BIBLE-READING IN SCHOOLS. The Catholic Bishops' Rejoinder.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 211, 16 July 1904, Page 6

BIBLE - READING IN SCHOOLS. The Catholic Bishops' Rejoinder.

THE Catholic Bishops' Rejoinder to the Bible-m-Schoo'ls Conference is marked bytemperance of language, sound argument, and conclusive and reasonable objections to the use of parts of the Bible as a school book. The assertion of the Conference that the Stfte has a right to teach religion might be questioned, not only by the Catholic Bishops but by every person who believes m the liberty of the subject and the non-interference with individual principles of creed — -*• ¥• The Bible-m-Schools Conference, who think it is necessary to instruct children in the Bible, practically assert that the children do not receive adequate instruction from their parents and the Sunday schools If the parents don't care, why don't the parsons go to the parents and demonstrate to them the remissness that is the cause of all the trouble ? In short, why don't the parsons tackle the thing manfully, and not try to shoulder their own burden on to the school-teacher, who has already more than he can do, is ill-paid for doing it and who doesn't want to> be forced into extra work for which he is not bo be paid extra salary. * *• -* That "conscience" clause We read the other day that a Southern school committee were already allowin c" the Bible to be read m schools, it was asserted by a reputable paper that, on the day when Bible lessons were given, the Catholic children scholars did not attend, and that they were excused Why, if the Bible text-book is to be universally employed, are these children to be debarred fiom the study of other subjects merely because some religionists, vho won't do the work themselves, desire to thrust it on to the State ? Why, too, must the whole of the people — Protestant, Catholic, Agnost'C, Jew, Mohammaden — pay taxes to enable Scriptural instruction to be given about which the sects differ widely and strenuously. Is the national system of education to be shipwrecked to gratify the denominational zealots ? * * * Then, the "Referendum," so called. The reading of the Bible m schools has not had legislative sanction, therefore there can be no referendum of the people The feeling of the people might, of course, be gauged by plebiscite, but, even supposing a majority decided that the Bible should be read m schools, the majority has no right to force objectors to the principle into participation with them in a scheme that would certainly stir up intense bitterness between teachers and children, parents and parsons. •* * * If the clergy are earnest in their desire to teach Scripture — and there i& need of it — they should teach it themselves They are not overworked It is their special duty If the parsons were approached by the authorities, and asked to teach cTithmetic as well as religion, without extra pay, they would probably resent the interference That is probably how the school-teacher feels when he is asked to teach Scripture cis well as sums