Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

NEW SYSTEM OF NATIONAL EDUCATION. REPORT AND BILL.

WE do not hesitate to denounce the Report and Bill as the most cunning, the most specious, the most daring, 'and the most determined attempts that have been made against Protestantism, sinee the day when James II. sent his Ambassador to Rome to reconcile the nation to the Pope; accordingly we have given our time, and our thoughts to them with earnestness, if by any means we may show to our brethren the nature of the yoke that is preparing for them and their children. Our earnestness is increased ten-fold when we consider how near the danger is. Had not the last Parliament been suddenly prorogued, there is reason to believe the Bill would have now been the law of the land. There is little doubt of its speedy re-introduction. There is, therefore, no time to be lost in exposing its abominations. We shall, accordingly, lay before our readers a few extracts from the Report, though they are already generally known to the public.

THE REPORT recommends, that "the course of study for four fixed days of the week, should be exclusively moral and literary. And that of the two remaining days, the one should be appropriated solely to the separate religious instruction of the Protestant Children, the other for the separate religious instruction of the Roman Catholic Children.That in each case, no literary instruction should be given, or interference allowed on the part of the Teacher; but that the whole of this separate religious instruction should be placed under the exclusive superintendence of the Clergy of the respective communions. That it should be the invariable rule in such Schools of general instruction, that the Scholars should attend on Sunday at their respective places of worship, unless prevented by some sufficient excuse."

"That certificates should be required from every child, of attendance both at divine worship, and at the times appointed for separate religious instruction; and that the fact of such attendance should be entered regutarly in the School register."

That it should be part of the duty of the proposed Commissioners of Education, "to receive returns, duly certified, of the attendance of the children at School, and of their attendance at divine worship, and at the times appropriated to separate religious instruction."

That, in order to provide suitable books for the instruction of the chil dren, it was the opinion of the Select Committee, "That copies of the New Testament, and of such other religious books as should be printed in the manner therein mentioned, should be provided for the use of the children, to be read in School at such times of separate instruction only, and under the direction of the attending Clergyman."

That the Commissioners should "edit and print all books for the gene. ral literary instruction of Scholars, and supply such books to Schools." That theyshould “print all books for the separate religious instruction of Scholars, which should be approved of by the Commissioners."

That "the books for separate religious instruction of the children should be recommended by the Episcopal authority of the Church, and by the Roman Catholic Bishops in Ireland ;”*

That the Commissioners should "receive a return of all Books used in Schools, supported in the whole or in part at the public expense."

* No right of Presbyterian interference.

t

And should "have a power of rejecting any disapproved of by such Commissioners,"

After many efforts, we have succeeded in obtaining the Bill, and are now able to anthenticate our statements with extracts from its most important clauses. Meantime we have found that an abstract of the Bill has already been published in the Belfast News-Letter of the 25th October, with an observation by the Editor, that "he had reason to believe the Bill would be brought forward next Session with the approbation of Government." We know not, nor do we think it would be fair to ask, upon what information this belief was founded. We suspect it rests upon the authority of the framer of the Bill, who is not a member of Government; and who so speaks, relying upon the opinion of merely one member of the Government, to whom we have referred as his patron in the production. The Government, we believe, stand, as yet, quite unconnected with either Report or Bill. And until we see it, we shall not willingly believe that they have determined openly to become the patrons of Popery and the enemies of Protestantism. We have, therefore, written of the Report' and Bill as merely the productions of the respective authors, and not of the Government. But should it be found that Go, vernment are so far infatuated as to sanction the one or the other; there is, therefore, the more reason why Protestants should be on the alert. We have not words strong enough to express our detestation of the Report; nor is our opinion more favourable concerning the Bill. For nothing is the Bill so remarkable as the true spirit of Jesuitism. It cunningly omits to mention the most obnoxious details of the Report, which have already been criticised and reprobated in various publications, while it carefully provides a power and a machinery by which they must eventually be realized.

THE BILL.-Section 4 provides, that "the Board shall be a corporate body, and have all rights and power usually enjoyed by corporate bodies."

Section 9 enables laymen holding in fee simple, fee tail, or for life, to grant, sell, or exchange their lands, or any part thereof, to the Board.

Section 10 enables any Ecclesiastic to sell or make an absolute grant of any quantity of church lands for the purposes of this Act. Section 16 provides, that "the said Board may found, build, and fully outfit any number of Schools in any Parish."

Section 17 provides, that "the said Board direct and superintend the Purchase and Publication of any Book or Books whatsoever which they shall deem necessary or expedient for the use of the said Schools, from Parliamentary or other Funds, and distribute the same among all or any of the Schools to be hereafter established or maintained under the provisions of this Act."

