The only symptom of the opposite kind has been a
memorial signed by 5,000 Nonconformist ministers, and presented to the Prime Minister last Monday, which objects (1) to allowing a rate to be levied for the support of schools in which the School Board may direct a sectarian religion to be taught, and (2) to the Con- science Clause " which requires," says the memorial, somewhat obscurely, " a Nonconformist British citizen to claim religious toleration in schools supported by national money ";—(how tolera- tion, by the way? we thought the Conscience Clause required the master to exempt from religious instruction at the pleasure of the parent ; how is that toleration' more than requiring a master to exempt from music, or poetry, or any other study at the plea- sure of the parent?) But neither of these objections, which are the only ones of moment, are really vital to the Bill. The memorial does not appear to object to assisting existing denomi- national schools (not governed by School Boards) either out of the taxes or out of the rates, nor certainly does it object to the free teaching of the Bible even in rate-built schools, if not accom- panied by the inculcation of catechisms and formularies. And these are the only essential points.
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