BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 197, 9 January 1913, Page 6

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.

CATHOLIC RESISTANCE. "AXTI-I'OPERY BAXXER FLUXG OUT." Auckland, January 0. At St. Patrick's Cathedral last night Bishop Clean- announced an important new development in 'his eo-reiigionists' resistance to the proposals of the Bible-m-State-sehools' League. The speaker detailed the seven monientous changes that the League is demanding in our existing legislation, and said that these changes involved a serious invasion of the rights of conscience of the taxpayers, of the parents, and of the pupils, and wou'id compel Catholic teachers cither to lie false to the declared principles and laws of their Church, or to forfeit their bread and butter. It was very significant that no one leader of the League had the courage, or the fool hardiness, to attempt a defence of these seven proposed changes in the law.

As a Christian man and a lover of his adopted country. Bishop Geary said that he deplored the fact that an anti-Popery banner had been flung out, blazoned with the false issue: "Home Rule or Borne rule.". He said that the Catholic laity of Auckland were the first in this "Dominion to move in the direction of. federating aFi the Catholics' societies, clubs, confraternities and individuals hi one solid organisation for strenuous resistance to these encroachments on the religious liberties of themselves, and of their fellow citizens of other faiths. All the chief lav associations, said Bishop Oleary. had 'joined in this demand, which had his hearty "(,iod speed'' and co-operation. A federation on these lines was already an accomplished fact, in Wellington.

The speaker announced the arrangcments made for the immediate organisation of the Catlio'.'ic 'body, on the lines staled, throughout the diocese of Auckland. He described the great success and varied activities of such a federation in Cermany, in the United States. Chj'ii and Australia. "It is essentially a lay movement." said the bishop. "Us motto is never to attack, and never to permit others with impunity to attack us, in our faith, or in our eivil or religious rights. I hope the organisation will adopt one other motto: 'Kver to treat opponents iu a reasonable and. truly Christian way, and thus to he'i'p in .breaking down the un-Ghristian rancor that is now ibcin<>; fomented in this Dominion.' V