Page:The Conscience Clause (Oakley, 1866).djvu/43

31 in his school, and however willing their parents may be, the Apostles' Creed, and equally from explaining to them the Holy Scriptures." "However willing their parents may be!" Why, with parental willingness, he may teach them the Athanasian Creed as well as the Apostles'! "Prohibited from explaining the Holy Scriptures!" Why, that "fundamental regulation and practice" is untouched and unaffected by the Conscience Clause. Indeed, "J. T. C.'s" own candour bears witness against him in the next paragraph.—"Now, Mr. Lingen was asked as follows by the Education Commissioners, on the 30th November, 1859 (454, 455):—'The general offer (i.e., offer of aid) does not apply to secular schools?' He answered, 'No. The Bible must be taught. The school must either belong to one of those denominations which the Committee of Council has expressly recognised, or it must put itself under the Minute of the 3rd December, 1839, which provides that religious instruction shall be given out of the Bible. A secular school professing that it did not give religious instruction would not be admitted to aid — that point has been ruled several times over.' Again (459) he adds, 'The Order of Council 3rd June, 1839, says in the name of the Committee, "We are desirous of furthering your Majesty's wish that children should be duly trained in the principles of the Christian religion, while the rights of conscience are respected." I think the Committee has always taken these words as the guiding principle of their action.'" And yet in face of this official evidence—in face of the strenuous reclamations of the department against the imputation of any change of policy—"J. T. C." lends the sanction of his name and character to the assertion that the Conscience Clause altogether forbids the teaching of the Creed, and the exposition of Scripture, which it manifestly and avowedly vi terminorum does not do!