Current Topics. AT HOME AND ABROAD.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 18, 22 August 1884, Page 1

Current Topics. AT HOME AND ABROAD.

•, Mb. Anthony Comstock, the Agent of tbe fkightfcl Society for the Suppression of Vice, of New York, ' EESTTLTS. again furnishes the public with seme details of the* experience accruing from his occupation, and these details are of a nature to throw some further doubt upon the civilisation of tbe period, and the nature of the progress that the world is making. Mr. Comstock, moreover, this time deals with that section of the American population which has more or less, taken its tone from the public schools, and the results are hardly calculated to prove cheering lo the advocates of godlessnes X •It does not seem, at least, as if the system of education in question fostered pure and wholesome tastes in its pupils, or raised the standaid of their minds so that they should take a delight only in what is of a tendency to improve the race and to hasten it forward on the road of high destiny, whereon, according to many philosophers of tbe times, and some of our own in particular, it is certainly travelling-and travelling all the faster, they say, as it gets jid of the shackles of religion. Bnt here is Mr. Comstock's conclusion from the study that he has been engaged in :—" Evil powers are on hand in the school aad everywhere, zealously seeking to destroy the moral purity of children ; and looking back over the past twelve years, I am impressed with this one simple thought, that the world is the devil's hunting-ground' and children are his choicest game." The* particular hounds with which the devil runs down bis game, again, are the art of reading that the child has acquired, and its perversion from the ends for which any reasonable teacher would have sought to instruct him in it. Sensational reports in the daily papers, publications in which vice is exposed in all its details, and, above all, the cheap stories that give the lives oE criminals an at ti active colouring, and bold up infamy of every kind as heroic acd becoming in a man. Such are the instruments of the child's destruction, and the work done by them is ominous indeed. Mr. Comstock gives as the results of his own observation aloue the following :-« Now, I will read you the record which I have kept. The first I will give will be from January to October, 1882. During that time there were 19 youths arrested for murder. Two mra 21 years of a-e, five 20 years, six 19 year* one IS jears, one 17 yeais, one 14 years, two 12 years, and 'one 8 years. This last one (.?) was banged for murder after butchering twomeD, and on the scaffold be wanted to kuow why thjy did not hurry and not ' keep a fellow waiting all day.' When asked if he wanted to say anything, he answered that he guessed his mother would uy some when she beard it. One young man, 20 years of age, who shot the proprietor of a store while committing a burglary, when told that his victim bad died, indifferently said : ' I must be a tough ; lhave downed my man.' From January to October, 1882, there were 24 murderers arrested, and from October, 1883, up to last Saturday, to which time this report is made up, there were 26 murderers arrested. You will see that youthful murderers are increasing. Of youthful suicides there were 16 in 1882, and in the corresponding term in 1883, 21, and 22 since last October. Of attempted murders by youths from January to October, 1882, there were 52 ; in 1883 for the same period, 86 : and from the first of last October up to last Saturday, there were 56. Of youthful burglars, from January to October, 1882, there were 100 ; for the same period in 1883 there were 80; aud from October t> Sum-day last there were 58. Of youthful highway robbers, from January to October, 1882, there were 82 ; in 1883, for the same period, imtj were 38 ; and from the Ist October to last Saturday tliciu w.-iu 47. There were attested f or larceny in 1882 during the p«r.od meutioned 134 jouths; for the corresponding time in 1883, y2 ; aud since October last, 130, and so I might go on. Here is another item-the youths murdered. Seventeen since last October. The youngest of these was a child 3 years old, murdered by a boy of 10 years. Another item I will mention. In ISB2 12 youths attempted suicide ; in 1883, 18 ; and since last October, 10.'' Mr. Comstock adds that this must only be looked upon as a partial return, as he had himself made it from papers taken up here and there, he has besides omitted some species of crime from his list. " I have said nothing of the arrests for gambling, p ick-pockets and such

