The Bishop of Chester wrote a most effective and reason-
able letter to Monday's Times in favour of unity amongst those Educational reformers who desire to see the children of believers in the dogmatic basis of the Christian faith provided with proper dogmatic teaching, whether that be Roman Catholic teaching, or Anglican teaching, or de- nominational teaching of any other kind. He argues that not only should there be complete provision made for this kind of denominational teaching, without making the parents who desire it pay double for it,—in the first plaqg rates for the. Board-schools, and in the second place subscriptions for the religious schools,—but also that the religious schools, themselves should carry out honestly their own principles, by giving hospitality to denominational teaching other than that which the managers of the schools themselves provide, when- ever they happen to have children at their schools who cannot conveniently attend a school of their own creed, but who come to them for secular education. We can see that there would often be considerable practical difficulties in achieving such an arrangement; but it is quite clear that if these could be overcome, there should be no difficulty of principle in the matter. Of course the Radical papers reply by ridiculing the claim of these religious schools to the assistance of the State, on the ground of the small proportion borne already by the voluntary subscriptions to the whole contribution of the State. But they ignore the great cost of the buildings which the voluntary managers have erected, and which they own. If new buildings had to be provided all over the country out of the public funds in place of those now belonging to
religious bodies, the cost would be overwhelming. There can be no doubt that a great reform on this matter, founded on principles that are strictly just, should be undertaken, and may be successfully undertaken, by the present Government.
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