Page:The Conscience Clause in 1866.djvu/26

22 "3247. He has no doubt of the feeling of Dissenters upon that point."

Mr. Bowstead some time since communicated with the leading men of various (Dissenting) denominations, and who were authorities on the subject of education, suggesting to them as a compromise the plan adopted by Lord Dynevor—viz. a Church school, the managers of which might, by election of subscribers, be either Churchmen or Dissenters, but providing that the clergyman, and at least two other Churchmen, be on the committee, &hellip; and they unanimously rejected any compromise. (3284—6.)

The Rev., Canon of Bristol, and formerly School Inspector, deposes, (1850,) "That the attempt to impose the Conscience Clause is seriously hindering the improvement of schools by Government aid."

"1864, 5. The Conscience Clause, as it now stands, is impracticable; and if so construed as to exempt the child from all religious teaching whatever, the consequence would be that the clergy would withdraw their schools from inspection all over the country."

"1870. I would add to my former answer, the chief reason why a clergyman values his school and is willing to devote so much of his time, and possibly of his purse, to his school is, that it is an instrument for doing his ministerial work; that he finds it a very valuable instrument for fulfilling his ordination vows, and that if you embarrass him in his Scripture lessons, he would rather disengage himself from the connection with the Council Office altogether.

"1871. But would not the embarrassment be unnecessary if the objecting child, who would be a very rare individual, were withdrawn?—No, he would not feel clear that that would relieve him from the embarrassment. The same parent who objected to the doctrine conveyed in the Scripture lesson might object to morning prayers, or to grace before meat, or to prayers in the evening, or even to the method of enforcing the discipline of the school. The religious element penetrates a school at all points, and you cannot tear it out without lacerating your school altogether; and the clergy feel that so strongly, that I am sure that they would not consent to the insertion of the word 'doctrine,'