THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 85, 27 August 1912, Page 6

THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

BISHOP CROSSLEY'S REMARKS.

The Bishop of Auckland, in the course (if a sermon, at St. Mary's, New Ply'noutli, on Sunday night, referred to the question of the introduction of the Bible 'tito the school curriculum of New Zealand. "The barring of the Bible from the school is," he remarked, "a retrograde and illiberal policy. On the truest possible grounds it is at least a withholding of the finest piece of collective literature the world possesses from the knowledge of the child life of our land." Proeeeding, ho quoted a distinguished Agnostic professor of his university who said that no one could possibly pretend to l)e educated who was ignorant of the prophet Isaiah. But every child who could thoroughly appreciate English literature Hv list have acquaintance with its English Bible. Many and repeated references in its Shakespeare and its Milton would be unmeaning and unintelligible were the child not a student also of its Bible. Then there, was the teacher to consider. By the use of the Bible in the school, our school teachers, who deserve so well at our hands, to whom is committed the divine work of childframing and character building, had a sanction for conduct and a, moral appeal they were hitherto robbed of. Every enlightened teacher would value the inspiration for, and the consecration of his work which Bible reading and lessons; would bring to himself. And beyond this, those qualities of truth and uprightness which it is his to foster and to confirm, that ethical character, without which intellectualism is both barren and dangerous, is best built by' illustration ! and heroic example, rather than by cold;maxim, and the finest and fairest field wherein to walk in the search for such! ideals is from -within the pages of the Bible.

NEfV. ZEALANDERS' OVERWHEL\I- ■ IXGLY CHRISTIAN. ''But rar more tnan t'hat," c6ntiriued the {Bishop, "we believe the people,:.of New) Zealand are overwhelmingly Christtiani that they do desire a Christian education for their children. That it has (been withheld is a result of an •honest, though mistaken, ideal that in oui national school life'no* preference to,.pirty or to sect should be shown, but that all should grow up in a common life to a common citizen ideal. When, however it is pointed -out that out'tn named syst >m of education—for maimed it assuredly is—can be enriched''arid fortified by- Bible study within school' hours in a way to give no'cause ol'offence to any conscience* and by a mode which 1 no ] reference to any particular'religions bod] - , and : where that way aM Itiode' Can ■be shown to be in succes!sfill' operation; free from friction, in lands'llkfe otirs.un'- ' d'e'r conditions similarttronr-owTi,-surely ■ Wb" have good, strong, common-sense [ grinds for-saying that ■Wia-£imj?ihss com 3 when New Zealand'pebfiftflight to ' beasked by means of a straight question fchfeir views upon the matter. ~~

3 TEW SOUTH WALI3S-,'SYSTEM. ,'*? he New South Wales system is .briefly this: A book. of. Biblei;lea<soiu>,. stories truths is-prepared, and the teacher of sffJio-oi lesson from it to all his «sh o^i: ,;I? *4-' diti m .to this, the {Of '^i nonination can, liy application authority which control^_«ducati.o n., have the privilege, vrttMtt of ,-haar ng, say, a half-hour, of hi.-j own children once ,a : or fißci&fiM&iOi, -as Ihe case may be. The system is in successful working in New-go«th--Wules, ,'in (J ueensland, in Western ,in Tasmania. Every Cdde&'tfioriai « jijiyrt approved of it who ha3-examined into:.the subject. There ft'no'iritfßori W clasii distinction or sectarianism fostered I tlieieby. The.plsm i.s.useij .alike by the clerty of-my own church, ,a.sWell'«fl% Ron an Catholics, Presbyterian^,"Methodists and others. The teachers. o£ . the schc oLs. japeak in .high praise of it.. ; REFERENDUM WANTED, " ■ •> "Wow, m the present peculiar conditions of.your political life in-Nfew : s&a : ' land), it would be possibly unfaiV t6 press ahyj Government to legislate' up'oi tkfe j subject.. What we desife the votdrs pf \ this j country to ask for is a referendum flie subject, that t&fe of the l&ftdl may liav6 the. question fairly put .before them; that they may, i|i brief, be askdd, 'Will you'have the Bible't'augnt' in' ojir day schools according to the New Sduth Wales system?' It is our'duty now to put this question fully and fairly liefoi-e the people 6f'Nfevv Zealand,' imf I have little dyubt .that if this be' done tlie knswe'r will be a favorable'one,' and thati our schools will be'strengthened and ugjlfted by the consecration of the Book of' God."