crimes (he aids). Tnere have also been arrasted during this time four bands of youthful bandits. One gang of seven were all under sixteen years of age ; of one gang of ten all were under seventeen yeaTs of age ; of one gang of nine all w^re under ten years of age, and of one gang of seven all were under twenty year* of age." There is, nevertheless, enough fo form a very sarious indictment against the educational system in vogue, and to which Mr. Comstick indirectly refers the- guilt, since he attributes it in chief part to the matter read by the pupils trained under the sydtem in question, and who have evidently not been taught to turn their instruction to some better use. — It is impossible for us to believe that children and youths who had received a sufficient moral education could be ted away by their admiration for the deeds of thieves and murderers, no matter bow attractively set forth, to imitate them, at least on so extensive a scale, and. godlessness here receives a glowing illustration.—There are, however, others to blame iv tnis matter besides the unfortunate pupils of the go Hess schools, and the patrons an I protectors of those institutions with whom, nevertheless, the chief culpability rests ; there are the parents of the children who, in many instances, have themselves done much to awake a and foster the taste for sensational reading that has produced such terrible consequences We know how greedy the public is for sensational reports, how it insists on having the fullest details given in the newspapers of every wickedness that is committed.— Every foul murder must be described in its minute particulars, every dirty trial must be reported in all its filth— and the newspaper that reluses thus to pander to thj degraded public taste is considered stupid and unworthy of supporf. — But the people who make this insistance, and who find their amusement in the details of crime and abomination, can expect little less than that their children will exceed them in depravity— and they themselves are to blame for tbe evil that ensues. — Mr. Cotnstock says that even maoy advertisements that appear in the. Press require a censor, aad are the prolific source of evil.— Takin together, thea, there is much to alarm all right-minded poople in the secularism of the day, aud to show that, as usual, the fruit is worthy of the tree ou which it has grown. Everything confirms our belief that we have done well all along in denouncing it with all our might.

We learn by means of a cablegram that the agitathe tioa caused by the rejection of the Franchise Bill peers IN has resulted in the formation of a League whose JttOPAKDY. object is to bring about a reform in the House of * Lords. Already, however, a prop >saL ha I been made in the House of Lords itself to introduce some modifications there, and Lord Hcsebery by whom it was made gave an amusing instance or two of the privileges enjoyed by the Hous<«. From the fact, he said, Jorexainplr, that three formed a quorum, it bad once happened that Ihe late Lord Leitiim spoke for four hours, there being present beside himself only the Lord Chancellor, and the Peer who was to reply to him. And on another occasion Lord Lyndhuist had brought; to a stop a long-winded peer addressing an empty House, by exclaiming at last, urged on by an empty stomach, or at least by a desire to dine, ''This is too bad, can't you stop? By Jove, if you don'b strop I will count you out." Lord Rosebery proposed that the question of a quorum should be considered , and that certain classes of tbe community should be represented, such, for instance , as those connected with medicine, science, liteiature, art, and commerce, and even labour— there being " too much of lcceiving rent in that House and too little of paying it." He would have the system of life peers extended, or, at least, suggested that the assistance might be obtained of persons, who, " though not members could be called in to deliberate with or to advise their lordships a> the judges formerly did in certain appeals." Lord Robbery's notion for a select committee to consider all this w.'.s of course rtjectud by a large majority, and in conservative quarters very serious alarm has been felt at the idea of the innovation proposed. The worshippers of the millennial assembly— as according to the Saturday Bcvieto we may consider oui selves at liberty to look upon the House of Lords— for, although according to the letter, the Review used the word millennium in. a different secse from that which it is generally understood to express, it was still employed to signify an unspeakable admiration and a reverence hardly to be paid to a mere mundane assembly— -these worshippers have been made very anxious by the matter and lo r ok upon

