CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 December 1942, Page 2

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

PREPARING THE CHILDREN OF TODAY FOR WORLD OF TOMORROW. ADDRESS BY REV. J. R. HIGGS. Sneaking at the St. Matthew’s Collegiate School prize-giving ceremony in Masterton last night, the Rev. J. R. Higgs, acting-vicar of Featherston, formerly stationed at Hong Kong, stressed the importance of a Christian education in preparing the children of to-da-iF for the new world of tomorrow.

Mr Higgs referred to a statement made by the president of the Board of Education in England, in which.he said that the primary aim of education was to fashion Christians. That in itself was revolutionary, said Mr Higgs. In New Zealand and England education was based on the principles that it was free, secular and compulsory,, yet the children were denied their birthright in State schools. The time would come when a referendum would be taken as to whether parents wanted their children brought up as heathens or Christians. Lord Eustace Percy had said in England that 90 per cent would want their children to be brought up as Christians yet the Government had assumed the opposite for many years. Mr Higgs urged parents to send their children to Christian schools even if it cost them more. It was well worth it in that they were given complete physical, mental, moral and spiritual education. Speaking more particularly to the children, Mr Higgs urged them to fit themselves for the new world order, in which, he said, good character would still play the most important part.