THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

Evening Star, Issue 2883, 16 May 1872, Page 2

THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

We have been requested to publish the following extract from the Scotsman of February 3 A falljfly which has long been lurking

about in a half disclosed way, appearain the speech of Lord Salisbury and in other quarters—that there is as much violation of right or conscience in nob endowing as in endowing religions teaching. Thi Times says —“ If the conscience of one party is wounded by being made to contribute to a school where religion is taught, the conscience of the other is wounded by being made to contribute to a school where religion is not taught. ” In all such utterances it is forgotten that' the so called secularists, such as the Nonconformists of England, ask only that nothing should be endowed but those things about which all the payers of endowment are agreed; whilst Lord Salisbury and the Times demand that there should alse be endowed those things or some things about which the payers of endowment are disagreed. In the one case no man ia asked to pay for or countenance anything which he disapproves ; in the other case many men are asked to pay for and countenance something which they disapprove, abhor, aud think pernicious. Conscience cannot be violated in the one case, and must be violated in the one case. Suppose Lord Salisbury were dining in a tavern with Baron Rothschild, the Christian marquis and the Jew Baron would agree in ordering soup, fish, beef, or anything else which both concurred in believing to be wholesome aud lawful to eat—that would be a parallel to a common school teaching only uncontra verted things; but if Lord Salisbury insisted that bis Hebrew frienii should also eat and pay for a roast of pork, then there would be violation of conscience, and a parallel to the case of schools endowed by all teaching the religion of some.