At the end of Tuesday's debate Mr. Chamberlain proposed to
amend Mr. Maddison's amendment that religious instruction should not be given in transferred schools in school hours, or at the public expense, by leaving out the words prohibiting religious instruction during school hours. The result of the amended amendment is, of course, a proposal that though th'e State shall have no concern whatever with religious instruc- tion, the buildings may be used by the denominations to give instruction in school hours. The debate on this proposal was continued on Wednesday. Mr. Balfour declared his willing- ness to go into the Lobby in support of Mr. Chamberlain's proposal. It was true that Mr. Chamberlain contemplated the abolition of the Cowper-Temple Clause ; but he would substitute a scheme of religious education which would satisfy many earnest thinkers among all denominations. He (Mr. Balfour) would be no party to sweeping away the Cowper- Temple Clause, illogical and absurd as it might be, since valuable religious education could be given under it, unless there was an assurance that there would be a continuance of religious teaching in all our schools.
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