Page:The conscience clause (Bickersteth, 1867).djvu/12

 system is working admirably; and, as a matter of fact, the Church of England educates not only her own children, but a large proportion of the children of Dissenters. The rule itself is strict; the application of the rule is wisely left to the discretion of the Managers, who are thus able to adapt it to the transition state through which we are passing. It is probable that the result is, that in some instances the children of Dissenters are thus drawn to the Church; though I am inclined to think that, in the far greater number of cases, the children, upon first leaving school, follow the religion of their parents—the home influence being stronger than the influences of the school. But be this as it may, at all events the effect of the Clergy opening the doors of their Schools to the children of Dissenters, for such part of the teaching of the School as their natural guardians are willing that they should receive, is at least this, that kindly relations are fostered between the Clergyman and the Dissenters of his parish, to say nothing of the hope that a blessing may come to their children from some portion of the Church's teaching.

I am well aware that there are some high-minded and conscientious Clergymen who adopt a different course. They refuse, on principle, to admit into their Schools any children until they have been baptized; they make the full teaching of the Church a sine quâ non throughout the School,