CHEATING THE DEVIL IN THE DARK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 30, 15 November 1889, Page 16

CHEATING THE DEVIL IN THE DARK.

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N the Otayu Daily Times of Tuesday, there was published an imaginary dialogue concerning certain points discussed a week or two ago in t^e Presbyterian Synod at Dunedin. In the course of this dialogue, one of the speakers explains a& follows the manner in which the State, while maintaining a purely secular attitude, can still countenance religious teaching in the schools. The speaker is a Synod'sman, who expresses himself thus :—": — " The State, as such, is not to ask any questions about creed ; but the school committees or boards can appoint a^vone they please." The writer of the dialogue prefaces his production by a letter in which he states that, although he docs not give the conversation verbatim, he fairly represents the arguments actually used in conversation by a member of the Presbyterian Synod. JSotwithstanding this statement, however, we must confess we thought there must be some originality in the matter, and that no grave elder in his senses, and with due regard paid to all the dictates of conscience and all the requirements of Christian faith, could in all sincerity put forward such a plea for cheating the devil in the dark.

We were, nevertheless, not very long left to our doubts. On turning over the sheet of the paper we came directly on a letter, dated Gore, November 11, and signed James Cop-

land. This letter contains in substance precisely the same argument as that advanced in the dialogue, and we should not be at all surprised to find that Dr. Copland was the selfsame Synod'&man whom the writer had in his eye. Dr. Copland writes to defend against a condemnation made by Sir Eodek'i Stout of it, a bill approved by the Synod and to be introduced into Parliament next Session providing for Biblereading in the schools. The Doctor is defending this proposed Bill from the charge brought against it by bir Robert biouT of providing for the reading of Scripture passages with comment. Ho argues thus: — i<r Jhc Bill says, 'The daily reading with or without comment.' it also provides that it shall only be at a discretion of the local school couimittee that they shall be read at all. Further, it is in the committee's power to determine whether they shall be read with comment or without, and if with comment, it must be of a strictly unsectarian character, suited to the capacities of the children.' " Here is a plea for cheating the devil in the daik with a vengeance. Place the power of deciding as to the reading of the Bible, with or without comment, in the hands of the local school committees, and it is plain what the result must be. The Word, of course, would be expounded in every school, and woe to the coirmittee man who should refuse to give his sanction, or to the teacher who should demur against expounding. But as to the unsectarian character of the comments made, to speak of such is simply to make a contradiction in terms. Whether the Scripture be read in the schools with or Avithout comment, the practice is sectarian, and can be nothing else.

Dr. Copland, in concluding his letter, cites the example of London, where religious instruction is given in the public schools, although the education system is acknowledged as undenominational. Di. Coi-land, however, does not mention, and, in fact, is not called upon by his particular lino of argu-

ment to mention, that in London, denominational schools also are aided by the State. We do not, meantime, oppose Bible-reading in the schools, provided the children of the Catholic population, with whom alone we are concerned, are exempted by the State from attendance at the schools where such reading, with or without comment, takes placo, and permitted to profit by the money contributed in support of education by their parents ■without any compromise of conscience. We hope, besides, that since Mr. Tanner, who proposes to introduce the Bill referred to, gave his support to the Catholic claims in the late division on Mr. Pyke's Bill, there may be some thought of conceding the demands of justice in this matter even in the minds of members of the Presbyterian Synod. But what we desire to see is a bold and united demand made for religious teaching — all just concessions being allowed — by a Christian people, without resort to unworthy subterfuge, or an attempt in any way to cheat the devil in the dark. Let the Synod'sman,* o or Dr. Copland, or anyone else, act in this manly way, and we, for our part, are ready to support him.

The Most Rev. Dr. Moran, accompanied by the Right Rev. Monsignor Coleman, and the Rev. Father Lynch, Adm,, left Dunedin for Arrowtown on Friday the Bth mst. His Ljrdship will be present at lnvercargill on Sunday next, returning to Dunedin'at the beginning of the week.