f • . Lord Eosebery's proposal respecting the extension of life peerages as the thiu end of the wedge intended to oust hereditary legislatorship altogether. Meantime as to some of the great advantages derived from the hereditary element that enters so largely into the constitution of the House of Lords, the following extract, for example, from a recent number of a London weekly, named Jtyodern Society and which we quote more especially as showing the feeling towards the House that obtains even in England, will Berve to give us some idea :— ' " New Peer. The Duke of Marlborongh signed the roll of Peers, having succeeded his father, the last Duke, and took his seat on the cross benches.' This is the record which appeared in the proceedings of the House of Lords on Tuesday last week, and is at the same time a national scandal and disgrace. It is only a few months since that the present Duke of Marlborough appeared as a respondent in a suit brought against him by his wife on a charge of adultery and cruelty. On evidence haying been given of the ruffianly, brutal, and profligate behaviour of bis ' Grace ' the Duke of Marlborougb, the Court granted a divorce in favour of Ms wife.— All these scandalous disclosures were only elicited and published a short time ago ; but on Tuesday last week the foul-fellow — tjhe ruffianly wife-beater — the man who, if many in both Houses of Parliament had their way, would have been subjected to the ignominious punishment of the lash. — had the brazen-faced impudence to take his seat in the House of Peers 1 The man who would strike a woman under ordinary circumstances is universally denounced a brute and a coward ;- but he who would do this when the victim is in such situation as that of the Duke's late wife, would, in ordinary life,' be scouted from society. In addition to this, it would be supposed that his appearance in the society of gentlemen must have caused a shudder of horror and disgust, aud that one and all, especially the bench of bishops, would have shunned and avoided remaining in his presence. On the contrary, many shook hands with his ' Grace,' and the right rev. fathers in God associated with the man whose antecedents will not bear reflection 1 " If, then, the effect of Lord Eoseberry's proposal were to diminish or even finally to do away with the hereditary element of the House of Lords, we may naturally conclude that, after all, ib would not be an unmixed evil. — For let us not suppose that the Duke of Marlborough is the only unworthy legislator born to a seat there. And the unfitness of maby of the House's members to legislate for the country is of itselfii a reason for the abolishment of the hereditary light. There are, however, other reasons and very sufficient reasons, as well, and it ■will be worth even the delay caused in the franchise legislation if the attitude assumed towards the question by these hereditary legislators results in helping to strip them of the privilege with which it is an inconsistency, an anachronism, and an absurdity to find them still endowed.

The news we receive from Tonkin once more ECHOES OP <J|^E reminds us of the identity of the Church of the catacombs, early Christians with that in whose communion we are ourselves privileged to live — and gives us another noble example of the fortitude of Catholics, who are firm in the faith of Jesus Christ. It is the news of martyrdom borne by French priests and native Christians, and which has added many great saints to the glories of the Church triumphant — and, as we may well believe, given to the suffering Church of France many advocates at the foot of the throne to plead her cause, now in the Dftne of he"r growing trial. We are told of Father Tamet, who, after hg had wandered about iv the mountains clad during the severe cold in only a cotton shift and a pair of trousers, and without any other food than such roots and herbs as he could find in the woods, was put to death by cruel tortures, together with the catechists who had hared his wanderings and bitter sufferings— Fathers 6e"guret, Antoine, Gelot, Eival, Mauipol, Pinabdl, and Aubaine, as well as the catechists attached to their missions, having been already killed 3}he principal massacres, however, took place in the villages inhabited by native Christians, and the executioners were the " Literates," as they are called, and whom we suppose to be pagan priests, or men in some way connected with teaching the pagan observances of the •country — who, it seems, moreover, have a very great hatred of Christianity, because their abominable practices are put to shame by it, and their absurd tenets brought into disgrace. They it was who began the persecution, and carried it out, even to the horror and indignation of the body of the pagan people, who would have prevented the massacre had they not been afraid that these Literates were backed up by a superior authority. The heroism shown by the martyrs is, in some instance?, strikingly like that handed down to us concerning those of ancient times. A young girl is offered her life, for example, but she prefers to die with her father. A man calls for his wife and children that they may share his fate, and they all are Blain together ; the brother of a martyr cries out that he too is a Christian and points to his wife and child as also belonging to his faith. — Alt were cruelly murdered even to the little children, in their mothers' arms. And which of us dare reproach the one poor mother yiho offered to renounce her faith if the torturers would spare lier

boy, but offered in vain ? Dare we even reproach the young girl who fled, though her little sister tied down under the murderers' hands called on her to return and die with her? But these were the exceptional cases. Of how the Christians generally testified to their faith let us take the following example, translated by the London Tablet from a letter of Mgr. Puginier, Vicar-Apostolic of Tonkin, as it is given concerning twenty- five catechumens of the village of Truoi' and their leader. "Before being led to execution, however, the head Christian begged leave for them all to go to the chapel for a few minutes, which was granted to them. Here, prostrate before the altar, they repeated in a loud voice the Litany of Our Lady and other prayers. The patience ot the executioners at last being exhausted they were forced to rise and continue their via orucis. The bead Christian then said : • Let me take the crucifix which is above the altar that I may bear it with me to the place of execution. The sight of it will give us courage and enable us to die as true disciples of our adorable Lord and Master. 1 This was also granted to him. He took it and marched first, holding it up on high, so that his companions might see it perfectly, and thus be inspired with the courage and confidence needed for the moment of supreme sacrifice. The Christians followed, their eyes fixed on their great model : they said the Bosary all the way with inexpressible devotion, exhorting one another to shed their "blood bravely for Jesus Christ. Thus they marched on their way of sorrows, at the end of which their sacrifice was consummated, in imitation of their Divine Master, whose holy name they never ceased invoking, blessing, and adoring, till one by one their lips were closed in death." — As, then, the Church was of old such is she to-day, and as in the beginning the blood of the martyrs proved to be the seed whence Christian life sprung up abundantly, so we may very firmly believe it will be now in. these latter times.— While such seed continues to be sown religion can never die nor be stamped out.

