Page:The "Conscience Clause" (Denison, 1866).djvu/42

38 and so, therefore, in this school. But there is one kind of discipline which will be wholly absent from this school—one without which all other discipline is not only valueless, but is an offence—and that is religious discipline. "Distinctive religious teaching." I doubt whether the phrase had any existence till late years: certainly none as conveying what it is now used to convey. It may possibly be found as intending the divers formularies of teaching in the Church Catholic—all teaching The One Faith. But I doubt it. Certainly it has never been found as intending what it is now used to intend—that there are many faiths, all of them ex hypothesi of equal value and authority. The phrase—and it is a favourite phrase now—sets up the facts of an unbelieving world as of authority against the exclusive declaration of Holy Scripture, that the Faith is One. It does more; it sets up religious opinion in the place of Faith. We have all heard of Godless Colleges. It has been reserved for Mr. Rogers and the City of London to lay the first stone here in England of the Godless School.

Well, the time must have such things if it will. But may God keep us from having any part in them for our own souls' sake. Let the time have such things if it will, but preserve the Church from having any part in the sin.

The first great step openly made by those who represent the Civil Power of England in the matter of school teaching towards "Secular Education" has been made in the "Conscience Clause." Let the Church of England look to it.

Whatever may be said in the course of the debate, there is one fallacy which I hope will not be repeated here for the credit of this House: I mean the fallacy which confounds between the practice of many managers of Church schools in admitting the children of the Sects into the schools of the Church to be taught then and there, or to be prepared to be taught, the Faith of the Church, and the exactly opposite practice sought to be established under the "Conscience Clause." The House will allow me to