WHO IS THE REAL ENEMY OF "BIBLICAL TEACHING"?
To rag EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—We are reminded by a correspondent of yours last week that it is "openly stated by the Nonconformist leaders" that the "Biblical instruction" they now advocate is in their view only a step to complete secularisation. "Men in the position of Dr. G-uinness Rogers, Dr. Clifford, and Dr. Forsyth state quite clearly that they are in favour of secular instruction only, and, as Dr. Forsyth explains in the Contemporary for April, they only consent to simple Biblical instruction till the ground is prepared for its abolition." As the facts here are undoubted—ha bemus confitentes reos—I humbly submit that on the Spectator's own principles we Churchmen are, to say the least, amply justified—and, as I personally conceive, in duty bound so to act—when we offer the most uncompromising opposition to Mr. Birrell's Bill,—not as enemies, as some of your arguments appear to assume, of Biblical instruction, but simply because we whole-heartedly agree with you in desiring to preserve and perpetuate it —I
[We never asserted that the clergy of the Church of England had any monopoly of fanaticism in regard to the education question, and we are quite as ready to condemn Nonconformist extremists as Church extremists. We hold, however, that the Church as a corporate unity has in reality a greater obligation to support fundamental Christian teaching than the Nonconformists, since the Church of England is not only the national Church, the Church of the whole nation, but is also by origin and tradition a comprehensive Church, a Church in which "liberty of prophesying" has always found a place, and from within whose borders no attempts to drive the upholders of "the naked Gospel" have ever prevailed. The Church of England is not yet, thank God, merely an episcopal sect, though some of those who now speak in her name would seem bent on lowering her to that position. If Dr. Guinness Rogers, Dr. Clifford, and Dr. Forsyth attempt
to drive the Bible from the schools, we shall be ready to resist them to the uttermost.—En. Spectator.]
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