Bible-in-Schools

New Zealand Tablet, 22 November 1906, Page 9

Bible-in-Schools

The Bible-in-schools agitation in New Zealand has passed out with the flowers that bloom in the spring. A I the' inquest that was held upon it- at the recent Presbyterian Assembly in Dunedin, it seenis to have been generally agreed that it met death through cold,.exposure,"'and neglect— the cold of a chilly atmosphere of popular disapproval, exposure to the merciless logic of destructive criticism, and neglect on the part of the Cfmrchcs to which it owed its existence. - In Victoria the movement is also a forlorn hope. But in that - afflicted State it seems to have been recently captured and in p_art captained by the ' yellow ' faction. The result is just what one might expect : much senseless ' hysteria, and the custemiary tornadoes of abuse and vituperation of ' Rome ' for' its attitude of antagonism to the Protestantising of public instruction .at the

public expense; . ■ Here , is f^V war-whoop from the ReV.-'DivFitchet^ in- the, Methodist' organ,': "the Melbourne 'Southern Cross--'' :-*■ -v .:.-.a"* .-->.'-,*.'!". ' -§ut what right has a Romish priest to^be' heard -on such a qiuestion? 'Th^S history' o£ -the Romish Church shows of- course,- '4hat:»?it^hasr f nov-ardent desire -that anybt,dy's;chi d ; shall^read ',the-;Bible.-..But .thaißomish priests should protest -Against- iProtestant;- children • receiving Scripture ■lessons'HixPJsState schools is nothinjtl'ess than a. stupendous'- impertinence; . They ,• have- no right to be heard in this- matter. Btotestants .-do not interfere with the children of -Roman Catholics, -and' what Mere we have the .good . old , rjile, the "simple" plan "of the old-time Irish-psectarian ascendancy party shamelessly advocated' as a working pblicy^in the -free countries under the Southern Cross-;. ' The Victorian Methodist organ hotly insists (1) /that,, a Protestant and sectarian version of the Scriptures- *c publicjy • taught !to children on Protestant lines/in -the public schools -by public officials , at the public expense; (2) that 'Romish' -tax-payers-be compelled by Act, of Parliament to contribute their proportion of the expenses ,'of so teaching the children of Protestant parents ; (ay that.Jthe children of 1 Romish ' taxpayers be flebaired from receiving any benefit from such taxation ; and.(4j 'that said ' Romish ' taxpayers be denied the ri S ht of protest, or even of being • heard on such a question ' ! For ' stupendous impertinence * this proposal of the Methodist organ is an easy gold-medallist. It id not satisfied with plundering the pockets of Catholics; 11. would sag or dogmuzzle us too. The whole article is an indecent manifestation," of the evil spirit that/ has obsessed the Bible-111-schools movement beyond the Tasman Sea But it is well that it has thrown the. Mokanna -veil asidft The public can now see for themselves what manner 6* thing Hie seetarianising movement is.

Wull, one must expect such - outbursts from such quarters. The passionate child and the untutored savaec' beat the stone against which they have banged their incautious and .unprotected feet. And we Catholics are among the big stones that strew the path along which any movement for the sectarianisms o f the public schools must pass. This childish anger is a habit of moral or intellectual mal-development-the sign of a 1 status pupillaris ' out of which some souls never rise" There are some dogs' tails,' says Billings, < which can't 1 got to curl no ways, and some which *Hl, and you • can't - stop 'em.. If you bathe a curly-tailed dog's tail "in oil- and put it in Bpl i* t , you^ cannot get the crook out of it. A man's -ay of thinking is the crook in' the .dog's tail a"id he can tbe got out of it.' That is just it There's « cook or kink in the intellect or the nrfral sense of some people. You cannpt . get .' it out. So you let ' : l.em wag their peculiarity 'in peace, so long as the tail .« not wagged into your eye .or nose or mouth o «adc to interfere with the "comfort or well-being of others Some of thqse,. ovbr-witimsiastic folk with the mcual or moral crook - live au fancy, in day ie iG 9 r aS Th *".*??«*■;« .^tory*s.topSdXn . 1601. Ihey forget that- the -Catholic Emancipation tlu 33 e1) e 1)a f S( ; * l ,,sev<>n years ago, and ' that the trade of hunting . down and permanently niuzzlins •Ro.u.sh priests' is .defunct,, and. rather Htoe P uS,?e And ln New , Zealand,.^ i, Victoria and South Aut uiUa he saving good.- sensed the majority O j the Population Relieves in rendering: unto XW^thmg^ e.ods. By all means let the "qiVilf oivei- stick to it*"' railroads, -and ■ its' .telegraphs, and^; f ruitin £ * grading of- butter,<and- : cheese wand'"AyJeaDUß? du^

«Qr =r High, Church. ;it;.is in, substance -the 'principle on' which,,. Chalmers/ and/ ;tlie .other Frep'Kirkers f wefi-tout-' some ago. It .'was, laid- down'in ,the follow: ing; terms; by^Warburton, .one- of the, most eminent" Ang- v hcaa bishops ;of, the /eighteenth^ ceritury-.^in his '.'Alliance of-. Church-and State'/: ,'. ThpTstaiieV contemplates fo^-its endi-the :.body f .,and Jts interests;;/ has ?;?/&;'!*6' f meanV coercion ;■ for • its general .subject-matter^utility. J/'Tlie Church, is" a, 'religious society, l of' disti%tiU>£origrn ; having,.fqi%. its., end .the .;saivatip'n"jD| s^uls" ;- v f6r its spbjectmatter, .truth ; for its- instrument, '/persu|sion,;' 'regulat.ih|- motives -as Well ,as acts,- andCpromising'; eternal j.;eyard. -. Though separate," tiiese 'societies would.^,n&t mtecfere, because, they. We' different' 1 provinces '." • '-