BIBLE READING. IN STATE SCHOOLS DISCUSSION. AT THE DIOCESAN. SYNOD. Auckland, November 6.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 228, 12 November 1887, Page 12

BIBLE READING. IN STATE SCHOOLS DISCUSSION. AT THE DIOCESAN. SYNOD. Auckland, November 6.

At the meeting, of the Diocesan Synod;yesterclay afternoon Archdeacon Willis moved, "That, in the opinion of- this- Synod,. it ishighly desirable that the Education Acfo of the colony be amended .so o» to provide for the daily reading in the- pwblio sehoola of selected portions of the 1 Scriptures^, with, literary and historical remarks, and. with time-table and conscience clause-." This was the substance of a resolution i carried first of all by a meeting, of Christian, workers in Cambridge, . and < secondly by a meeting of the laity and) clergy of the archdeaconry of Waikato.- He was sorry that it was an unpopular question. Still there was a gro\wing;opinion in the matter, especially in tho Southland he therefore felt bound to persevere. People said that the present system^ of- education; was so good that it should 1 , not' be imperilled by amendment. 1 Buty excellent though it was, it was not. perfect. The absenco of religious instruction* was its great defect, and, as a . consequence, there was no religious instruction foa the large mass of the children^ especially in the country. This was -the reswit of a mono poly in education, for private- effort had been crushed by it. Now, as ha only asked for Bible-reading in th.3 schools, that would exclude- all denominational teaching, and . he- took this precaution to avert any disagreement. Tne Cambridge meeting. was- attended by fc'ie ministers of all denominations- except fc'ie Roman Catholic. Some people &aid that that was the thin wedge, and I that by-and-by something more would be wanted. Welt, he would not say that that would not be the result with him, and at any rate-the thin elge of the wedge was the right' edge to insert first of all. Many of > the children did nob know even the naxne of God or of Jes is. Jt was nob possible foe the clergy to impart the religious- instruction in the day schools. It was asked " Why not get your lay readers to help you ? " Well, the answer was that, they could nob get ■ .ifficient teachers- oa the* Sunday, when, their services might be considered available ; then how much more difficult would it be to get them on weekdays-?' Provision would be made for Roman Catholics, Jews orsceptics by means of a conscience clause* At present the wishes of a small minority who oppose religious- teaching determined! the legislation on this- question. Thespeaker concluded by quoting the views of: Bishop Moorhouse, Btov. Norman McLeod, Sir Hercules Robinsonv Professor Huxley and Mr Matthew. Arnold. Archdeacon, Govetfc seconded the motion, and in doing so admitted that there werethe gravest objections, to it; but still nothing could be- wonse than the presents state of things. Mb E. W. Hammoiad considered that the resolution wenfrfioo> far, inasmuch as it* contemplated religious, instruction as welt as Bible- reading. Who was to define what w.ara "-historical and literary remarks ?" Confius-son would result from every, teacher defining for himself, and; they would have teachers expounding the Scriptures- some ofr wfeom would feel no interest in, the duty, illite others would regard ifc altogether with the scorn of disbelief. No good could seeing from such a t state of things. Bosi4es, he did not think, there was* the slightest chance of the latter part of the motion obtaining the sanction of l^arliainent. Still, he did believe- iihere was a. reaction going on in favouu of Bibleueading in schools, and they should be content with Bible-reading pure anid simple. Mr X* C* Barstow pointed out that teachers had to pass examinations for all subjects which they requipeel to teach. That being so, they ought to> commence by requiring all teachers to pass an examination in theology. The mp&t terrible dissensions and heart-burnings, would be the. result unless the teachers were bound down) to some settled form of Ciisristian teaching*. Bible-reading itself migh« be tolerated, buft not with comments. Archdeacon Willis exj»fe«necl that at Cajsabxidge the latter part o& the motion was put in to meet the views q£ those who thoAfghb Bible-reading withoi^t comment quitej «se-> less. The President suggested that the -words "with literary mA historical remarks'* should be omitted Archdeacon WUBs assented, a?ci asked, leave for that purpose. Tho Rev. Mr- Wilson objected^ The Rev. F-. Gould therefovfe moved as an amendmmfe, and Mr W, H. Thorji seconded, tb&fr the words « i with literary and historwal remarks" should be qjc'punged. Mr Heywood Crispe stated that there, was a strong and growing feeling in the country in favow of Bible-reading' in schools., The debate was intmupted by tlv& 6 p.m» adjournment.

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