THE REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 229, 21 June 1919, Page 8

THE REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT

■ Sir,—ln your issue of June 1.1 appears a report of a meeting of the Protestant Political Association, at which (lie i-bove spanker gave an address, ile said, in the course of his speech "that ho strongly dissented from somo recent remarks mode by Bishop Sprott." Bishop Sprott, in opening a new school, had deplored tho fact "that the control of education in this country had been allowed to pass from the churches." Quite right too. Mr. l3lliott,*oii the ton. wary, stated 'that the interests of tho country and the. interests of Protestantism lvero Iround up with the. inainten<inco|of the free, secular, and compulsory education supplied by the State, and lie hoped the wish of Dr. Sprott that one day the churches would regain control of education would never be. realised." Then Mr. Elliott said "that the State system assured a good education for everybody, while a church system could not assure this," which is quite wrong. Is this, Sir, really and truly "Protestantism" thiit is talking? Or is it rather Nationalism? I held my breath in stupendous wonder when I 'read this. Surely the Protestnnt Political Association is getting tangled tip in a sort ot network of inconsistency? Have not Pro-tc-staiits the world over, and from all time sworn by the Bible as their guide, their counsellor, and frieud? Has not this great Book always and for over been tho bulwark and anchor-chain of Protestants? And yet, now, this now Protestant political body, through its chief lecturer, proclaims that an educational system, in -which the Bible is <(uit« ignored, "is satisfactory to them." Truly wonders never cease. To think that (ho days would over have dawned when Protestants (in tiny country) should have so overlooked, what they tell us llieit forefathers died in defending, viz., the p<.ssessioii and the teaching of tho Bible.

If tho Bible is toi Protestants whni generations of Protestants tell us it if, obviously the children of Protestants are fully entitled lo have their characters chiefly formed by Hie great and wi.se teaching in that Hook, and not at home alone, and on Sundays only, but' each day and every day, to make of them the best citizens possible. Why, Sir, the Protestant Political Association, in its eagerness for a li<*ht, in its eagerness to ,lcok lrell after iiie J?onißii Catholics, is surely throwing overboard its own lifebelts? ■

Now, mark the contrast. Although Sir. Elliott told ns at that meeting, "the State system assured a good education for everybody,". in your issue of June H ho discovers, strange to nay, that it doe? no such thing. For.in a letter headed "A lielic for Scotland,'' writing on the death of Queen Mary, he tells iw that a certain statement* in history is wrong. He says: ''This statement, in view of the wholly inadequate and unsatisfactory teaching of history in the schools, and of the general ignorance which prevails concerning the facts of Mary's life, etc., demands elaboration."

Here we see tho iviliness of the . l!ev. Howard ■ Elliott. Our State system of education, then, is not all iie claims for it. History giv»s tho ltoman Church a fair deal,' and it is only correct if and when it shares the bitter animus of the writer of the letter referred to. And suciy is party warfare! I am r.ot a lioiian Catholic, and write, impartially, but venture to believe that the P.P. Meociatian are out for "scalps." and nevc-f mind Protestantism! How can true frotpstauts remain satisfied with the secular education for their children? All honour to any church and every, church which seeks, through its own schools, to impart that which a careless Statu neglects—l am, etc., F.T.J. Juno 20, 191' J.