The meaning of secular education is well under - the stood by Lord Salisbury, who the other day con- ' SATURDAY demned it at the meeting of the National Society Review 'ON the as intended, on the continent, at least, where, bible in nevertheless, many of our pious people sympathise schools, with it, "to drive revealed religion out; of the field altogether " — a statement in which he is supported by the Saturday Review, who also agrees with him that there is in England likewise a party of one mind, for example, with M. Paul Bert, but happily as yet in a small minority. — It the Review, however, would include the greater England, embracing her colonies in his glance, he [would see that the minority which, so far has been too weak to carry their measures at home has succeeded abroad, and that the war upon revealed religion by means of secularism is being waged energetically among us here, and with every prospect of success. But the article from which we quote deals principally with the proposal for the mixture of religious teaching, that some people also are,urging among ourselves— but rather as a preventiveof denominationalism than to replace it— as the proposal is made to do in England, Lord Salisbury in opposition to this proposal said :— " We are maintaining that it ia an essential part of education that religion in its entirety — as a matter of dogma as well as a matter of morality— should be taught to the young ; but that is a doctrine against which man? enemies ar now raised." — And the article in which the Saturday Review support Lord Salisbury's opinions is one very well worthy of consideration We quote from it as from an authority that cannot; be lightly set aside. The Revieyv, then, agrees with Lord Salisbury in finding a danger worse than that arising from the advocacy of the enthusiasts or secular education pure and simple, in the subterfuges of " ' subiimated' doctrinaires," who either do not understand the true nature of the system they propose, or who act deceitfully. " The Bible," says the writer," read without comment is too apt to be degraded into a mere lesson-book if not a spelling-book. The Bible read with r andom and irresponsible explanations of a body of men. — not inaptly described by Lord Beaconsfield, when the school-board scheme wa a started, a 9 a 'new sacerdotal class,' with none of the restrictions' training, and guarantees of the old one — who may range from th extremest type of Ultramontanism to the extremist type of Agnosticism is sure to give a very uncertain, if not wholly unintelligible sound, and the best that can be hoped of such teaching is that it may be too nebulous and colourless to leave any permanent impression on the mind of the taught." The following passage, which, though rather long for our columns, we quote at length, as finding it very much to the purpose, has a bearing as well on private interpretation generally as on religious teaching in mixed schools ; it needs no further comment from us. " And now as to the effects of this concentrated quintessence of Christianity on ' both the child and the teacher,' as Lord Salisbury puts it. One cannot help seeing at once that the teacher or priest of the new religion has a very anoma lons office thrust upon him. If, indeed, he has no belief of his own the case is simplified, as far as he is concerned. But whether he has or not, he will do wisely to confine himself, if he wishes to avoid breaking the law or treading on somebody's corns at every turn, to

