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'■ [IpRINTBD at the "CAKADIAN churchman" OrFICE, COliNBR OF BAOOT AND PRINCESS STREETS. »• I mi h , « « ^ P !| SPEECH . <(. My Lord, — The resolution oa the subject of Separate Schoolii for the United Church of England and Ireland in Canada, now before this Synod, was to have been seconded by a Clergyman of this city who has been obliged to absent himself to attend to nr- gent parochial duty; and I am therefore unexpectedly called upon by the mover to fill his place. I am not prepared to speak with unqualified approbation as regards every word contained in that measure ; but I am nevertheless prepared and ready to ad- vocate, with heartfelt pleasure and satisfaction, the great princi- ples which it embodies ; namely, that we members of the United Church of England and Ireland demand as our right, as an act of common justice, that we shall be permitted to educate our children according to our own religious convictions — that the giving this privilege to one body and withholding it from another is an "wn- just preference" and inconsistent with our individual riglits as free-born citizens. Now we must all readily admit that there is scarcely any subject, involving the welfare of the rising genera- tion, which has, within the last few years, attracted so much at- tention, or upon which men of all classes and shades of politioal^ as well as religious, opinion, have indulged in sucl^ warm discus- sion as the present system of Common School Education as by law established in this Province. At the fire-side of the mechanic and agriculturist ; on the poli- tical platform ; in the Halls of Parliament — by men of the lowest as well as of the highest attainments, the system by which tho children of the masses of this country are instructed, has been more or less frequently and closely handled. And this is not so much to be wondered at. The interests of the child lie near and dear to the heart of the parent, and whatever affects the weal or woe of the human offspring touches a cord of the tenderest sym- pathy, and its vibrations are felt throughout whole families and 1^ '^vj conimuuitieB. The subject is one which most imturiilly and pro- perly comes up for diacuasion before our Synod to-day. We are hero a representative body. The members of our communion in this Diocese have entrusted to us the discharge of important du- ties concerning our common welfare ; and if there is one duty more than another which possesses a claim upon our careful considera- tion it is that which we owe to our children — Ihose who shall suc- ceed us in the performance of those responsible obligations which are due to religion and humanity. I am therefore, for one, obliged to the mover of the resolution before the Synod for aflFord- ing us the opportunity of discussing this important question, and 1 trust that we shall in the spirit of christian love and forbear- unce, while making full allowance for the opinions of others, at tho same time in the most straightforward and uncompromising man- ner, assert upon it our views and convictions. But to do that justice to the Common School System of Education which it demands, and to understand it thoroughly, we must unravel the thread of its history from the beginning. From the establishment of Common Schools in Upper Canada until the year 1846 we do not find anything remarkable, or worthy of comment. But on the 27th of March of that year, we are fur- nished with an ably written Report published from the pen of the talented Chief Superintendent (Dr. Ryerson) and setting forth a tystenz of public elementary instruction for Upper Canada, and ad- dressed to Earl Cathcart, then Governor General. In that docu- ment are marked the principles and outlines of the system which was afterwards adopted and embodied in the laws of the Province ; the Report is therefore of great importance in throwing light on the scheme under consideration. On page 22nd Dr. Ryerson un- dertakes to define ^'practical education.^^ "Practical education," he says, "includes religion and morality. By religion and moral- ity I do not mean Sectarianism in any form, but the general sys- tem of truth and morals taught in Holy Scriptures." Now the dissatisfaction which has been felt with the Common School sys- tem of Education having arisen wholly on religious grounds, we as a religious body are bound to^express our views, in discussion on this question, with special regard to this fact. It may be truly V»; 4 \ «ai(l thon at the very outset, that if the definition which Dr. Ryorson has given ot "religion and morality" moan anything, it moans what we, members of the Church of England, understand it to mean ; and if the system of education afterwards adopted wero erected on this foundation, then wo should be found this day giv- ing it our earnest and unreserved support. By " religion and morality" we cannot mean anything else than the "system of truth and morals taught in Holy Scripture ;" nor can we mean by this system "Sectarianism in any form." Such a hclief is strictly in accordance with our creeds, our articles, and other formularies of faith. We take Christ as our foundation, who Himself asserted that "//e was the Truth, and that He came on earth to "bear wit- ness of the truth." Wo believe that the whole volume of scripture