BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8352, 12 February 1913, Page 3

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS

DEMONSTRATION AT TOWN HALL. “RELIGIOUS TEACHING WITHOUT DOGMA.” A demonstration of supporters of the Bible in State Schools League was held in tho Town Hall last evening. Mr J. G. W. Aitken presided over a packed audience. Tho speakers were the Rev. H. Youngman, D.D. (president of the Methodist Church of Australasia), the Rev. Canon Garland (organising secretary of the Bible in State Schools League), Mr .Gilbert Carson (Baptist Church, Wanganui), Commissioner Kichards (Salvation Army), and Mr W. D. Little (Church ot Christ). PROTESTANTS UNITED. The Rev. Youngman (vice president and surviving founder of the Queensland Bible in State Schools League) said that in the book of laws of the Methodist Church of Australasia, which had been adopted by the church in New Zealand, there was a clause commending the principle of the movement to ail church people. (Hear, hear.) The Methodist Church was wholly in favour of the Bible being placed in the schools. In New South Wales free, secular education had been made tho policy of the State, but the definition of secular instruction was held to include general religious teaching as distinguished from dogmatic oi polemical theology, it was clearly re cognised from the outset that it was possible to give general religious teaching without entering the domain of theology at all. In regard to the question of unity, he would say that in Queensland, if they had failed to secure the object of the league it was worth all the money and all the trouble that had been expended in bringing the Protestant churches closely together, as they became united on tne subject. (Applause.) He did not know of any movement that bad done one-halt the work that the Bible in State Schools League did to make the various denominations in Queensland friendly in itheir relationships. Ihe effect of that was abiding to-day, and would abide for many a year. (Loud applause.) In reference to the contents of the Scripture books used in Queensland, he would like to find the man who would go through the books and say that they were not fit for children to read. Did they in New Zealand want a State school system ot education ; did they want a national system of education; did they want a system of education that all could join in? If they did, it would not be by the help of the Roman Catholics that they would get it. If they would help him to see where the Roman Catholics had assisted such a system he would be delighted. He kubw what they did in his State, and in Austra* lia. Their motto was “semper eadem ’ —“‘always, everywhere the same.” Catholics said ‘“We must have our own schools, and we will have them.” 'ihe Catholics were thus undermining the national system. They said; “We have our schools and we won’t let you do with the schools that we leave, what you think ought, to be done!” That was what it came to in plain language. It must not be supposed that the Catholics were the only people who were concerned about having some religion in their Bible was needed in tho schools in order that principles of citizenship might be inculcated. (Applause.) “SOURCE OF JUST LAWS.”

Canon Garland , pointed out how Japan had become favourable to tbe Christian religion, and how the Chinese had oome to see that the Bible was tbe source of just laws. ' He hoped that all the churches would be united in tbe movement. So far as he was concerned, he stood as much for the Salvation Army as for the Anglican church in the fight for the Bible’s place in the schools. They must understand that the movement was commenced not to undermine the national system. It was their desire to have a national system, provided there was some measure of religious teaching included. The demoninational system had failed. The entrance oi the Bible into tho schools did not mean that teachers would be dismissed, it meant that the teachers would bo retained, it meant the making of the national system acceptable. They acknowledged freely that those who were hostile to the national system were opposed to the Bible being in the State schools. They did not acknowledge that the teachers hgd the right to come between parents and the children, neither did they admit that any church had the right to dictate what religion should be taught in the schools. Onco'this system had been introduced into aiiy State no attack whatever had ever shifted it, and once the system had been introduced into any national system no assaults on that system had ever succeeded. Tho Bible-in-State-Sohools League appealed to no church, and they were not going to allow any church to dominate the people of New Zealand if they could help it. They were not appealing to any section of the people, or to any political party, or to any profession—they were appealing to the whole people and to nobody else. They hoped , that the children would have the right to be taught the Bible, and would not .be denied the privilege such as was the case with their fathers. (Hear hear.) RESTORATION OF BIBLE. Mr Gilbert Carson desired to know why it was that the Bible could be read in the schools of the well-to-do in the Dominion —the secondary schools—but was denied to those who attended the" schools of the poor. They rejoiced at having met with opposition, because it had stirred them up and they were going to see their object realised—the restoration of the Bible to. the position it occupied before tbe State stopped in. (Applause.) Commissioner Richards said the Salvation Army stood for tlie Bible, and an unmutilated Bible. It would always advocate that the Bible should be read in tho schools of the Dominion. Mr W. D. Little declared that the Bible, in great communities, was the foundation of true religion. The beauty of the Bible-reading-in-Schools system was that, although, of course, it did not satisfy everybody, it worked well. After Mr Little bad concluded, tbe chairman announced that the collection which ban been taken up in aid of tbe funds of the league realised £45.