Section 18" gives power to the Board to examine Candidates for the situation of Schoolmaster or Schoolmistress to any School under the jurisdiction of the Board, and to ascertain their fitness in point of morality and religious habits."

Section 20. We have said that the Bill purposes to destroy all power over Schools in their local supporters and patrons. Accordingly it provides, that whenever any Schoolmaster or Schoolmistress shall prove either incompetent or unfit for such situation, it shall be lawful for the said Board to censure, suspend, or altogether to remove such Schoolmaster or Schoolmistress."

Section 22 provides a more efficient instrument of despotism over the Schools. According to this proposal it is lawful for the "Members of said Board, from time to time, and at all times that they shall judge proper so to do, to visit each and any of the Schools under their jurisdiction by virtue of the provisions of this Act, either in person or by Deputies and Inspectors, to administer Oaths, and to call and examine on oath or otherwise all and every Person and Persons, and to call for all Vouchers, Books, Evidences, Maps, and all other Documents whatsoever, and to examine and to inquire into all matters and things whatever which the said Visitor or Visitors, or their Deputies or Inspectors shall deem requisite.""

Section 25 transfers all local power over teachers, houses, gardens, and manner of teaching, from Parents, Patrons, &c. and gives it to the Board, who receive "full power to correct, order, and regulate as they may judge best."

Section 26. To make assurance of absolute power "double sure," this Section provides, that "the Board may make any bye-laws, orders, or regulations for the education and government of all persons to be educated in, or to be appointed to the superintendence of the Schools under their jurisdiction."

Sections 40 and 59 provide for Parochial Assessments, for Teachers' Salaries, fuel, &c. which, once granted, can never be afterwards altered without the approbation of the Board.

Section 70 completes the despotism of the Board, and the servility of all Teachers. It provides," that the Masters or Mistresses of all Schools to be hereafter established under this Act shall be under the immediate controul and direction, and subject at all times to the visit and inspection of the Members of the Board, or of the Deputies or Inspectors delegated by the Board for that purpose, and shall be required to conform to and observe all and every such orders and regulations in the manage, ment and conduct of their respective Schools as shall from time to time be transmitted to them, and to furnish such reports and information as may be required from each, under pain of censure, suspension, dismissal from their respective situations, whichever, on a due investigation of the case, shall seem needful or expedient."

or

P. S.-We care little about a word, a title, or a pame; yet it is worthy to be considered as "a sign of the times," that throughout this Bill the Romanists are invariably called "Catholics" i. e. Universals-The Universal Church-which every child knows they are not: but which they would fondly be supposed. It is still more remarkable that it calls Dr. Murray "Catholic Archbishop of Dublin," a title which, we think, he is prohibited from employing by one Act of Parliament, and is thus illegally bestowed on him by another. It is also worthy of remark, that throughout the whole details of the Bill, providing for national education, there is not one word of the Bible!! while there is an abundance of power and will provided for its sacrifice and exclusion. And this is what liberalism would do for the education of our children! For a local influence over our own Sehools, it consigns us to Dublin, to oaths, and a law suit.The license of all School-books it transfers to the hands of the Italian Hierarchy; and a Protestant Bishop and a Presbyterian Minister it would convert into watch-dogs for Rome. Base and degrading proposal!! Degrading to whom? To the men that dared propose it. Fabricius was not degraded by the offer of a bribe, but Pyrrhus was degraded, who would have bought like a slave-merchant the men he could not conquer as a soldier.

[blocks in formation]

1. Sermons on some of the leading Principles of Christianity. By Philip Nicholas Shuttleworth, D. D. Warden of New College, Oxford, &c. &c. 2. Memoirs of the Rev. W. Wilson, A. M. one of the Four Brethren, the Founders of the Seces. sion. By the Rev. Andrew Ferrier. The Life and Diary of the Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, A. M. Father of the Secession Church. By the Rev. Donald Frazer, Kennoway. 3. The Difficulties of Romanism. By George Stanley Faber, B. D. 4. A New Voyage round the World, in the years 1823, 4, 5, 6. By Otto Van Kot. zebue, post-captain in the Russian Imperial Navy. Narrative of a Voyage to the Pacific and Behring's Straits, in 1825, 6, 7, 8. By W. Beechey, R. N. West. minster Review, No. XXVIII. April, 1831. Edinburgh Review, No. CV. March, 1831. Vindication of the South Sea Missions. By William Ellis. Frazer's Magazine, No. XXI. October, 1831. The Family Library, No. XXV. The Eventful History of the Mutiny of the Bounty, 1831. 5. The Prospects of Bri. tain. By James Douglas, Esq. of Cavers, &c.