oot only contains truth, but is truth from beginning to end, truth in its purity and perfection because inspired truth; "so that" as ■our 6th article affirms "whatsoever is not read therein, nor may to proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should fee believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation." And if the term Sectarianism mean the teaching of a sect, and if a sect mean a "religious community fol- lowing some partiottlar master,'* then, my Lord, we are not a sect, and the reproachful words in which Dr. Ryerson has clothed his? ^description of Sectananism do not apply to ourselves as a Church. We arc at a loss indeed to understand how the word "sect" can be at all applied to the Church from which members have separated, as well as to the separated members themselves. The thing is a manifest contradiction. But whether we are a sect, or not a sect — whether we have any higher claims to Catholicity than any other body of christians in the world, we shall not now stop to dis- cuss. It is sufficient for our argument to assert, what admits of no discussion, that we are a christian community holding certain distinctive principles as such; and as Dr. Ryerson's attack is direc- ted against s^tch doctrines, which he is pleased to designate •'>S^ec- tarian'' and '^exclusiv^^ throughout his report, we, being ranked amongst the common enemy, are called upon to buckle on our ar- mour in self-defence. Now I maintain that every religious body in the world must, of necessity^ hold exclusive and distinctive principles. The very Bible itself, the ground ol' our salvation, is dittinctive and exclusive. We, members of the Church of England, are free to confess that we do hold and have ever held duttnctive principles — that is the principles of the Bible, according to the Church's interpretation. These, moreover, we maintain to be vi- tal principles, and we cannot consent to any system of education, as sound and complete, which professes, for the sake of establish' ing a national scheme, to set aside such awfully important and life-giving truths for so poor a substitute, however ingeniously con- trived, as mere "christian sentiment," or a plausible, hollow and unintelligible morality, which professes to extinguish all theologi* oal peculiarities by the waters of non-fcctarianism, and to amalga- mate all conflicting creeds by the quick-silver of the Common School System of Education. But strange to say this self same report goes on to recog- niie the *^ Separate School system" — lo speak even approv- ingly of " schools in connection with a particular religious com- munity — wholly controuled by such a community, and where its worship is observed, and its creed taught." But yet in the very next paragraph the author avers "from personal experi- once and practice, as well as from a very extended inquiry on this fubject, that a much more comprehensive course of biblical and re* ligious instruction can be given than there is likely to be oppor* tunity for in Elementary Schools, without any restraint on the one side, or any tincture of sectarianism on the other — a course em- bracing the entire history of the Bible, its institutions, cardinal doctrines and morals, together with the evidences of its authen* ticity." Now I would respectfully ask, taking one point from this cata- logue, " what are the cardinal doctrines" here mentioned ; and in what school, or schools, in the whole Province under the Common School system is the course here recommended adopted 7 Are there not diversities of opinions upon the subject ? Are there not as many opinions in fact as there are Religious Bodies ? The Churchman may say Infant Baptism is one. The Ana-Bap- tist and Quaker may say no. The Methodist may say " Christian Derfection" is one. The Presbyterian and Independent may deny. I > ; 1 5 The Chnrclinmn mny ftgiiin say the " Trinity" is a cuhUimI doc- trine. The Rociniiin and Arian may object. lien.' we niij^ht mul- tiply instajiccs ad iiijiiiltnm to show the di.sagrcemvnt on this point alone. Who then ib to decide ? Who is to reconcile ? Not the Chief Superintendent. He has no power to do so. Not the Coun- cil of Instruction, nor the Local Superintendents, nor the Trustees, nor the Municipal Councils for the same reason. No, nor tho Teacher hxinte{f\ for he it iwt respoiisiljle for the rf7«'^io«s instruc- tion of his pupils. How can he ? He is not examined on rcligi- wit subjects himself. He may be a Jirat class teacher and at tho same time a nationalist or a Sceptic I If ho is a man of good moral character, no school law or school officer can touch him. But I am doing the Chief Superintendent wrong. He does not say Buch a course is taught, only it can be taught ; a;»d by his sophis- try and adroitness he leaves us to infer that by such a system as he proposes these advantages would be gained. If in our mixed schools he can accomplish this, and at the same time respect the rights of conscience, as he professea in his school law to do, then he will accomplish something beyond human con- ception. He will then reconcile truth with error. He will prove that heresy has nothing to do with doctrines at variance with those of Christ — that schism is an agreement in matters of faith and discipline — that Arianism and Socinianism and Antinomianism and