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Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1174, 25 December 1868, Page 3

of it we feel we should be-doing a -wrong to any boy if we did not offer him, or rather his parents, aw opportunity of his learning all about ifc and its contents. This is the highest view and reason for our action; but there ia a lower view which yet may turn over others to our side, and that is that the Bible, its Btories, passagos, proverbs, phraseology, illustrations, and history, have so inextricably interwoven themselves with our literature, our language, and our style, that to appreciate the best and stan-' dard specimens of Euglish literature, to enter into its happiest references and its most pointed allusions, a boy must be taught the Bible, and know it so strongly as it only can be known by those who learn its contents and become acquainted with its pages ■with all the accuracy and diligence with which it is to be studied as a sdhool-book. We have no fear of . its losing its hold on the respect of boys because it is made a school-buck. I had many a task to learn out of Virgil and Horace—many a page i 3 scored . -with marks which speak of sorrow and, perhaps, anguish and tears, over hard and, to me, unintelligible passages; but what is left behind ? —a regard aud love for such a book —not hatred or dislike : so it would be even regarding the Bible as a literary work; —he would be a poorly-educated man who was not versed in its knowledge. We have tho highest authority for saying, that " That there is no doubt that the Bible, of" all books, requires thought and care and severe study, not .merely speaking of it in a spiritual view, but as a work to be mastered even for instance by a German Rationalist. It follows, therefore, that a good paper on this one subject almost ensures good papers on others." — Rev. F. C. Cook, one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools. This view is confirmed by au inspection of the last Oxford Middle Class Examinations, in the upper .division of the first class. The first eleven boys who gained the title of Associate of Arts, for proficiency in other departments, satisfied the examiners in the papers on Faith and Religion, and, out of the thirtyone who composed the whole division, twenty-one passed that part of the examination. From a literary and educational point of view we do not wisely eliminate the Bible, and it is quite possible to have it and yet to secure its proper use. I have every confidence in the school as at present conducted, and shall be ready even more, than before to help in milking it effective, and encouraging the Masters in their work/ The very failures and mistakes in the examination were such a 9 indicated intelligence on tho part of the boys, for there is a class of mistakes and blunders which show utter ignorance on the part of the pupil; while on the other hand, from over or under calculation of their powers, they may fail to land themselves safely in their answers ; but the very way in which they fail indicates whether it baß been an awkward or intelligent mistake, and tho other Examiners —the Revs. Messrs Johnstone anil Thorpe, whom I thank most sincerely for their help —will bear me out in this report. The Rev. G. H. Johnstone, Rev. R. J. Thorpe, ' ■MV Lee, Mr. G-uerin, and Mr. R. Burn, then briefly tdd^esscd the scholars and their friends. After several rounds of hearty cheers for the Bishop, the Masters, and the Examiners, tho boys broke up for the Christmas holidays. The friends of the school will be pleased to learn that Bishop Hobhouse still keeps up his interest in it. Two of the prizes were specially presented by his lordship. id is Lordship the Bishop then distributed the prizes, as follows : — Latin.—First Class, E. Fearon; Second Class, F. Whitwell; Third Class, T. Nalder; Fourth Class, , E. Lewis ; Fifth Class, J. Low. i Arithmetic. —Upper Form: First Prize, J. Burn; ' Second Prize; A. Bentley. Lower Form :W. Kerr. Ai.gf.bra and Euclid.—E. Fearon. Writing-. — Upper Form, J. H. Richardson j . Lower Form, W. Colt. Rkading and English Ge.ammab.—Upper Form, F- Home; Lower Form, G-. li. Griffin. Holy Scripture.—Upper Form, J. F. Heyhoe; Lower Form, A. Duniell. Q-eneeal Pkogress.—A. Waxman. : G-KOGRAPHY AND HISTOBY.—A. Litehfield. Essay.—W. S. Wells.