DR. MORAN ON EDUCATION.

Evening Star, Issue 2874, 6 May 1872, Page 2

DR. MORAN ON EDUCATION.

The Right JRev. Dr. Moran discoursed on education at St. Joseph’s last evening; and spoke for an hour and a half. Of necessity, he travelled over a good deal of ground which has been gone over on previous occasions; and we shall, therefore, merely give those portions of his addres which strike us as con« taining fresh matter : After referring to the present education Ordinance, under the management of which, said his hardship, it became practica ly impossible for Catholics to obtain justice, because it was impossible for them to obtain the appointment even of an assistant master or masters of their own religion, and because, even supposing committees were disposed to act fairly and give Catholics a choice according to their principles, Catholics could not make use of the system, inasmuch as it made compulsory the use of the authorised version of the Bible—a forbidden book to Catholics, because it contained innumerable and substantial errors in reference to some primary and most important truth of Christianity; whilst the conscience danse, said to be a protection, as such was illusory—he spoke as follows :—I am unable to find out upon what principle any one who is really a Catholic can accept employment under this system. I speak not in reference to an isolated case— I am discussing a system; and I say that the practical working of it is as I have described it. I say further it is impossible for us to obtain the appointment of a Catholic teacher, either chief or assistant, in any of the schools of Dunedin, or important localities of the Province, In an out of the way place, or for a very limited time, because of the difficulties of obtaining qualified teachers, possibly a Catholic may be appointed. But that is nothing to the purpose, and no answer whatever to my objection. Now we had an illustration in this very town not long ago. The office of assistant teacher at one of the schools was vacant, and candidates went up for examination. A Catholic offered himself ; and was declared eligible, so far as his qualifications were concerned. Practically, the appointment lay with the headmaster, and he wrote to the committee, saythat the person was a Roman Catholic smd recommending another, not because that other was better qualified, but because the other had the greater qualification in hia eyes of not being a Catholic. The committee pairing a show of great virtue and liberality, wrote back to the master not to consider religion, but to make his recommendation irrerespective of it. The master then sent in a second recommendation, in which he named the same person he named before. The whole thing was simply throwing dust in the eyes of the people. Now again in reference to this system, suppose for a moment that the conscience clause be to be* in terms precisely such as I coula demand or be satisfied with, still we Catholics must object to the system because even then for us* it would be a secular system. I wish you to bear in mind ; to impress upon you strongly that whatever improvements may be made; or in whatever way the Ordinance may be amended, it would be nothing more nor less, under the most favorable cond.tions, than a secular system of education, to which the Catholic Church has always objected, and will continue to object for ever and ever. * * * * Now 1 will say a few words in reference to the proposed Bill of the Colonial Government. It differs practically from the Ordinance in nothing, so far as I can see, except in regard to what are called the aided schools clauses. 4 *So far as these are concerned there is an effoi t made to do us justice—to meet our principles, or as some people would call them our prejudices. Thus far, therefore, we-are under an-obligation-to the General Government, and bound to pray that this Bill may pass. Still, you are not to come to the conclusion, because I say this, that I approve of the Bill. I cannot approve of it, because the principle embodied in it, with the exception of th« aided schools clauses, is i practically, and considered as a system, the principle of the Ordinance of tbe Province —which principle I believe to bo unsound, and calculated to injure society, it is practically, to the community at large, secular education—to which, of course; 1

object; and, whilst I object on principle, I am not prepared to offer any active opposition as long as justice is done to us ; so long as we have fair play. '1 hough we majr deplore the establishment of an unsound principle we are not called upon to do more than to give public expression to our opinions, leaving our fellow citizens at perfect liberty to make whatever they may please for the education of their own children. The community at large may agree to accept the systi-m and I shall be perfectly satisfied ; provided, of course, that exception will be made in favor of our schools - in other words, that the aided schools clauses shall become the law of the land and be administered by the Government in a spirit of fair plaj and justice. His Lordship next referred to Catholic education ; its teaching and continued I have several times spoken to you on the subject of the books that are used in there schools ; it is, therefore, unnecessary for me to repeat what I have already said on this subject I have before designated them as atrocious calumnies on the Catholic religion and its ministers. ( To be continu d.)