THE RELIGIOUS DIFFICULTY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5159, 4 October 1877, Page 2

THE RELIGIOUS DIFFICULTY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIIIES. Sir, —With much pleasure I have just read in your August summary (only now received) the letter from my old friend Mr. WilHam Beetham. I refer particularly to the latter clause, on what has been called the religious difficulty; or, as it was long since called in the old country, the “platform difficulty,” it being practically found to exist there only.

Mr. Beetham advocates that the time table set apart a given time for religious instruction by the clergy and ministers of the several denominations. As a proof that it can be done, I beg to refer to the report of your own Board of Education, given in your summary of May last in the following words :—“ The Board would desire to point out that they have experienced no difficulty in their schools with regard to the religious question. In terms of the 46th clause of the Wellington Education Act, 1871, half an hour each day may, at the discretion of the local committee, he devoted to religious instruction not of a controversial character, and which the children may or may not attend, at the discretion of their parents. When no such religious instruction is given, the whole time is devoted to ordinary teaching. In several schools advantage of this has been taken without any objection being raised by dissentients, and, on the whole, the Board are perfectly satisfied with the success of the existing system." (The italics are mine.) I also ask permission to give one extract, out of scores I could give you, from the “John Bull,” February 10, 1877 :—“According to the report of the diocesan inspectors, religious education in the various elementary schools of the diocese of Chester is in a very satisfactory state. The standard of efficiency has been raised, and more and more schools annually apply for and receive visits of inspection. Seventy-eight more schools and 10,000 more children were inspected last year than in 1875. Perhaps the most interesting part of the report is that which deals with the so-called ‘ religious difficulty.' The proportion of withdrawals from relhdous instruction of the number inspected is only about one in every 450, and of these withdrawals 64 per cent, are Komau Catholics, 30 per cent. Dissenters,- and 6 per cent. Jews." So much for the actual working of the plan by colonial and national experience. The adoption of this principle would give all who were willing to avail themselves of it all we ask for—the opportunity of giving religious education to our young in the daily school. I believe it would have a moat beneficial effect upon the whole school : its tone would be raised, the minister of religion would be recognised as an element in the education of the young, the schoolmasters would have far more sympathy and help from the clergy than it is possible for them to have by a system which ignores religion and ministers teo, and in place of the godless education we are in danger of getting, we should have the op-

posite. For myself I cannot see one single objection. I should be glad to have a Presbyterian or Wesleyan minister, one on each side of me, taking their young in class ; and if our Roman Catholic brethren would desire a separate room for instructing their children in apart from others, I would willingly say let them have the best room in tbe building. I should much like o see the question agitated from this point of view.—l am, &c.. War. Ronai.dson. St. John’s Parsonage, Milton, Dunedin, Seutemher 26.