The Dunedin branch of the Hibernian Society have arranged their programme for the anuaal sports o i Boxing d iy. The principal events have all be >n Strengthened by additions to the prize money, and the sum of five guineas will be given to the best hurling teamA grand Irish National concert will be held on Bjxmg night in the Garrison Hal]. It is confidently expected that large numbers of young members will now join this Society, the entrance fees having been considerably reduced.

We fancied the statement reported of Mr. Ballance's speech at Napier was rather strong, Mr. BalLiuce has corrected the report, and explained that he did not accuse the Ministiy of an intentional lowering of wagef. All he said, it seems, was that the railway commissioners had intended to reduce the rate of wages after the clgso of the Session, and that be himself, on being privately informed of the proposal, had brought the matter before the House. It is fair to publish the correction, the Ministry having quite enough to account for without bearing the false imputation of so gross an intention.

The Wellington Eccnouj /W repeats Sir Robert Stout's proposal that the principal eiti -s ot the Colony should each be the seat of a university college devote 1 cluelly to one spteial blanch of higher education. Such a proposal has nileed, been earned out to some degree in certain contemporary instances. In funity College, Dublin, for example, some thirty years a^o a special school was established to fit. students for the Indian civil service, aud the success gained was considerable, young men coming fi im all par's of the United Kingdom to prosecute their studies ihetc. Where, howevei, in modern times colleges have been paitieularly rt maikable in the respect alluded to, the matter seems, for the most p^rt, to have been the result of circumstanc sthatwprenotintentiunal-thousjb, perhaps, not altogether accidental. The university of Bologna, l>r example, which n.ns fiom time lmmeinoml been celebiated foi the pioiundity of its studies and the brilliancy of its students of junspiuden' c. is> said to have derived this character from the i.ict of its having succeeded a Roman school of law. It is more certain that in very eaily times it owned a chair tilled by a professor renowned through all the world of his day for his skill in the science icfmed to. In either case, whether as the successor of a Roman school or the scat of a deeply-learned professor, the university took its particular character, it cannot be said to have owed it to^nect lutention. We do not know that the proposal made, after Sir Robert Stout, by tne Wellington Post, comd be earned mto effect without causing some dissatisfaction and jealousy.

We would refei anyone who desnes to witness the spirit in which the West i oast it, piep-mug for ihe iceeption of the Irish National delegates, to the letter of oui Reefton coiicspondent to be found elseuheie. The d' theio gheu of the Irish cheer is enough to nirtke us throw up our hats as we piosily pioeeed with our ordinaiy avocation^. The cnthubia=m with which our coircspondent writes is certainly paitaken in by all the Irwh population of the Coast. It behoves those poitiors of th" coun'ry to bo visited by the delegates after they have ciossed the island, to bestir themselves so that they may not contrast gloomily with the hilh and valleys of the West. — We would have it as our boast thai in leoa \,n<: the memories of the r tour, the delegates hhould not, h . _af'e', lv aoL to say whciu they had been most coidially wblcji.ll oi uioat eiroigetieally aided in carrying out the object el then mission.

An English Unitarian clergyman, Rev. John Pages Hopps, writing to the London Daily Neros, gives the following picture, seen with his own eyes, of " law and order" in Ireland under the rule of " Balfour and his gang" : — Mr. Balfour is fond of boasting that he has re-eßtablished order and obedience to the law. I wonder how far he really believes that. I hare myself seea in Ireland the touching and moat impressive evidence of the power of the new spirit which, not because of Mr. Balfour and his gang of shooting constables and servile paid magistrates, but becaus3 of the new hopefulness of the people, born of trust in their English friends, is making them anxious to control temper, to be patient under insult, and to bide their time. The conduct of the constabulary in Ireland by itself is enough to provoke insurrection. Those who have not seen it can form no idea of their insolence, their resentment, their rowdy violence, their vicious temper. With my own eyes I have seen peacrable people beaten with batons, clubbed with rifles, and cut with swords, and, to our disgust, we have only lately heard of men being dragged to prison for simply cheering a convict Member of Parliament, and of men being shot by the constabulary in connection with a mild brawl, which in England would hardly warrant the use of a staff. This is the sort of thing which would in Ireland provoke dangerous disorder but for the universal desire to refrain from anything that would hin. der or grieve their English friends. We ought to ba heartily ashamed of it, and I believe all England would be ashamed of itif all England knew the truth about it.

