BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 38, 4 July 1914, Page 4

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS.

PROTEST FROM AUCKLAND. TEACHERS. AGAINST THE LEAGUE'S SCHEME. B7 Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. An emphatic protect against the proposals of the Bible-in-Schoola League was made by the members of the Auckland Teachers' Institute this morning at a well attended meeting. The matter cropped up n the report, which mentioned' the fact that Canon, G-arland had given an interesting address to memiutira on the objects of the League. "Your committee," continued the report, "regrets- to hear that the Government intends introducing legislation this session to enablte a referendum to be taken on the Bible-in-Schoola question, and will be pleased to receive instructions to take active and immediate steps to oppose the introduction of the scheme."

M r Thos. F. Warren, the secretary, moved "That the executive bo instructed to talke active and immediate steps to combat the introduction of Bible■reading in schools." He said that the matter had been well threshed' out in the Bross, and he was satisfied tliiat the teachers had made up their minds on the question, so that it washardly necessary to say much about it. II; felt dure that if a referendum were granted the proposal wouid be carried. It would iliare the support of all those who worked in favor of it, and of a large number of women and of many men who wished to shift tiheir responsibility on to the teachers. The teachers already had enough to do. Even if there were not other and more important grounds of objection, ho thought that one of the mo 4 obnoxious parts of the scheme was the right of entry of the clergy. Religious dissension was sure to be caused. Mr Lamb seconded the motion. Mr F. R. Roller said that as a democrat he couid not .object to the granting of a referendum, and lie thought the teachers should oppose the '•■■heme after the referendum had been taken. Other members voiced the view thai the teachers were not opposed to the reading of the Bible, but to the League's proposals. They were making an attempt to piu, in a mutilated Bili'e and teaching by the clergy. In order to make it clear that the Institute did not object to the Bible, the mover anil seconder of the motion amended it to read, "That the executive be instructed to take active and immediate steps to combat the wlicma laid down by the liiihlc-in J Schoo! i s League." In the course of Ms reply, Mr Warren said he Mould not like the idea to go abroad that the teachers were opposed' to the Bible. They were not atheisK (Hear, bear.) They believed in Bible-reading, not only for what the Bible taught but because it w one of the greateU books in literature that a person could read. ,