Sabellianism and Mormonism, with the hundred other " isms/' are so many streams all issuing from the same pure fountain head and united in the one vast river of antisectarianism, are flowing gently and peaceably onward by the irresistible influence of this commendable system ! Has such a system been carried out ? Have religion and mor- ality and secularity been so effectually blended together in our Common Schools ? If so, wherefore then the still-beginning, never- ending agitation on the question at issue ? Simply because the system proposed and persevered in — tho' with continual changes and modifications — is unsati^actory — Because like all other sys- tems of the kind — it is a system of expediency, not of duty, — a system decked out in flattering but fictitious allurements to cap- tivate and beguile the popular mind — Because no National system G { (' nf oJucation can bo doviKcd by which an efficient course ofrcUgioun instruction can bo given to all in every section in our mixed t^^choolf, no long as there exist — ns there w»s^, in s/tcA schools — conacientinvs dlfferencet na to the iliKtrincs and practicCt <\f the Christian religion. I maintain therefore, my Lord, that, while I am not arguinj^ who is right or who is wrong, in the religious world, the present nystcm of education is most unsatisfactory and unacceptable to ua manbera of the Chtirch 0/ J^ng/ni^d so far as the element of rc/i^iVms instruc- tion is concerned , and I also maintain that, without interfering in any way with the present excellent course of aecutar instruction given in our Common Schools, such a measure may be adopted as will bo acceptable arid satisfactory to us and remedy the difficulty. I say most emphatically and advisedly "excclkrU coi'rse of aeciilar instruction ;" for irhlle with many others I am dissatisfied with the religious, I am most favourably impressed with the seciditr, sys- tem adopted; I am not ready with some to advocate the destruc- tion of the system as a whola. I would advocate a modijication, I would take advantage of tho present machinery of instruction, examination and inspection. I speak regarding the whole depart- ment not as a mere theorist, or novice. I have held the office of Chairman of two Boards of Public Instruction) and been Superin- tendent of Schools for A number of years in this Province ; and as the result of my experience I give it as my unqualified opinion, that the secular instruction imparted is the very contrast of tho religious. I have always looked upon the Common School Sys- tem as essentially a secular system, and as such I have always en- deavoured to promote the secular education of those connected with our schools, whether as teachers or pupils. I saw from tho commencement the gteat difficulty and absurdity of attempting the inculcation of a course of religious instruction in schools constitu- ted as ours are, and therefore I have never endeavoured to enforce what I saw would be a cause of jealousy and dissatisfaction. But taking the suf^ects taught, the t'cxthooks recommended and the ichole apparatus, and I do believe that, e far as the course ex- tends, we have no better or more practical, useful or efficient in- struction given in the secular branches of education in any school, or scholastic institution in the country. I can bear testimony to « till ability, tlic Jilip;enc(! ami the cdiirtesy disjiljiycd by the Cliicf Buperintondent uuil Doputy-Sui)oiiiit(.'ii(Juiit in tho (li.schari^e v( their onerous dutitjs. 1 have always found them ready to remove any ground of complaint and all'ord every explanation in their power consistently with the position which they t>ecupy in the educa- tion department. Surrounded with difliculties an a national Bystciu must uecesaarily bo, bo far au tho rcligiunH element is concerned, I am ready to mako liberal allowances ; but I must not at the fianie time barter my rclii^ious, birth-right, or stifle the voice ol'con- floionce. 1 do not thcreforo desire to disturb that noble establish- ment iu its sccalur department because I do not see how a better could bo substituted. I wish it to be clearly understood that I Btand not hore to raise any uioro factious opposition ; but now that the matter is fairly before our Synod, I cannot, as a churcliman and clergyman, conscientiously and faithfully discharge my duty as such, without protesting a^jainst tho system of religious instruc- tion recommended by tho Council of Public Instruction and au- thorized by tho school laws of Upper Canada. But it is not just to dwell merely on a Report ; or to make the Chief Superintendent responsible for the discrepancies and inconsistencies which, in places, occur between the provisions of the school law and tho principles ad > loated in his report ; for those who have taken any trouble to examine tho subject will admit, that many of his school bills have been, from time to time, materially altered and modi- fied on their passage thro' tho House. Let us see, however, Jwro far the views advocated in his Report are developed in the school acts of the Province : The school law of 1850 ; the supplementary act of 1853; the amended act of 1860, and the school laws consolidated in the same year — these, with slight amendments, from time to time, con- tain the common school law of Upper Ca .da. The school law of 1850 (in