DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1156, 24 January 1874, Page 21

DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOLS.

Bishop Nevill preached in All Saints' Church on Sunday, 11th inst., the text being the latter clause of the 20th verse of the 13th chapter of Jeremiah — "Where is the Hock that was given thee, thy beautiful Hock?" Tke following is an abstract of his sermon: — He intended to speak of the duty of the Church to her younger members — the duty of the Church to train the lambs of the flock. If the Church's master was willing and anxious to receive infants, surely it wag the Church's duty to tend the lambs of Christ's flock. Her duty, when the children were able to distinguish, between right and wrong, was to point out what was right and also what was wrong, bo that the former might be followed, and the latter eschewed. This did not need argument. A mere statement of the facts was sufficient to point out the Church's duty. To look at one aspect of the case, all infanta might not grow to manhood — some might die before they reached a ripe ago. This consideration alone should urge the Church to Bee that tbe lamhs were tended. That it is the Ohurob's duty to teach the young, however, few fynirt, It ww unnecessary,

before those present, at all events, to point out that watching over the lambs of the flock was a command of the Divine Master and binding on the Church. It would be preferable to note some of the consequences that would flow from the Church neglecting this her great duty and mission. The would-be philosophers of today were foud of " vapouring" about the tendencies of the age and of modern thought, and of speaking about the power of intellect. They would lead one to believe that the tendency of man is "upward." That man of himself, and by himself, would make upward —would make a way for himself out of himself. If he did not reach to the highest state, they said the lower vault of Heaven might be gained. Did, he asked, these high iiown expressions mean anything? Were they borne out by experience in everyday life? The tendency of humanity, unfortunately for these men, was downward. That the tendency is towards evil who could deny ? Is it not found by everyone ? In himself and in those who may be near and dear to him? In Scripture we are continually warned of this downward tendency, and if we believe Christianity we must come to no oth6r conclusion than that the heart of man is evil continually, and that from his youth up. The Scripture continually enjoins watchfulness. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate," for there are few who enter in. And if we did not obey the admonitions of Scripture, if we were not watchful, there was an inevitable result that followed — man went backward. It was, however, unnecessary to pursue this thought further, lo ddigent readers of Scripture this was selfevident, and would at once be acknowledged. Had we not seen one promise fair, set out on his journey with signs of a happy ending, yet make shipwreck? How many have to bewail that even those near and dear to them have slid backwards and ended in evil. If then this statement be accepted, what followed ? Was it not the duty of thinking men to inquire what was the best check to this downward tendency ? If it were indeed true that the carnal mind produces corruption, how necessary that something should be found to remedy the evil. Many, now-a-days, put forward education as the panacea for everything, for all social and moral evil. None should speak slightingly of education. All kinds of knowledge were good, and were we to apply them aright they speak to us of the greatness and the other attributes of God. But could any one accept education as a cure for all the evils that exist iv society ? He meant "education " as commonly understood. How should human knowledge correct moral evils so dominant in society ? What is to free a man from the evil principles that reign, within him ? He took for granted that the account that reached all of them of the moral evils of society was true. And, accepting the account as true, was there not need of some moral motive power ? When we saw the doubts that existed of even the truth of Christianity, when one beheld it questioned whether Christianity was not worn out, effete, a thing of the past, and not needed in this age ; and when, in addition to that one thought of the darker sius, of the immoralities that characterised the age in which we dwelt, might one not exclaim, What shall free man from all these evils, from the doubts, and from the immoralities, the results of the learned mind ? What, indeed, was there in education to do this ? Would a knowledge of the countries of the world, or of the languages of the world, help it ? Nay, if even what were called the more liberal branches of education were studied, what were these to free a man from his evil desires and habits ? No doubt a boy might be taught in our schools that it was right to do this, and wrong to do that — that it was unmanly to tell a lie, or not respectable to act in such a manner, and with this teaching he might to outward view behave properly. But this might be only a gloss. His mind might be enlarged, his intellect trained, and his manners improved, body cultured, but still the noblest parb would be left untrained. The depths of soul were left untouched. Underneath all the gloss there might be, and of b has been, a secret sin indulged in. Corruption might exist within. The source of morals was impure, and could the wateis always be pure? Until a man felt that sin was displeasing to God — until he felt that it was not only not respectable to Bin, but that sins committed have entailed a punishment hereafter — there was no motive power forcing to moral action. Once, however, this was felt, then it would be seen that a mert ordinary education would not do.. Some might be ready to acquiesce in all that he had said ; and yet urge that at present our schools gave all that was necessary. Was not the Bible read in the school ? The Bible ; yes, as the Queen had truly said, " The Bible was the source of Britain's greatness ;" but it was not the mere possession of the Bible — of it as a printed book, or as a literary work. It was in its principles being inculcated that Britain's greatness had its soiirce. The mere reading of the Bible viva voce in a class was not enough. It could not be expected that the possession of the Bible would or could work a miracle. Its principles must be taught. There must be what the Bible called " open vision." Without this open vision the people would perish — not, it was true, in worldly things, but perish in the eye of their Fathor ; and if we were to think of a little child enquiring about the mysteries tnat constantly, from reading the Bible, would revolve in its mind, and asking the teacher for some resolution of them, what could be thought of the reply that would be given to the child's doubtß ? The teacher could not speak of these thiugs, because religious matters must not tip spoken of in ec]iool, Not epoken of

in school because, forsooth, discord would be introduced. Must not the Church insist upon having schools where there was no silence about these things? The Church had her duty to fulfil— to feed the lambs of the flock. There must be in the sc-ools opportunities for doing this— opportunities for Christian men to teach, and also free access to the clergymen to enter at all times and feed the lambs. Justpictureachildgrowing up to manhood without his religious training. He became a mere selfish man, without God. Think of him stretched on a bed of sickness, and of him finding his eni near ;, of sonit! friends bringing a clergyman to him, and when the clergyman "began to speak of the judgment to come, and of those things that belong to the eternal peace, of him replying, why was 1 not taught these things when I was young ? It is true that I heard them on Sunday ; but, during the week, the thoughts were driven away by the cares of the world. "Why was not the hope of the inheritance prepared for men not held out to him when he was young ? What sort of reply would it be to give to this dying and unprepared roan, that it would have caused discord to teach him in the school of the Day of Judgment to come ? He concluded by urging the brethren to take an interest in the school about to be established in their midst, where religion was to be_ taught. The clergy should be aided in this important matter. Especially in a new country, their duties were onerous, and hence the needed assistance ; and he urged them to consider, if they neglected to aid in the work, what sort of a reply they could give to the question put by the Head of All : Where is the Hock that was given thee, thy b 'autiful flock ?