THE EDUCATION BILL.
[To THE EDITOR OT TAR "SPECTATOR."] have read your articles on the Education Bill with great attention, but though I fully recognise the possibilities of the Bill in the direction of better education, I must, as a Nonconformist, give you some idea of the difficulties which prompt me to refuse to give power in educational matters to the clergy of the Establishment. In my own town a new vicar, an Evangelical, found that one of the pupil-teachers in his school was not confirmed. He insisted on her being confirmed, though she is a lifelong attendant at a Con- gregational Sunday-school of which I am secretary. She was confirmed. Some time ago I found that a number of our scholars had suddenly left; on inquiry it was found that a new vicar (in another parish), a strong Evangelical, had been round pressing the people to send their children to " his " school as they were in " his " parish. We had looked after most of these children since their infancy. The vicar -of the principal church (Archdeacon —), moderate High Churchman, who was at the time a candi- date for the School Board, spoke at the annual meeting of the Licensed Victuallers claiming their sympathy as they were both members of persecuted interests. The leading layman in the Wesleyan body here died some little time ago, —a man who bad spent a long life in the active service of Christ. He was interred in the family grave in the adjoining churchyard, and application was made for a service to be held by the Wesleyan ministers ; but the vicar (another Evangelical) stated that as the full forty-eight hours' notice had not been given, he was afraid he would be breaking the law if he com- plied. So the Wesleyan ministers were spectators. The same clergyman compelled another of our scholars, who wished to become a pupil-teacher, to be confirmed, though her father, a strong "political Dissenter," refused for a long time to allow her, until he was overcome by family pressure. Visitors in the sameparish went to a well-known member of our denomination, amen who is an official at the prison, and several times pressed upon him coal-tickets ; of course, indignantly refused. Now, Sir, I hate the necessity which compels me to be a Dissenter. I recognise all that might be done by a reformed Church of England; but can you wonder at my also hating this kind of "atmosphere " P All the clergymen I have mentioned are educated men, members of Universities, and all in the prime of life. I believe them to be gentlemen in the ordinary walks of life, good and sincere men ; but clericalism can so distort men's good qualities that where "Church " matters are con- cerned they seem to lose all sense of fair play, let alone Christianity. That is the only explanation I can think of concerning the above-mentioned incidents.—I am, Sir, Sze.,
A NONCONFORMIST.
[If the facts are as stated by our correspondent, they are examples of petty tyranny which we detest as much as he can. Unless the girls themselves honestly wished to be con- firmed, though their parents objected, which is of course pos- sible, the clergymen in question were very wrong to use the pressure alleged. But, granted that the cases given have no other side, they are not arguments against the Bill, but argu- ments for it. Under the Bill the clergyman would have been obliged to get the managers on his side before he could take action, and there is no reason to believe that the managers would have simply registered his decrees. Instances of the exercise of a one-man tyranny under the existing system are cogent arguments for the Bill.—En. Spectator.]
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