which the two previous acts of the 7th and 12th Vict, were repealed) may be justly styled the parent law of the whole system. In carefully examining this act we find the following pro- vision : •' XIX. And bo it enacted. That it shall be the duty of the Municipal Council of any Township, and of the Hoard of School Trustees of any City, Town, or incorporated Village, on the application iu writing of 8 1 > 1 n: i/' twelvo or more rcHident heads of faniiliea, to aiitliorize the estawlishrncnt of one or more separate schools for Protcslauts, Roman Catholics or coloured peopla, and, in such case, it shall prescribe the limi'.a of tbe divisions or sections for such schools, and shall make the same prorisioa for the holding of ihe first meeting fertile election of Trustees of each such 3ci)arate school or schools, as is provided in the fourth section of this Act for Jiolding the first school meeting in a new school section ; Provided always, that each such separate school shall go into operation at the same time with alteraiions in school sections, and "hall be under the Bame regulations in respect to the persons for whom such school is per- mitted to be established, as are Common Schools generally : Provided secondly, that none but coloured people shall be allowed to vote for the election of Trustees of ths separate school for their children, and none but the parties petitioning for the establishment of, or sending children to a separate Protestant or Roman Catholic school, shall vote at the election of Trustees of such school : Provided thirdly, that each such separate Protestant, or Roman Catholic, or coloured school shall be entitled to share in the school fund according to the average attendance of pupils attending each such separate school, (the mean attendance of pupils for both summer and winter being taken,) as compared with the whole ave- rage attendance of pupils attending the Common Schools in such City, Town, Village or Township : Provided, fourthly, that no Protestant se- parate school shall be allow jd in any school divisioa except when the Teacher of the Common School is a Roman Catholic, nor shall any Ro- man Catholic separate school be allowed except when the Teacher of the Common School is a Protestant. Provided fifthly, that the Trustees of the Common School sections within the limits of which such separate school section or sections shall have been formed, shall not include the children attending such separate school or schools, in their return of children of school age residing in their school sections." The peculiar items in this clause are : 1. That Separate Schools for Protestants, Roman Catholict, or coloured people, may be established. 2. That the necessary conditions are (1) ; that a Roman Catho- lic must be the teacher of the Common School before a Protestant Separate school can be formed and vice versa ; (2) and, next, that it cannot be established on a petition of less than twelve resident heads of families. Now these very items, or main characteristics, are the very grounds to which we take exception, and which have prevented the working of the bill. I am considering this matter, I wish it clearly to be undtrstood, from a Church of England ^ointufyieyr. Other religious bodies concerned may, . " may not, be satisfied with the provisions of this Separate School act, I, aa a member of the Church of England, object to the leading features which it pre- sents. (1)1 object in the first place to its not being sufficiently I ; : If ii i I 9 expressive or definite. We know what a Roman Catholic means. We understand the signification of the term *' coloured people"; but we are not so clear as to the word Protestant. What does a Protestant mean ? Ecclesiastical history informs us that the name was once given to those wlio protested against a certain decree issned by 'Jharles V and the Diet of Spires in the year 1529. On the continent of Europe while Calvin ists are called Keformed. Lutherans ure called Protestants. With us it is a mere term of negation. It means that a Protestant h a person who is not a Romanist ; altho' he may at the same time be a Socinian or a Sceptick for that matter ; for they both are united in protesting against Popery and therefore they are Protestants. This term Protestant moreover is not satisfactory to other religious bodies who are not Romanists, and therefore they are forced to adopt other more intelligible designations — hence we have the Irvingites, New Jerusalemites, Destructionists, Dunkerd, Shakers, and so on. Now altho' other Protestant bodies may protest against Romish errours as wall as ourselves we cannot agree with them as to their own distinctive religious views, we protest against many of them ; therefore w« cannot consent that our children should be taught in common with them religious doctrines which we do not believe un- til that happy day arrives, which we all earnestly hope for, when unity may be again restored. We see then that no separate school could be reared on this broad basis of a community of creeds altho' in one sense they may all rank ander one common ban- ner — the banner of Protestantism. The distinction between Pro- testant and Roman Catholic is therefore not sufficiently defined. Had the clause read "Catholic, Roman Catholic, or any othei re- ligious body, it would have met our wishes and, with other minor alterations granted, would have been accepted and acted on where- ever practicable. It would at the \ery commencement have ef- fectually prevented the manifestation of so much dissatisfaction amongst those holding conflicting opinions on religious questions the principle of "individual right" would not as now stand on the statute book as an empty phrase, but become a fact, a reality ; for not to ourselves aloue but to every other religious body would the right be conceded of educating their oivn children accmding to their own faith. 