The Education Question [pp. 504-544]

The Education Question.
pists, the State authorities began to exclude the Bible and to
expurgate the school books. We, however, do not believe that
denominational education will seriously interfere with the interest taken in the schools of the State. Christians see that
the public schools are exerting an immense influence on the
public mind. They have every possible motive to labour to
make those schools as good as possible. The establishment of
parochial schools, by raising the standard of education, and by
provoking emulation, will tend to improve the whole system of
State education.
Neither, then, on the ground of right nor expediency, can the
propriety of the Church assuming her position as " one of the
parties" in the work of education, be legitimately called in question. By her divine commission she is required to teach all nations. It is impossible that she should fulfil her commission
without, in a multitude of cases, engaging in the work of secular education. And, therefore, wherever and whenever the
proper religious and secular training of the young cannot be
otherwise accomplished, it is the bounden official duty, as well
as the prerogative, of the Church, to intervene for the attainment of that object.
Our fourth position is, that in the existing state of our country, our Church cannot properly give up the whole work of education to the State. Having seen that religion is an essential
element in the education of the young, and that it is equally
the right and duty of the Church and State to provide for them
a Christian and Protestant training, it is obvious that the separate duty of these two parties to the work, is one to be determined by circumstances. If the State provides such an education for the people as the conscience of the Church demands,
there is no necessity for separate Church action in the premises.
And, on the other hand, if parents or the Church make such
provision for this object as satisfies the necessities of the State,
there is no need fo' State intervention. The position assumed
by our Church and by a large part of the Christian community
is, that the State does not in fact, in this country, and cannot
rationally be expected to, furnish an education sufficiently religious to satisfy the just demands of a Christian people, and
therefore, that it is the duty of the Church, while endeavouring
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