SIR HENRY PARKES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 1, 1 May 1896, Page 15

SIR HENRY PARKES.

Sib Hbnbt Pabks, who, for nearly half a ccntu y, has been a prominent figure in Australian politics, has joined the majority. He died on Monday morning at Sydney. His life llustrates the changeful life, with many vicissitudes, of early coionis's The farm labourer, iron worker, ivory turner, and dealer it toys of the early forties became in a few years a journalist, newspaper proprietor, aod a man of note in the Parliament of New South Wa.es. Ha lived to a patriachial age to experience the usnal fate of professional politicians. The man who, with all his faults, erved his country well, was lately twice defeated in a final attempt o regain a seat ip the Parliament in which be had beeo half a dozen times Prime Minister, and to which be had been considerably over a score of times elected. He lived to see the necessity of changed views on some burning questions. The earnest and successful advocate, twenty years ago of secular schools found reason, as time went on. to modify and, indeed, to change his idea of the State in relation to ne education of youth. It is well known that of late years Sir Henry Parkes has by no means been an enthusiast for the eecular element in public schools He saw evidences plainly visible, in irrepressible arnkinism and prevailing irreverence for everything sacred, of the pernic'ous band of a system for which he was largely responsible. Wf have little doubt that the next quarter of a century, perhaps even the next decade, will witness a great change in public feeling anaia^ous to the change of views which experience has already brought about in the case of not a few prominent statesmen opposed to religion? education. The leaders of parties will be forced, in this and other olonies, to propose a necessary change. We fear, however, that, meantime, the remnant of Ohiistianity which informs the masses will, catside the Catholic Church, come well nigh vanishing point. The produot of secularism and godletsoess will boldly say to the * ould-be religion fl reformer, " AM, stultus, pott tempus venis "— •' G>, 1, you come too late." Unless measures be speedily taken another uarter of a century of godless schools will shatter many Protestant sects and fill to ov ei flowing the camp of unbelievers.