little picturesque delineation of the history and geography of Palestine. And no doubt that is just about what the filtrated or sublimated essence usually comes to. But let suppose that tbe teacher has some definite belief of his own, whether orthodox or tbe reverse and we will instance a few leading doctrines of large Christian 'denominations,' of which some may be true, but some must certainly be false, as they contradict each other. Suppose, then, our master to be an honest Anglican, who believes inter alia the doctiines of the Trinity and the Incarnation, as fundamental verities of the Gospel. There are many passages in tbe New Testament which must necessarily appear to him to inculcate or imply those fundamental verities so plainly that he who runs may read ; and it is hard to see how as an upright and conscientious man he can refrain from expounding them in that sense, when they are read. But they are clearly no part of the sublimated essence-on the contrary, they arc terribly • sectarian,' and be is bound to hold his tongue about them. Or take, on the other hand, the case of a conscientious Socinian. He is of course well aware how these same passages are understood by the great majority of religionists, and he holds their interpretation to be a fundamental perversion of the true sense of revelation. Surely, when they are read in school, he ought to utter a word in season to guard the minds of his youthful hearers against so prevalent ana dangerous an error* But that too would be only another form of sectarian teaching and he must confine himself t© the 'inoffensive residuum.' Or let him be a Baptist, who holds the immersion of adults necessary to salvation. There are passages in the New Testament open to such an interpretation, though = by the immense body of Christians they are not so interpreted. Is it not his solemn duty to impress on his class the real bearing of Scripture on a matter of such vast moment ? But he would soon find his place in a Board School know him no more if he discharged it. It is not, perhaps, very likely that any Roman Catholic would undertake such an office, but it is quite conceivable in the abstract He firmly believes, of course, inter alia the doctrine of Transubstantiation, which holds a prominent place in the faith and worship of his uhurch. Here, again, there are passages of Scripture which are generally allowed to give, at least, some prima facie countenance to the doctrine, as e.g. in that sixth chapter of St. John, which some School Boards consider such a very ticklish affair that they will not permit a word to be said about it. For our Roman Catholic schoolmaster these passages have, and can have, one meaning, and one only, and that a very important one ; but he must pass them over in dead silence, if he wishes to retain his post for another week. In all such cases-and the examples might be multiplied indefinitely, but these will suffice for our purpos e-ite -it is surely too evident to need or admit of discussion that, as Lord Salisbury phrased it, the attempt to escape from controverted questions by reticence must destroy the enthusiasm of the teacher as well as dissipate tbe faith of the child . And, meanwhile, if there be any force iv the old saying Scriptura est smsus Scriptures, it is pbin that this residual or filtrated essence of Scripture is in the eyes of those who hold any real beliefs at all— whetber Catholic, Weslevan, Baptist, or what you will-not Scriptural teaching but a mere travesty o£ it. At the best, and if it contains nothing positively erroneous in their view— which is not very probable—it is " Hamlet " with the Prince of Denmark left out. There are those, no doubt, to whom the sweet reasonableness of such a creedless-we were going to say faith, but that term is obviously incongruous— such a creedioss cult prasents peculiar charms. But they are mostly persona who prefer reason alone to any form of faith. To believers who take any pains to analyse the nature of their belief, it will appear that a Christianity filtrated of all its dogmas is a Christianity so enlightened as to be able to dispense with Christ. How far the occasional or even habitual inculcation of ' morals based upon our common Chmtianity ' would avail to fill the void, is too wide a question to enter upon in detail here ; but most Christians have no coufideace in the sublimated ingenuities of < the moral teaching of the Gospel ' divorced- from its dogmas, and can anticipate nothing but disastrous failure from the inculcation, whetherin pulpit or schoolroom, of Christianity without its creeds."

The policy of the new Cabinet as explained in the the Goveroox's Speech delivered on Tuesday at the governors opening of Parliament, is, on the whole, reasonable, speech. and of ag satisfactory promise as might rationally hav e been expected under the circumstances of the times. Its weakest point i 8i 8 perhaps also the point that was unavoid. able by any Ministry, that is the necessity for bonowing which it admits, and to which any man capable of forming a judgment must certainly have looked forward— that there are works to be completed or to be undertaken and pushed to their completion as speedily as possible has all along been apparent, and that the money for such works must be borrowed, baa also been as clear as daylight.-But the well-established fact thatou prudent borrowing the reputation of the Ministry depends, furnishes some guarantee that nothing rash or calculated to involve the Colony in difficulties will be attempted.— me time must undoubtedly come when the results will be before

