DENOMINATIONAL EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 259, 1 November 1893, Page 2

DENOMINATIONAL EDUCATION.

(To tho Editor.)

Sir, —I beg to thank you for your able article in Wednesday's issue re " Denominational Education." You pub the cate as againsb denominatiobal education strongly, yet nob boo strongly. Tho Liberals ab Home, including the greab Non-conformisb party, aro asserting, more frequently and more emphatically, that the State must assume direct control of bhe expenditure of ibs own funds. I thoroughly acree with you thab dcnominationalism supported by the Slate is a dying cause. As a Congregationalisb, I glory in this facb —for facb ib is. For 350 years our forefathers have contended for the separation of Church and Scate, and, as Congregabionalisbs, we protesb against a new ecclesiastical alliance. Leb the eclectic seels pay for tho education of their children if they will nob allow bhem bo receive the education provided by bho Sbate. The bime was when our forefathers would have been glad of this privilege. Tho price which they paid for their rejection of bhe State education (given through bhe parish pulpits) was the loss of goods and life. The " godless education " (so called) of these Southern lands produces a bype ot manhood and womanhood which pubs to shame certain countries where the "Church," so called, has for ages had control of the educabion of bhe people. The English educational system is only a compromise, the issue must be public control. The arrogance of ohe clerical parby on the London School Board during tho past year shows tho temper of thab party. As tho question of denominational education has been raised a9 one of the main issues for the coining general election, 1 trust that all lovers of liberty will rally to bhe standard of free, secular and compulsory education. Tho following resolutions, adopted i ab bhe annual meeting of tha Congregational Union of New Zealand, held in Christchurch last Fobruary, show the position of our denomination on this question : (1) " That the members of tho Council of the Congregational Union of !New Zealand enter their emphatic protest against any abtempb to interfere with the presenb system of education by the introduction of denominational teaching into the Stato schools." (2) "That this Council respectfully asks bhe Revs. H. J. Lewis and W. Saunders to prepare papers for discussion ab the next Council meebings on 'The besb means of securing religious instruction for the children of the colony wibboub incurring bhe perils of denorainationalism.' "—I am, etc., Henry VV. J. Millkr, Chairman, Congregational Union of N.Z. Onehunga, October 26th, 1893.