Page:The Conscience Clause (Oakley, 1866).djvu/62

50 would be unnecessary." The question Is, why Is "teaching the one faith" compatible with voluntary exemption of Dissenting children, and incompatible with it when enforced? Other clergymen who object to the Conscience Clause admit that in the exercise of their discretion they admit Dissenters' children, and exempt them from part of their religious instruction. The National Society has actually said that to bind themselves not to do so is inconsistent with their terms of union, which permit such discretion. (By the way, does Archdeacon Denison keep his school in union?) These are the proper people to answer the Archdeacon here. "What do they do? what do they teach? what do they omit? I have told you what those who admit the Conscience Clause do, and I maintain that ''they are able to teach? and do teach'', the one faith of Christ. Equally must those who make this exemption at their own discretion be able to do the same thing. Archdeacon Denison seems to admit as much, but the admission neutralises his objection to the clause, which in that case only enforces what the Archdeacon allows. But, in point of fact, this reason is the most limited and local in Its bearing of them all. Its statement in its integrity really applies only to the parish of East Brent. "The discretion of managers for the time being" means there Church-of-England-baptism or exclusion. The Archdeacon will have no child unbaptised, or lay-baptised, in his school. He can teach no child all or any part of the faith, till he is baptised into the Church of England. But as he is in a minority of one on this point, it may be passed over at present. Archdeacon Denison is so convinced of his right to the attitude of "Athanasius," (or shall I say Cyril?) "contra mundum"— that he is, as he boasts, proof "against argument or sophistry," and I dare say also against the familiar satire which this "reason" so strongly suggests: "Sic volo, sic jubeo, stet pro voluntas."