The Education Act.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3043, 15 November 1878, Page 3

The Education Act.

At a recent meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery the Rev. Dr Coupland gave notice that he would move at the next meeting of the Presbytery the following resolution :—

" Whereas the Education Act now in operation in New Zealand makes no provision for the reading of the Bible within ■ohool hours, and is, on this account, unsatisfactory to a large body of inhabitants ; ■ ■j ■ ** Whereas the attempt has been made in some quarters to represent and to carry out the system as absolutely secular, excluding reference in the Public Schools to God, or to a future state of existence, and ■o weakening the sanctions of morality whioh the youth of the land should be trained to understand as a necessary part of their education; "Whereas, in consequence of the godk& character thus assigned to the present national system, the feeling in favour of a denominational system has been gaining itrength, so that the Bill of Mr Curtis, recently before Parliament, was only lost <-*&lJftienarrow majority of six votes in a fall House. .... . *• Whereas, if such a BUI had passed into law, many who would prefer a national system in which the Bible was permitted to be read would avail themselves of the provisions of such an Act in order to secure for their children a sufficient opportunity of becoming acquainted with Ood's Word, and in consequence the national system would be in danger of being destroyed; . . , . " Whereas a knowledge of the contents of the Bible is necessary for the right tmderstaiiding of a large part of English literature, and of many of the most, unimportant passages of history, as well as for the understanding and confirmation of true mortality; . . " Whereas in Victoria—where the socalled secular system has been for some time in operation—it has proved unsatisfactory, so that there is a probability of its being soon abandoned: "Whereas there is no ground for expecting in New Zealand any better result from the present system; "Whereas provision for the reading of the Bible in the public schools may be made without interfering with the just rights of any by a clause being introduced enacting that the Bible shall be read at a fixed hour (the right being reserved to parents or guardians to withdraw their children during such lesson, on giving notice im writing of their desire to do so) in all the public schools, excepting those where the Committee having charge shall iave passed a resolution (binding only during their term of office) dispensing with such reading; "And whereas such an arrangement would contribute, in the highest degree, to the intelligence and morality of the rising generation, would satisfy the desire of the great body of the inhabitants, would remove the strongest ground on which a demoninatlonal system is demanded by many, and would thus tend to the consolidation and permanency of the national system; .->f *- - { "It is humbly overtured by the Presbytery of Dunedin to the Synod of Otago, indicated to meet in .January, _ 1879, to take the premises into its consideration, with the view of adopting such measures for securing the daily reading of the Bible in the public schools as in its wisdom it j may deem expedient." s j