10 \l ' 1^ i 11 # u I: 2. I object in the second place to this Act because it makes it necessary that a lloman Catholic should be the teacher of the Common School before you can take one step to establish a Pro- testant separate school. This is, I will not say unfair, or unjust merely ; but an absurditi), and altogether inconsistent with the whole school system. Why, let me ask, with all respect ♦.o the framers of the law, — why should such a condition be demanded. So long as no religious test is required of teachers and so long as they dare not teach, if they even were competent, any distinctive religious creed, what is the practical difference to us whether the teacher of the common school be a lloman Catholic, or the pro- fessoi of any other faith ? — none whatsoever. 3. The last objection to this act is that its requirement is too stringent regarding the number of heads of families within the section who must sign a petition before a separate school can be allowed. I am nevertheless disposed to think that the object was a most praise-worthy one which induced the framer to insert this requirement. The idea was, no doubt, not to encourage the multi- plication of small schools, which would be a great evil indeed and should be carefully guarded against ; but by the scheme whicli I shall hereafter suggest children of other religious bodies would not be excluded from separate schools in sections where they would happen to be in the minority, but receive all the benefits which are now derivable from the present system. Besides the present law gives Roman Catholics the privilege on the petition of Jive heads of families, which shows that it was found that the objection which I have here raised was not unworthy of consideration. We have therefore a right to demand that a similar privilege should be con- ferred on ourselves. But there is one other clause in this act of 1850, bearing on the question of religious instruction, to which I invite your special attention. I refer to section 14th, act of 1850, which is as follows : — XIV. " And be it enacted. That no foreign books in the English branches of education shall be used in any Model or Common School, without the express ^jcrmission of the Council of Public Instruction ; nor shall any pupil in any such School be required to read or study in or from any re- ligious book, or join in any exercise of devotion or religion, which shall be objectsd to by his or her parents or guardians : Provided always, that, within tills limitation, pupils shall be allowed to receive such religious in-' , ■■ 11 iiruction as their parentt and guarilianii shall desire^ according tu the generut regulations ivhich shall be provided according to lau>'' Hero arc two enactments, the one negative, the other positive. The one declaring what shall not be done — the other what shall be done. The one recognizing the principle for which we have been contending — the other making a provision to which we can- not subscribe. Foreign books are very properly to be excluded. No child is to receive the religious instruction to which his parent objects. Here "individual rights" are recognized. This is unob-' jectionable. But what follows ? — "children are to be allowed to receive such religious instruction as their parents and guardians shall desire ; but this instruction is to he according to the general regulations which shall be provided according to law.'^ Now this whole section of the act converges to one point — the "general re- gulations," What are they ? Where to be found ? There is not any direct or specific statute as to what these general regidations are in this or any other school act of Upper Canada. But chap- er 48th, in dofining the constitution and duties of the Council of Public Instruction (section SSth. sub- section 4th), gives power to this body (which is to be composed of not more than nine persons, including the Chief Superintendent, and appointed by the Gover- nour General) to "make regidations for the organization and go- vernment of the schools generally." Turning to these regulations we have defined the "nature and extent of the religious exercises wid the special religious instruction given to pupils." The Council of Puulic Instruction for Upper Canada makes the following regulations and recommendations : 1. " The public religious exercises of each school shall be a matter of mutual voluntary arrangement between the Trustees and Teacher ; and it shall be a matter of mutual voluntary arrangement between the Teach- er and the parent or guardian o " each pupil, as to whether he shall hear such pupil recite from the Scriptures, or Catechism, or other summary of religious doctrine and duty of the persuasion of such parent or guar- dian. Such recitations, however, are not to interfere with the regular exercises of the school. 