South Canterbury Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1883.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3309, 9 November 1883, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1883.

The evidence of Mr Shriraski, M.H.E. for Oamaru, before the recent Parliamentary Committee r» education petitions, may safely be accepted as setting forth the position taken up by the Jewish community in regard to religious instruction in public schools. The Jews, though numerically a small section of the community, are known to set a great value on religious instruction and ordinances. It might therefore have been expected that they would be very solicitous about the religious instruction question. Such is not the case, however, and their position in the controversy contrasts very markedly with the vehemence displayed by the various denominationalists. The Jews, Mr Shrimski says, strongly object to the Bible being brought into the public schools, as such introduction “ creates a bar and an ill-feeling among the children which you can never erase from their memory.” “ Our object,” he continued at another stage of his examination, “ is that our children should associate with those of the general population and that all should grow up educationally as one race.” The Jews, it appears, heartily approve of State education, and of its being

absolutely secular. This is not surprising, for the Jews have seen and suffered from" religions differences,” more than any other people. The bitterness and hatred that distinguished former centuries, have, in English speaking communities, long ago given place to toleration and concord, and, nnder the British flag, the Jews enjoy boundless liberty. No wonder that they should be, as they are, among the most loyal subjects of the Crown. In other countries of Europe, however, the Jews to this day are in evil case. To the Jewish mind, one can well believe, it must appear the height of folly, to allow religious differences to stand in the way of civil unity. People of various creeds and nationalities are here in the colonies to build up a great empire which, it is hoped, will exhibit to the world a novel spectacle of unity, patriotism and agreement. To start fair in the race of progress, this people most divest itself of the causes of strife that have in the Old World produced such dire effects. Eeligion must become a more personal affair, it must be looked upon as a matter wherein every man’s own conscience must guide him. Our children must be brought up on the one common footing of citizenship, and must inherit none of the hatreds and intolerance of former days. They must learn that a man’s creed is a matter of the utmost indifference to his neighbor, and that one might as reasonably quarrel with one’s neighbor about the colour of his hair, as about his creed. State education, of a purely secular character is what a mixed community requires. Home training, and the Churches, must supply the rest. It is strange that everybody has not yet learned, from what is happening daily around us, as well as from past experience even in the colonies, that the attempt to introduce the “ religious element ” into the schools must be a failure. The majority of the people recognise the value of the secular system, and are anxious to give it a fair trial. But for clerical agitation, and the utterances of a few individuals, there would be no differences at all on the subject. The advocates of religious instruction may as well understand that the great body of the people will sternly forbid any interference with the secular features of the Education Act.

To-day His Koyal Highness, Albert Edward Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the Crown of England, attains his forty second year. His Eoyal Highness has now arrived at a mature age, and has probably outlived some of the vanity, and ambition for place and power, which distinguish youth. After a round of the stirring pleasures of life, and after quaffing the goblet of pleasure which is ever within the reach of those in high place, he probably knows the value of rest and peace, and finds his desire to succeed to the regal dignity, diminish as time passes on. Blessed with a charming and universally beloved wife, and a growing family, the highest position and abundant means, and enjoying much popularity, it is doubtful whether the Prince would find life any more pleasing if he were crowned King of England. Being intellectually an extremely ordinary gentleman, it is most likely that he has never formed any lofty ideal of a kingly career, or constructed a future for himself or the Empire over which he is sometime to rule. For that very reason he probably values the ease and quietness which the inferior dignity of Heir-apparent allow him to enjoy. Genial good humoured and frank, the Prince enjoys an immense degree of popularity ; a popularity which a man of higher calibre would never enjoy. His mediocrity is his best armour. When, in due course, he does ascend the Throne, he will most likely find himself cheered to the echo. That event, however, seems as far off as ever, and the Prince must many a time doubt whether he will ever don the Imperial purple.