better if members are deluged with petitions. The petitions may be in one form or in many forms; or if a petition be thought too formidable, a letter or telegram may be made to answer the same purpose.

5. Aim and scope of this letter.—This letter and the action proposed therein is intended to help, and should help, any united action already being taken in favour of a Referendum in any part of the Dominion. It has been written, however, without the writer having had the advantage of being able to confer with others. He desired to do so, but through pressure of work he has been unable to find the time. This letter, therefore, only claims to represent his own idea of what is best to be done immediately in all the electorates. The writer has, however, had much experience in this question, and feels assured that he is working on right lines and commits the cause with confidence to the electors, who, with God’s blessing may now secure a great victory. This letter has been sent to all editors in the Dominion, with a view by their courtesy, to its being published in every newspaper simultaneously on Saturday, June ist, or as soon thereafter as possible. He appends a form of petition in case it may be of service to any elector, I am, etc., Wm. N. de L- Willis, Arch-deacon of Waikato. Cambridge, May 27th, 1912.