ACTIVE PASSIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 511, 19 May 1909, Page 7

ACTIVE PASSIVITY.

NONCONFORMISTS AND EDUCATION. \Bt TIMGRiPB—riIEBa ASSOCIATION—COVtniQHT.) London, May 17. ; To reorganise the passive resistance .movement against, education ratoß, • a now Passivo Resistance League has been established/by the. miiitant Free Churchmen.- .:■ ' Dr. Clifford, the Baptist, minister, who \ led the agitation.against Mr.'Balfour's Education Act, is president. of, the now organisation.••■ ' ••■ ;.■."'■■ THE EARL AND THE LORDS., In a letter dated April 5, published in the: "Christian World," Dr. Clifford writes:—"Muy I be permitted to say that Thursday, May 13, seems to be the best dato for the meeting, arranged at Swansea for the reorganisation of the Passive Resistance movement. It was fixed to take; place in London, l'ullor dotails will appear soon; but J. write now. that our Passive Resistance and Citizens' Leagues may meet and appoint representatives. Each league bliouUl, if possible, sent ono.' May I add that already 6ome leagues have issue! fresh letters to their members and to former supporters; that in some cases the number of rcaisters appearing before the magistrates has increased; and generally the interest in the magisterial courts has been quickened. .At St. Albans the Karl of -Vcrulam. said to the Harpondon resistors: 'May I bo allowed to point out that appealing to us har, no effect upon the law i we only ndmiriister the law. If you want it changed, the Government in power at the time is tho body to apply to,' and if, you can send a sufficient body of your way of. thinking to Parliament you may probably get the law altered.' But, of course, he was speedily told, 'We:did send such men. They passed a Bill, which' was thrown out by aa irresponsible House, of Lords.'" ■ • A LITTLE RIFT.. . There. 6eems to bo some difference of opinion between Dr, Clifford and the "British Weekly," the. well-known Nonconformist journal, on'the education question. Tho "Church Times" (Anglican) of April 8, slatesi-The outspoken declarations of the "British Weekly" on the .Education question are not at nil to tho mind of the militant spirits of Dissent, Last week's issue contained a long letter from Dr. Clifford which purported to be his-answer'to-tho scathing .-criticisms of the "British Weekly" on tho recent Free Cluiroh Council Conference at Swansiv Tho "British Wcokly" declared that in sortling tho Education question they must seek for a basis of equality."-. That is tho very thing that Churchmen hnvc been saying all along;, moreover, they are persuaded that they have such a basis to. offer. Dr. Clifford skilfully evades the poiWt j or, ot any rate, he docs not attempt to meet it. "Wo are persuaded," says tho "British Weekly," that the judgment of history will'be that n, this battle neither tho State. nor tho Free Churches have shown nny true conception oi what equality, means " This is a sufficiently candid and tls not surnrisirig that Dr. Clifford turns a blind.eye to it.