the public* and if they do not prove acceptable the duty of explaining them will be one to fall heavily on the Cabinet accountable for them, and in this way the whole future career of Ministers haogs in the balance. Wo may, therefore, conclude that, the subject being so dangerous to themselves personally as well of such vast importance to the Colony, Ministers will weigh all its circustances well, and undertake nothing in connection with it unless they are reasonably persuaded that all the conditions likely to ensure success will be fulfilled. — The temporary relief — and possibly only temporary relief— meantime, to accrue from the prosecution of public works on borrowed money should not be taken as a sure proof of the amendment of the Colony's affairs, or be allowed to acquire for the Ministry a popularity that is not due to them, and from the final results only can the wisdom of the step and the action of the Cabinet be judged. The Ministry that undertakes to borrow must understand all this and act with their eyes open.— Those, again, who desire to see the progress of the Colony generally obtain rather than the interests oE a comparatively few individuals, will be relieved to learn that the much vexed question of protection is to receive but scant consideration, and that the decision of the Government is that as much has been already done in that particular line as it is prudent to undertake. The construction of the railways, especially the Central Otago, and the Auckland and Wellington lines, the settlement of families in the adjacent country, and the removal of the Property Tax also are all promised measures that have much to recommend them. But on the other hand there occurs the doubt as to whether the modified land tax proposed, with its localised resultß, will prove sufficient for the purposes of the revenue. The attention, again promised to the development of the resources of the West Coast is a feature of much importance, and it i 8 to be hoped that the promise will be fulfilled in the fullest degree possible.— The district in question at present suffers from many wants and much discouragement is given to the men who are labouring hard there— take, for example, the case reported the other day by our contemporary the Kumara, Times, in which more than a fourth of the proceeds in a certain claim had to go to Government for the water and the use of the sludge channel. The coal-mining industry is also one of vast importance* as the Speech mentions, and no degree of attention bestowed upon it can be looked upon as excessive. la any steps that may be undertaken to advance its interests the Government will, moreover find an effective seconder in Mr. Eugene O'Conor, the member for Buller, who has made a special study of the subject, and, in his pamphlet on the Buller coal-field, and the Bill drafted by him providing for its working, has proved himself a perfect master of the matter in question. The mention made in the speech of the desirableness of inducing the Natives either to improve their lands or to sell thjem to Europeans for the purpose is somewhat more doubtful. Dealing with the native lands is somewhat ticklish, and unless very carefully conducted, it leaves an opening for many abuses, and oppressive measures. We should, nevertheless, up to the present, have considered that in Mr, Stout's hands native interests would have been safe, and, that if anything, they would have received even more consideration than was justly their due. But, for the time being at least, we are confused as to our estimate of Mr. Stout, and unavoidably so, for when a man goes at a sudden bound from the position of an extreme Radical to that of a very respectable Conservative, he naturally spreads a good deal of confusion among the lookers-on. Whether Mr. Stout ha made a sudden change, then, or whether he was so far playing a par for his amusement in Dunedin — which he would not consider it justifiable to do when any really important matters, or what he considered as such, were at stake, we cannot as yet determine. But, we have certainly said befoie now that it was impossible to believe that a man of Mr. (Stout's reputed ability could seriously entertain one half the queer and extravagent theories with which he was used, at least apparently, to identify himself.— Let us hope, however, that he will prove still true as a protector of the native race. On tbe whole then, we may say, in conclusion , the course proposed to themselves by our present Government is fair and reasonable, and such as certainly to deserve for them consideration and a rational trial, and ifc will be unfortunate if any factious opposition is made, or anything done, as it is reported will be the case in an amendment proposed on the Address-in-Reply, to overthrow the Cabinet before it has had time to give the Colony a proof of what virtue there may be in it.

As we have been accused of an attempt to injure the only fibm the welfare of the Colony in makißg the education foundation, question the most important of all, and that to which every other should give way, it is incumbent on us to show that we act in good faith, believing that on the education question the welfare of the Colony hangg. We shall, therefore, now quote the decisions of two men of great eminence as to the necessity of the Christianity which it is undoubtedly, and with open acknowledgement, sought to destroy by means of secularism. The first of the men we speak of is the Emperor Napoleon, who said, in reference to the atheistic advocacy of the astronomer, Lalande :—": — " My first duty is to hinder the morality of my people from being poisoned,

for atheism is the destroyer of all morality, if not in individuals, at least among nations." With atheism ruling among them, therefore, the nation who will in the future inhabit New Zealand, will be an immoral nation, and no people can be great or prosperous without morality. The second of the men we allude to is the great Lacordaire, who thus accouited for his conversion from Freethought to Christianity :— " I have reached Catholic belief through social belief ; and nothing appears to me better demonstrated than this argument : — Society is necessary, therefore the Christian religion istlivine } for it is the means of bringing society to its true perfection, adapting itself to man, with all his weaknesses, and to the social order in all its conditions." We claim, therefore, and on high authority, that, in making the education question the first of all, we are endeavouring to establish, on the only sure and unfailing foundation, national morality and the social order — without whose establish* ment all other measures, whatever may be their wisdom or aecessity, would be vain and worthless.