2. But the principles of religion and morality should be inculcated upon all the pupils of the school. What the Commissioners of National Edu- cation in Ireland state as existing in schools under their charge, should characterize the instruction given in each school in Upper Canada. The Commissioners state that " in the National Schools the importance of re- ligion is constantly impressed upon the minds of children, through the Works calculated to promote good principles and fill the heart with love *i'J t / ,, * l' j I t '; ■ H 12 (br religion, but which are so compiled as not to cloth with the doctrines of any particular class of Christians." In each school the Teacher should exert his best endeavours, both bj exatuple and precept, to impress upon the minds of all children and youth committed to his care and instrue- tion, the principles of piety, justice, and a sacred regard to truth, love to their country, human and universal benevolence, sobriety, industry, fru- gality, chastity, moderation and temptrance, and those other virtues which are the ornament of society, and on which a free constitution of government is founded ; and it is the duty of each Teacher to endeavour to lead his pupils, as their ages and capacities will admit, into a clear un- derstanding of the tendency of the above mentioned virtues, in order to preserve and perfect the blessings c/ law and liberty, as well as to promote their future happiness, and also to point out to them the evil tendency of the opposite vices." This first regulation seems to present a great many attractions ; but on close examination it is defective and unsatisfactory in every particular. The first clause leaves it in fact an open question as to whether there shall.be any religious exercises in the school at all ! It is to be a matter of mutual voluntary arrangement be- tween Trustees and Teacher. The yea or nay, if either, settles the question. If it is decided in the negative then there is no clause to enjoin, or compel. But if in the affirmative, then there is to be another mutual voluntary arrangement between the Teacher and Parent before any further step can be taken, as re- gards the religious formulary to be used. If either objects, here the matter may terminate ; for, as in the fotmer case, there is no injunction. It is & mere " mutual voluntary arrangement." The Parent is thus altogether in the hands of the Teacher. But if both agree then we have, very cautiously worded, the nature of the religious instruction, or rather of the religious exercise, for it is not instruction. The Teacher is merely to " hear the pupil redtc from the Scripture, or Catechism, or other summary" Thus the exercise after all is to be a mere mechanical operation — a recita- tion — a rehSarsal ! How does this mode of instruction compare with the system laid down for teaching the secular branches. In the Report just alluded to, the best and most approved methods are appealed to as examples, which are worthy of imita- tion, of the mode of instruction in reading, history, and other subjects. The prominent countries in the world are brought be- fore you — theit systems of instruction are analyzed — their books are pondered over — their great masters examined and quoted. I 13 Mere mechanical reading is repudiated and characterized as " rote-learniug," " word-mongery " kc, and the principle o£ thor- ough exjjlanution, and per/ectli/ iindtrstanding what you read " is strongly recommended. But in the writings which teach datif instead of expediency — which prepare us not only for ime but eternity — which inculcate the highest of all interests, a thorough acquaintance is not deemed desirable or necessary ! And to bring the whole of this fir^t paragraph to a climax — the regulation re- served for the close is one of infinite beauty and sublimity, " Such recitations, however, arc not to interfere with the regular exercises of the school." Hazardous in the extreme, as I have just shown, as was the hare chance of their introduction at all — yet once intro- duced, such as they are, they are to be of only secondary consider- aiion — the secular business of the school is to be paramount. These religious exercises may be heard if convenient, if not, they may be passed by with impunity ! They are not to interfere with the regular, that is the secular, exercises of the school ! But the second regulations advance further. They boldly en- counter the difficulty. They actually venture to speak of the in- culcation of the principles of religion and morality ; and the tea- cher is required to instruct all his pupils both by precept and ex- ample. Now, on behalf of the parents, I would desire to know what is to inspire their confidence in the teacher's competency for giving the required instruction ? He is obliged, as already re- marked, to *' furnish satisfactory proof of good moral character " — beyond this there is no religious test or qualijication required. Here is another proof of the purely fecular nature of the entire aysteci, notwithstanding its religious professions. With the secu- lar branches the teacher must be well acquainted, according to the certificate which he holds. A programme of qualification is made out — text books are carefully selected — examiners