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[Appendix V.]

[From "The Weekly Times" (London), December 30th, 1910.]

Bible Teaching in Schools.

At the second meeting of the Headmasters' Conference, held at Eton last Friday, a discussion took place on the teaching of the Bible in Public Schools.

Mr. Lowry (Tonbridge) said that the large majority of the young man who were set to teach the Bible had an uneasy feeling that they were expected, by their superiors and by the parents, to teach the Bible as if it were perfectly inspired and as if every word of it were absolutely true; and yet they knew that these were not their views.

The Rev. Dr. Flecker (Dean Close School, Cheltenham) thought that many honest and good men disliked the Scripture hour more than any other teaching they had to do. He could speak as to the depth of the ignorance of Scripture of boys who came to the public schools—even from the homes of the clergy and especially of the country clergy. ("No!") He was quite certain that the state of things now was far worse than it was a quarter of a century ago.

After further discussion it was agreed that the subject should be referred to the Committee of the Conference, who should bring it forward in a definite form next year.