Page:The Conscience Clause in 1866.djvu/14

10 Mr. Watts, whose project for a Church school had in the first instance been supported by all his parishioners, failed in consequence of the opposition subsequently stirred up, to obtain any grant from the Privy Council, but he built his school without a grant, and it is now well attended, chiefly by Dissenters.

Mr. Watts rejoices in having failed to obtain a grant; for knowing more than he then did, he declares, (5642,) "for my own part I would forego the Building Grant rather than submit to the Conscience Clause as it stands."

But why did Mr. Gee and his friends reject Mr. Watts' terms? Mr. Gee explains, (4678.) They objected to the Conscience Clause. "The Conscience Clause makes the majority subject to the minority, and they considered that as they were the majority they ought not to be made subject to the minority." (4685) "The governing power of the school throughout is in the hands of the clergyman and of members of the Established Church."

Mr. Gee is then asked —

"4689. Are you aware that all the doctrines and formularies of the Church of England are equally excluded by the Conscience Clause?"—He replies, "I am aware that they are excluded; but, although they are excluded, so long as the religious teaching is in the hands of a clergyman, and subject to his control, he has the power of introducing doctrines, or of introducing questions which will lead to answers, and those questions may be questions of which Dissenting parents may disapprove."

Again he is asked whether (since he finds that these unfortunate religious dissensions impede the extension of education in Wales, and constitute a cause of bitterness and bad feeling) he can suggest any remedy?—He replies (4701) "I don't know that you can apply any other remedy; but give us schools without any denominational peculiarities; that is, really National schools."

4702, 3. "You mean, I suppose, giving you British schools?—I fancy that British and Foreign schools are really National schools. &hellip; I don't know that any fair compromise can be agreed upon; but if we cannot establish un-denominational schools, the present denominational system should be carried