[To THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR."] SIn,—Your article on December
30th, 1905, and most of the letters in your last issue are full of encouragement and hope amid the clashing of extreme views on, the education question. There is, however, one difficulty in the way of Canon Beeching's and your proposal which, so far as I can see, has not yet been touched on. When we have settled the question of the precise content of the fundamental Christianity to be taught in the schools, there still remains the question of the teacher. With entire popular control must go, one supposes, all religious tests for teachers. Yet bow can fundamental Christianity be taught without belief in it ? Even granting, as I gladly do, that the agnostic or other non-Christian teachers are in a decided minority, the fact remains that there are such in County Council schools. If a Conscience Clause were provided for them, and they would avail themselves of it, this might go far to solve the difficulty ; but if they did not apply for this relief, the teaching of fundamental Christianity by such teachers would be of very little use, and might easily be positively harmful. One of the most valued and experienced workers in my late London parish told me that several years ago most of his time on Sunday afternoons with his Bible- class of lads was spent in refuting the objections raised by an agnostic day-school teacher by whom these lads were taught Scripture in a London Board-school. May we have this question of the teacher carefully considered P—I am,
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