are elected — Superintendents are appointed. Trustees are actually liable for the ieacher's salary, and may be fined for neglect of duty, if they engage a teacher who has not complied with these requirements. The parents are therefore assured upon reliable testimony of the secidar attainments of those who are to teach their children. But as to their religious knowledge they have none whatsoever. The ]]lj 14 »■; ;M I: i Certificate of moral character is easily attained. The teacher may produce this, and yet actually not know how many Gospels the New Testament contains. He may be a believer, or an unbeliever — a follower of George Fox, or of Brigham Young — an any-thing- arian, or a nothing-arian ; and yet he is empoioered by tliis regula- tion to teach all the children of the school " religion and mor- ality "III But let us view this regulation in another point of view. Let it be granted, for sake of argument, that the teacher is qualified, and that the fact is established for the parents satisfaction by re- liable testimony. What then ? This very regulation guards the teacher in giving religious instruction (after the example of the Irish National system) against inculcating any principles " which would clash with the doctrines of any particular class of christians." Here the difficulty which has been saturating this system, begins to rise and swell j and by and by, if unrestrained, will burst the mounds which had been thrown up to withhold it, and threaten not merely loss and injury, but general destruction. A competent teacher is to give religious instruction to all his pupils ; but he is at the same time to pass over the cardinal, distinctive, essential doctrines of Christianity, and this is the system which we are told in the chief Superintendent's Report con bo given without any re- straint on the one side, or any tincture of sectarianism on the other." I must say, my Lord, with the soundness and practica- bility of such a proposition I cannot agree. From any effort to carry it into effect, I apprehend the most serious consequences. Now let us try and realize this system in operation. Let us sup- pose a class marshalled before the teacher for religious instruction. The previous lesson contained the assurance from St. Paul to Timothy that '' all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." The lesson just read by the class was the fol- . lowing chapter. The children desire to know what is menr.c by the verse which says " the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine" — and again where it says in the same les- son " they shall turn away their ears from the truth," a-ul " shall be turned unto fables." These latter words may seem to the 1 i 15 teacher of rather n prophetic churact^ , aud very applicable to tho times in which he lives and tlie very manner in which lie is re- stricted as to the duty assigned him. He nmat however ■'.■efuso any explanation. Or suppose questions are asked regarding such expressions as " Except ye eat the flesh of* the Sou of Man and drink His blood, ye have no life in you" — or, " the Word was God " — or, " I and my Father are One " — or, " the fire that nev- er shall be ((uenched." What la the teacher to do ? He has no discretion. If he interprets these passages, the deiiiers of " tho Divinity of Christ,^' of *' the Sacrament of the Eucharist," of the " Unity of the Father and the Son," of ^' Everlasting punish- ment," are all down upon him for daring to wound their religious feelings, or teach their children doctrines at variance with their convictions. The Uuiversalist and the Destructionist ; the Arian and the Sociuian, unite in their condemnation of the unfortunate teacher. Or if he refuses to interpret, he does so on the ground that" his instruction is -^ not to clash to ith the religious views of any.^' What is the detrimental consequence ? The children are sharp enough to draw coaclusions in their own minds. They aro sufficiently intelligent to make a comparison between the mode in which they are taught reading, and grammar, and history ; and that in which they are taught the Holy Scriptures. They see that there is comparison, and explanation, and illustration in the one case ; but that there is not merely hesitation or evasion, but actual refusal in the other. They come to the natural con- clusion that the former is of more importance than the latter — that part of the Bible is important, and thr remainder unimportant — in fact a dead letter. What but such a belief us tiiis led tlie " un- stable and unlearned," even in our Lord's days, " to wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction ?" What was the foundation of the heresy of Simon Magus and the Gnostics, but a belief in part and a rejection of the rest of revelation ? What is the cause of the scepticism and rationalism of the present day but the very same — an assertion that the whole Bible is not the inspired word of God ? I maintain therefore that such u S3'stem of religious instruction is calculated to do more harm than good ; and while it aims at satisfying and respecting the consciences of all, il til (■,'' 16 neither aatisficB nor respects the consciences of any ; but on the contrary sows the seed in the youthful mind of doubt and prcju« dice, which, it not checked, may in maturer years, produce the fruits