An appeal on behalf of the formation of moral character
as the chief end of all true education has been sent to the local education authorities in England and Wales. The signatories, who represent almost every shade of opinion in regard to religious teaching in schools, expressly state that they do not surrender their individual ideas of the education, educational policy, or Christian teaching, denominational or otherwise, which they seek to secure. But they are united in expressing the earnest desire that in all schools effective moral training, based upon those Christian principles which ought to pervade all teaching and discipline, should be provided" ; that Bible teaching, fitly graded, will be continued in all " provided " schools; and that effective steps should be taken in all normal training institutions to keep the teachers constantly alive to the supreme object of education,—the formation of character by moral training on a Christian basis and inspired by Christian motives. The document is of necessity a little vague, by reason of the absence of specific suggestions; but it is of good augury that such a measure of agreement should have been arrived at between leading representatives of the Established Church (both Archbishops and eight Bishops are among the, signatories), the National Free Church Council, the Wesleyan Methodists, Baptists, and the Salvation Army ; while the adhesion of Lords Grey, Kelvin, Meath, Rosebery, Roberts, and Wolseley emphasises the important point that the advocates of efficiency are convinced of the need of basing education on moral and religious training.
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