PART II.---CRITICAL NOTICES..

Prayers for the use of Families. By the Rev. Charles Watson. Thoughts on Personal and Family Religion, &c. By the Rev. George Tod. Keith on Prophecy. History of the Reformation and Church of Scotland. By T. Stephen. The Amethyst for 1832. The Gospel Ministry, &c. an Ordination Sermon. By John Tay lor, M. D. Auchtermuchty. Westminster Review, No. XXX. Eclectic Review, Nos. XXXI. to XXXIV. Foreign Quarterly Review, No. XV. Dutch Presbyterian Churches, No, II. Sacred Hours, No. II. Missionary Intelligence. Ecclesiastical Intelligence, &c. List of New Publications.

We have already expressed our full approbation of the former Numbers of this Work; and we feel it a duty to repeat our favourable opinion. Ás a Work of theological and literary criticism, it not merely retains its original rank, but seems to us to be growing in value. We are also happy to learn, from our Publisher, it is increasing in circulation; and we are not afraid to predict, that, as it becomes more extensively known, not merely to Presbyterians, but to Protestants generally, it will conti nue to advance in public opinion and patronage. There is a candour and good nature about its criticisms, well becoming Christian writers, whose object is not victory, but truth. Of this we have an excellent specimen in the examination of Dr. Shuttleworth's Sermons. But when need is, and some wight, well worthy of castigation, comes in their way, they can, with vigorous, yet not vindictive hand, wield and apply the critical birch. Of this we have an instance in their notice (and almost pity It was to take notice,) of a youth, (at least we suppose him such,) ycleped T. Stephen, who, under pretence of writing a Church History, has taken part with Mr. Cobbett in attacking the Reformers. They do also administer a small but appropriate dose of critical medicine to John Taylor, M. D. who has published a sermon abusing the Church of Scotland; and, we trust, the patient will benefit by their prescription.

This Number contains an important article on "the present state of the South Sea Missions," in which they are defended against the slanderous misrepresentations of Kotzebue, Beechey, and various Reviews, This is an article of great importance to every one interested in Missionary operations.

When we notice this Review, we really do it so con amore, lest we might be suspected of writing rather for the sake of the Publishers than of our readers. Those who know us, will, we believe, not so judge us; and those who know us not, may judge as they please. From full conviction of its value, we generally recommend the Work to every literary character, and particularly and cordially to Ministers and Students of Theology.

THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL JUBILEE OFFERING,

With an Address delivered to Sunday-School Teachers by the
Rev. James Morgan. P. p. 72.

THIS is really a beautiful and interesting little work, and whether we look to its external appearance, or its contents, it is exceedingly creditable to our good town, and especially to our enterprizing Publisher. In respect of its typography and its outward aspect generally, it is not a whit behind the choicest specimens we have seen of either the London or Edinburgh presses. The only indication of provincialism that we can conceive about it is in the engraving of Mr. Montgomery, the poet, which, though neatly executed, does not come up to the metropolitan style.

Its contents, however, form its principal attraction. It contains a spirited sketch of the origin and progress of Sabbath-school teaching, both in Britain and America, the difficulties it had to encounter and the triumphs it has achieved. It points out the defects that have occasionally been found in Sabbath-schools, and details the most approved methods of communicating religious knowledge. Mr. Gall's excellent system in particular, is noticed and recommended. The proceedings at the celebration of the late Jubilee, at Belfast, are briefly narrated; and the hymns, composed by the Publisher, and sung on the occasion, are also given. We are glad that these excellent little pieces have obtained this permanent record. With the exception of those composed by Mr. Montgomery, of Sheffield, they are decidedly superior to all the other Jubilee hymns that we have seen, and we have perused not a few from both England and Scotland. At the conclusion is given the Rev. Mr. Morgan's address to the Teachers, which, like all his other productions, is plain, affectionate, impressive, and, in the highest degree, instructive. Two hymns, for the use of Sunday-school unions, are appended, which increase the value and utility of the work to all who are interested in the progress of Sunday-school teaching.

We, therefore, most cordially recommend this little "OFFERING" to the patronage of our readers of every class. We recommend it to those who are desirous of encouraging native art and talent, on account of its superior execution, and as an article exclusively of home production:to the Patrons and Managers of Sunday-schools, on account of the interesting and important information it conveys to Teachers, on account of the excellent directions and appropriate encouragements which it communicates:-to our friends at a distance, on account of the cheering notices which it gives of the present state of Sabbath-school teaching in this part of the Kingdom :-and, lastly, we recommend it to all who were engaged in the late Jubilee, as a pleasing record of their proceedings on that delightful occasion. We trust it will soon reach a second edition.

« ZurückWeiter »