Page:The Conscience Clause (Oakley, 1866).djvu/81

69 their being instructed in the Catechism and formularies of the Church of England should be exempt from so much of attendance upon and teaching of the services of the Church. And the best proof that can be given that this is a sound and reasonable principle is that a few years ago—and I have no reason to suppose the proportions are materially changed—the number of Nonconformists in the higher school amounted to 10 per cent., in the middle school to 20 per cent., and in the lower school to no less than 30 per cent., of the whole population, thus showing that, while we adhere strictly to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, there is no intolerable obstacle to our affording with perfect satisfaction to a large body of Dissenting Protestants a sound religious education." (Cheers.)

Nor has the defence of the clause been limited to laymen, I am tempted to trouble you with a quotation or two from clerical apologists for it, if only to show you—though they are worth far more than this—that I am not quite the solitary phenomenon that the Archdeacon has tried to make me out. A clergyman (the Rev. A. Garfit) who had once before the honour which I now have of withstanding him to the face, used, at the Church Congress at Norwich, the following clear and reasonable language, the practical suggestions in the end of which I cannot now discuss, but which are an excellent example of the spirit which the National Society and the Church at large ought to have brought, and ought now to bring, to the consideration of the proposed clause:—

"Let us look at the proposed clause. Viewing it as states men, it does away with an injustice to Dissenters which has been pointed out to us by Churchmen of distinction. It gives a security, by opening the school doors as wide as possible, for the best return to the expenditure of public money. It lays down an equitable and unvarying rule, and does not leave the practice to the private discretion of an individual clergyman.