"PROPER EDUCATION."

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1918, Page 7

"PROPER EDUCATION."

1 To tlic Editor. Sir,—ln your issue of tlie 12tl' inst. there appears a letter 011 the above subject by my olil friend, Mr. Jolm Diggins, of Lepperton- Mr. 'DiggiM is an intclligont man who honestly means well in his endeavors to help his fellows to a right understanding of tilings -as lie sees them. I am therefore rather sorry to havo to note that Mr- Wiggins is over sixty years behind the times in his ideas as to what constitutes ''proper education-" Mr. Herbert Spencer published 'The Art of Education" in 1554, and no man who ha 3 read and thoroughly understood that work would ever think of penning such mental and moral weakness about the education of the young as keeps peeping out all down and through Mr. Biggins' letter. Just thin'- Mr a moment of the utter absurd! l uny man at this time of day advi. the introduction of a "holy religion ' into our State schools tas a means of reform! Why, Sir, flioly 'religion l ' was the mother of the dark ages! "Holy religion" in our schools simply means the predominance of the priest over the minds of young humanity. Does Mr. Diggins think that the people of this country would entertain such an idea in the face of what all history proclaims as the proved results of priestly dominance? Well do the priests know that if they can catch the child they can bleed the man. It has been well said that "All philosophy worthy of the name must henceforth build upon foundations firmly laid in scientific truth. Any system that neglects science as its corner stone stands self-condemned, and doos not merit serious attention." And what, then, is science V Science is simply tabulated facts- And the scienee'.of life is the tabulated facts of life, as (far as we know them. On the other liaiM, the priest has his position founded on fable; fable is his stock, lock and barrel for bringing humanity to kneel. , Facts are his mortal foes, and are, in bis language, "Accursed of God."—l mn, etc-, J.' 0. TAYLOR. - Waiongona, February 10, 1918. SPIRITS AND FORTUNE TELI4NG. To the Editor. Sir,—lt is m. great pity that the Hon. T. M. Wilford, or any Minister, has power to regret the reasonable request of the National Association of Spiritualicts for their mediums to practice mediumship unmolested, and it is amazing that the lion, gentleman should express indecision regarding the rights and wrongs of a subject that has been in the world for throe quarters of a century. In tlie nature of mediumship inspired addresses are often pregnant with the. convincing features of prophesy, both general and individual, and over this a medium has •no control, whilst it is the soul of evidence making the testimony of spiritualism greater than mere ordinary speeches. TJm? the question arises, is not this future telling? No, Sir; the wholo business savors of a contempt on tlie part of the gentlemen in question for the subject that can cruise little else but rising indignation within the breast of those that love their cult and naturally expect an expression of British fair play from their fellows who make or uphold the law To say that spiritualism in its inner meaning contains the far-reaching requirements of a world-wide civilisation is to say the least of it, and to say that this is the contention of the major portion c*f real investigators in the past likewise can only partially Express the truth. How that the powers that be can hastily stem the tide of so revmrceful a movement is beyond conception, unless it is as admittedly expressed through ignoranefc. The'much laughed at spook has a good deal more to teach mankind than many men dare to admit, yet evolution, like a war tank, has not much regard for obstacles, anil if truth is truth then 'tis time we sought it through its proper channels and became clear about its origin and destiny. The least to be said of spirit communion, high or low, is that its factions bear upon mankind the necessity of making this world more habitable than it is for many thousands at the present day. This is a factor that even the ruling Gods of earth are not entirely exempt from learning—l am, etc., "NOT WITHOUT APPRECIATION" Waitara, February 14.