APATHY GIVING WAY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 107, 15 May 1875, Page 14

APATHY GIVING WAY.

SIGNS OP COURAGE AND DETERMINATION. It must be gratifying and encouraging to the Catholics of this Colony to learn from the Tablet that their co-religionists in Australia are making such noble efforts in the cause of Catholic Education, secular as well as religious. "When wolves are abroad the sheep keep close together, and weak though they be, make a successful stand against their formidable natural enemy. But for the enemies of religious schools the Catholics would hardly have put forth their united strength in support of Catholic education, as they are now doing. They are only now beginning to see clearly the danger to which the faith of their children is exposed in Government schools. „ The danger is not quite apparent at first sight. The leading secularists may be all honourable men, and have no intention to mislead or deceive Catholics "when they tell them that secular knowledge alone is impaired to the pupils in Government schools, and that nothing is taught there against Catholic principles or injurious to the character of the Catholic church. They may say all this in perfect good faith. But enquire a little further and you will find these professions quite hollow and unworthy of, reliance. I find that some Government teachers are allowed to select their own class books at their discretion, and that they use historical class books which contain' the most gross and insulting misrepresentations in reference to the Ca.th.olic Church and its doctrines. Ido not accuse the^Government of authorising this. But it is done. The parties most to blame are the teachers and inspectors. They must know that in using such books they are not acting fairly or honestly, because they are directly violating the spirit of the resolution. The press is not blameless. They refuse to protest or even notice such conduct in the teacher, and so far partake in his wrong doing. In the course of a conversation I had the other day with a leading member of our General Board of Education. He said "I do think you have a grievance as regards the present system of public education." I thought this a great concession, coming from such a quarter, and a very hopeful sign. On my pointing out to him the injustice and inconsistency of Government schoolmasters putting into the hands of Catholic children such a book as ' Collier's Great Events in History,' in which the Catholic Church is represented as sending forth "poisonous streams" on the world. He remarked that "this had been pointed out before," and said " if I represented the matter to the General Board of Education they would, he believed, forbid the use of such books in Government schools." But what Catholic is going to enter into a controversy or altercation with the General Board of Education on the books and papers to be used hi their schools. All that Catholics have to do with such schools is to avoid them wherever it can be done, since they are and ever must be pervaded by a spirit hostile to the Catholic Church and religion. If Catholic pupils who attend them suffer no injury to their religious principles and. feelings, it is a fortunate escape, that is all. If Catholic parents will send their children to such schools they must be prepared to stand all the consequences of doing so. They have had sufficient warnings not to do it, as they value the security of the faith they hold, and upon which they and their children rest all their hopes of happiness hereafter. Circumstances indeed may occur in which it may be become actually necessary to incur some risk to the religious principles of their children by sending them to Government schools or colleges, placing them in fact under the tuition of masters and in the society of pupils who are the enemies of their faith. But the entire Catholic community ought to do their utmost to remove any such painful necessity by establishing schools of their own which might compete on equal terms with any Government schools whatever. Catholics do this at home, in America, aud in Australia, why not in New Zealand too P In fact it is being done in some parts of New Zealand, though not in all. Let us rely on ourselves, not on the Government, to educate our offspring. Our Bishops are ever telling the Government that it is the duty of the parent and his right as well as his duty to educate his children himself. Let us shew to others that in this respect we know our duty, and by God's blessing are determined to accomplish it, and let Government do what they please. If they will take our money unjustly, they have power to do it, and we must submit. I cannot persuade myself that the secular party in general have any desire .to subvert the Christian religion by their educational policy. But I think they — at present a majority of the people — are wedded to that system because it is calculated to cripple, as they suppose, the Catholic Church to a considerable extent, and to force Catholic children into schools where there is a chance, or pro*

bability, of their Catholic principles being undermined, and giving place to the so-called "rational" principles of Protestantism. I think that at present, from a motive of self-respect, we should abstain from pressing our claims on the Government for aid to our schools. Any such appeal, in the present temper of the people and the press, would be hopeless, and only be treated with disdain. Our policy should be self-reliance. We are on the best terms with Government and our Protestant neighbours. If they now deny us what we have asked so often for our schools, we must be firm that they do so from a sense of duty, and from no ill-Avill to us. Mr. Gladstone says Rome knows how to wait. We must be content to wait till the heart of the Government and the people be turned to justice in regard to our schools.