Lord Salisbury seems to delight in contradictions. Perhapi they have got irremediably into his head owing to the frequent statements contradictory of the truth he and his colleagues find themselves continually obliged to make with respect to Irish affairs. Oh, that cardinal mistake of Barns', to the effect that facts dare not be dispnted. Whether they will "d ing "or not, there ia nothing in the world so much disputed. Lord Salisbury, however, speaking the other day at Guildhall, declared himself confident of the continuance of peace, while, at the same time, he declared that an increase of territory made by any great power must hurry on a war, Germany at the moment being engaged in making annexations against which he had himself protested. It is very hard for us to tell, therefore, what Lord Salisbury's true mind on the subject may be. Bat confusion of mind may well seem natural in a man who has determined, and probably feels himself forced, to persist in an evil course. Thii Lord Salisbury expresses his determination to do, in declaring that his Government will not depart from their methods of administration in Ireland. Contradiction, confusion, and pig-heaied obstinacy may fitly go together.

A cablegram to the American papers, dated London, October 6, says : — Mr. Parnell has writeu to Mr. Sexton asking him to act as his representative at the Convention on the opening of the new Tenants' Defence League in Tipperary, and to lay his views before the Convention. He says that his health will not permit him to cross toe Channel. He advises that the movement be limited to defensive action. Special regard, he says, must be paid to these points: Fust, the duty of protecting the tenants against the landlords' conspiracy, thus insuring to the tenants the benefits which Parliament intended ; second, the assertion of the rights o£ freedom of speech and of public meeting ; third, a vindication of the rights of tenants to the came faculties for combining and organising that have been secured to English workmen by trade-union enactments.

Mr. J. G. O'Connob, of the Sydney Nation, Ihe well-known and time-honoured patriot and useful friend of the Irish cause, has established a weekly, entitled froaa its colour the Green Paper, and which contains a digest of Irish news, judiciously selected from reliable sources. The publication is admirably adapted to create and maintain an interest in Irish affairs wherever it circulates, and to furnish the exileß of Erin with reading matter highly esteemed by them. We wieh our new contemporary a prosperous career.

A vkry successful representation of Balfe'a " Bohemian Girl " was giveu at the Princess Tncatre last week, by the Seymour Walsba Opera Company. Miss Florence Seymour's Arline quite captivated the audience, who, while that lady was weighted with contralto partSj had no idea of the forces she kept in reserve. Mr. Walshe was in full voice, and his splendid tenor did more than justice to the music alloted to him in the rule of Thaddeus. The tour of the company in the country districts will afford residen s there an opportunity they will not soon again enjoy. We can confidently recommend the Company to their patronage.

In allusion to the settlement of the London strikes, Truth writes as follows : — Cardinal Manning seems to be the only cleric who contributed anything to the solution of the difficulty, and he is entitled to every praise for bis untiring patience and perseverance. The Bishop of London's fussy interference and petulant withdrawal at the lirst fdiluie to arrange matters, did more harm than good. lam afraid, too, that the Lord Mayor has not altogether endeared himself

to the East-end democracy by his attitude and tone/arhen the first attempt at compromise broke down.

Sib William Jbbvois, the late Governor of New Zealand, (says Truth, of Stptember 12,) has settled himself in the New Forest for a few months, having become the tenant of Cuffjells, which is about the nicest place in the district. It is within a short distance of Lyndhur^t, aad was for many years the country residence of Mr. George Hose, the colleague and frieud of Mr. Pitt, and in those dayß George 111. almost invariably dined and slept there when ou his journey between Windsor and Wey mouth,

According to Mr. B. C. Molloy, speaking the other day at Sheffield some epicy revelations may be expected during the njxt Session of the House of Commons. Mr. Molloy announced that the Parnellites had obtained possession of Pigott's diary, and would make its secrets known at the time specified. This is comfortable news for Mr. Balfour and must make him very anxious for the reassembling of Parliament. As to the Times, it is most probably beyond the reach of mortification or disgrace — its measure being already full to overflowing.