PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1731, 11 June 1886, Page 4

PARLIAMENT.

DEBATE m ,TRE ; IJPPER HOUSE.

THE BIBLE IN STATE SCHOOLS.

Mr Menzies moved, That m the opinion of this Council, every school committee should havtt power, if he s<»w fit, to cause the Bible to be r^a.i m the school dally, without comment, subject to ii time table and a conscience clause. In bringing the matter forward, he remarked that until the question was de cided, and decided m favor of the Bible being read m State schools, the matter would inevitably crop up again and again. In the schools under the London | School Board, it had been shown conclusively that it was the desire that the Bible should be taught m public schools. The London School Board was the example taken advantage of by the English Provincial School Boards, whose deBjreB jre it was also that the Bible Bhould.be read m State Schools. In this colony ho vertured to believe that tho majority of the people desired that the Bibl« should be read m State schools. He failed to see why any obieetioua should be entertained against the Legislature permitting the Bible being r;;ad m Waug:mui, for .•x--m>ple, even supposing "Wellington obj.'cU-d, For himself he was ylatl to say that be wasonfl <>f thousands m " ihis'fair colony" wh<> revered the " good old book,' 1 the observance of which, lie believed i-.-.nded to exalt a nation. He trusted his motion would be carried. . Mr Banticoat, while he hart the gri-ftlest reverence for tho Bible, consi.lorod thai tho teaching of th« Bible by teachers m State schools would have the eflu.-ot of cn-ftting sectaiian views amongst the pupils. H« though il somewhat. str.-.ii:.;e'iii.:f fh'- ri'.ble which rau«ht th» fn-.-si .':iil>!iu!r l> nets, sht.nl el b* such n !-.r.i)o oEcviilr.atio:i. il-- 1 - ui>i>i>^d the .motion. Mr Slnimski desired to ascertain from th(< mover of the motion which " good old boo!;" spoken of i-.y bhn as the Bibl<\. nnd which lit? said " esalteth a nation ' was to be read. Was the " «ood old book" the GUI Testament, the New Testament, or some other of the many books of the Bible? Colonel Broft : Or th« Koran. Mr Shrismski : Yes, "or the Koran.' He t-elievcd that if the Bible was read m the State schools it would raise class against class, and religionist against, religionist. Who was to be the arbiter as what book or portion of the Lible was to be read, or who was to impart the instruction. He supposed that the New Testament would be chosen, and if this were so, it must inevitably give offence to the parents of Jewish children whp were attending the State schools, and who could not accept the teachings contained m the Bible. Colonel Brett expressed his intention of voting for the motion. The religion or a nation which did not partake of the reading of the Bible, partook of that of: the devil, and any country m which the Bible was not read m the schools was going to perdition. Mr Scotland, while he revered the Bible, objewed to the bonk being rend m Fchools. Tf the Bible were read by a teacher daily m the schools m a perfunctory manner it could do no good, and if a clergyman read the Bible m tho school discussion would arise. "With the deepest regret he admitted that infidelity was increasing m the Colony to an alarming extent, but he failed to see that the motion would have the effect of remedying the evil. Mr Holmes snoported the motion, believing a* he did that the Bible was the best educational book extent, irrespective of its religious tendencies. Mr Bathgutes's chief reason for supporting the motion was that the countryprescribed the book, which , not only grounded the children m religious and moral training, but also strengthened them m the sentiments upon which the greatest orators and lawgivers of ancient as well as nf modern (lavs founded their tenets. Ho supported the motion. Mr Lahmann objected. to the motion, as it would be calculated, if agreed to, to set creed against creed, as also to impair the present system of education. Children should "learn Bible (ruths at their mother's knee, and also from clergy, and not from lay teachers. The Council divided on the motion, which was carried. Ayes, 20 ; Noes, 14.