of apostacy and infidelity ! But I must not, in justice to the Common School system, fail in conclusion to notice one other regulation with regard to religious education from the Council of Public Instruction. Passing on from the regulations already examined we find no alteration or amendment until 1855 : and on the 13th Feb. of that year a minute was published recommending the " opening and clos- ing of the schools by reading a portion of Scripture and by Pray- er.'' This was a step in the right direction ; but owing to the differences on religious muttors, it has only been partially adopted. Trustees in my own superintendency and elsewhere have assured me that in the I'ace of prevailing prejudices they hiive been deter- red from carrying out so good an arraugement. The regulation moreover upon which we have already dwelt respecting rcliriious nr.itdUons has now, for whatever reason, been expunged ; and the only substitute is a change in the religious Instrnciors. In the year 1857 we thus find by a minute dated 22nd April : " That in order to correct 'misapprehensions, and define more clearly the rights and duties of Trustees and other parties in regard to religious instruction in connection with the Common Schools, it is decided by the Council of Public Instruction, that the Clergy of any persuasion, or their authorized representatives, shall have the right to give religious instruction to the pupils of their own Church, in each Common School house, at least once a weekj after the hour of four o'clock in the afternoon ; and if the C lergy of more than one persuasion apply to give religious instruction in the same school house, the trustees shall decide on what day of the week the school house shall be at the disposal of the clergyman of each persuasion, at the time above stated. IJut it shall be lawful for the Trus- tees and Clergymen of any denomination to agree upon any other hour of the day at which such Clergyman or his authorized representative may give religious instruction to the pupils of his own chnvch, provided it be not during the regular hours of the school." 1. The first objection to this regulation is of the same nature as that made to the concluding part of a former one, namely that the time appointed for religious instruction " must not bo during the regular school hours." This gives religion an inferior place in the daily course of instruction. It almost discards in fact the religious element altogether. 3. Again, the appointment of 4 o'clock as the hour for such m- i ! 17 struotion is subject to a very serious objection. What child after six hours confinement in school would bo physically fitted for any further mental exercise. Is the Bible to be thus presented in ita most unattractive /orm — is it to be made a mere task-book — a mere engine of punishment ? Besides the inclemency of the weather and tbe shortness of the days durinj^ a considerable por- tion of the year, would operate afijainst carrying out successfully any such rule, espeoially in the country sections ; and the appoint- ment of any Lour before, as well as after, the regular school hours, would, on the same grounds, be equally objectionable. Cannot re- ligious instruction bo so arranged that it shall be included in the regular exercises of each day, pi -ceding or following the jccular instruction, or both ; and thus be, and be accounted, not an ** en- gine of punishment " but pn instrument of moral culture and of religious improvement ? Our tastes are naturally inclined to do evil rather than good ; and we should adopt every reasonable method to draw out the child's desires and aflfections towards re- ligious exercises and duties, rather than impose them as a sort of extra study or punishment. 3. But the radical objection to this regulation is still to be ad- vanced. I do not object to the clergy as teachers. This is their duty wherever they go — in the pulpit or out of the pulpit ; bat I do object to the impracticahlUty of their wecMy visits to th« schools within their charge. In cities and large towns such «a arrangement may — tho' we can conceive attended with difficttlty-~> be acted on. But in the country districts where schools are Boai* tered over a wide territory and olergymeo have long distances to travel, I maintain, as the result of my own experience of twette years, and of tbe experience of other clergymen in this diocera and over Canada, that to give even one hour a week, which *' most not interfere with the regular school hours," is an utter impostibi- lity. There are few parishes in which there are not from 20 to 2fii schools — I believe the average would be greater. Now let s clergyman give but one hour a week to each of th^e sct^ook and his whole time would be so fully occupied as to leave nooe n- maining for his other pastoral duties. In fact his other dutieV would M> inter&re with this, that it could not possibly be perfofflh 18 [ '»;! 5/ ■J .;. ed with any degree of satisfaction or efficiency. But vrhy should not religion occupy a more prominent place? Why. as I have already said, should it not form the subject of chili/ instruction ? Why should not the Master, or Mistress, of the school be ex- amined in religious as wqW as secular knowledge ? Why ahould not such Master or Mistress be required to give daily religious instruction, and be r