SECULAR EDUCATION AND FRANCESCO FERRER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1023, 12 January 1911, Page 2

SECULAR EDUCATION AND FRANCESCO FERRER.

Sir, —Every word Mr. Ganimell .has written in his last letter is right, and fully justified. The murder of Francesco Ferrer' can only rank with the clerical crimes against Bruno, Galileo, .or. Servetus; the massacre of St..Bartholomew, or any of the Scottish massacres. ■, Nearly all the churches are alike in this respect, proving my contention that the present different sectarian Churches are the .curse of Australasia. That any of them should upset our secular system, of education is not to be thought of, "and I'aiil glad a . Secular League ,Ims been' formed in Wellington. to-stand .by the;'rights', of Ttho people as against further , interference. Francesco Ferrer was '"purely, a ■ secular school man, and for that ho was killed. But a thousand statues. in Europo, and America will be raised to his memory. Those who maintain that any of the Churches should again have the education of our children entrusted to them, had better explain why Franco has gone against any Church teaching; why Portugal has also followed' suit, and why the resignation - of Signor Canelejas ivas not accepted last week by King. Alfonso in Spain? That resignation implied oply one thing (to those who. know what is happening),, viz: tho triumph .of. secular education in Spain . over any future clerical teaching. And yot this very thing that is being abolished in France, Portugal, and Spain is sought to. be. established in this fair, young, colony of New Zoaland. Such a reversion is. horrible, to contemplate. Look at Russia.--- entiroly. under clerical influence. Do the clericals who swarm so thickly , amongst us wish ■to bring New Zealand to Russia's level?. Or take-Italy! If clerical teaching is so very good, why nro-i-there so many murderous secret societies "there, and life generally so insccun?? And Italians are rigidly educated by the clerics.. What is more horrible than tlAafliblfenld."family" nntr- . der that goes oil. there? A man offends some secret Society. Not only is lie as- ■ snssinated, but'bis wife and children also. ■ Will not the press of Wellington stand ■ by human'fTghts,. and allow full freedom [ to discuss this awful question? .. Is New ' Zealand to be handed over body anclsoul 1 to. tho clericals? And by clericals I mean all the Churches; In my mind the whole present clerical cult in Wellington 'is a huge mistake, evidenced by-the 11011- . attendance of the intelligent amongst us. ' To hand over to ■ this cult. the education ' of our, children would only prove as bad . a crimo as the murder of Francesco Feri rer. I have been a colonist now. for . nearly half a century, and endeavoured in'my time to do.my share in: the real '/ advancement; of New Zealand.-* When' I' am dead . and gone that-which I . have ' done will be- duly summed up. . But to •' my mind, my most unselfish work for all » our. future good: is to stand by that small 1 band of men who are nobly trying to stem the tide of Church domination. I i ask. sir, that the press should aid us . at least, by allowing free space for our comments, providing those comments are i moderately and courteously expresscfl. At ' present it looks to -me that the press * unduly favours'-the sectarians. I warmly . congratulate Mr. Gainmell upon his. let- , ter.—l am, etc., COLEMAN PHILLIPS. ' Carterton, January 7, 1911.