EDUCATION IN VICTORIA.

Evening Star, Issue 3047, 23 November 1872, Page 2 (Supplement)

EDUCATION IN VICTORIA.

A country clergyman has struck the right key on the iducatiou question. The Hcv. T. K. MacMillan made a speech at Hamilton last week in which he put lorth some facts which are worth quoting. He said:-“I know a district ol the Colony with some fifty schools iu which there was no religious instrnc'ion imparted. I believe that peoplo are under a delusion if they suppose that religious insti notion is given in our common schools. Even in denominational schools the imparting of religious instruction is the exception and not the rule. Cudcr these circumstances there should be no oppotitiou to the present measure. Nay, under these circumstances, it is becoming that denominational schools should no longer ho suffered to continue, seeing that they do not serve their purpose as denominational schools, and that they should now, accordingly, be merged in the generous school system of the country. Even supposing we bad no religions instruction whatever in the public schools, 1 do not believe children would suffer in consequence. The arrangement by which religions instruction is imparted iu the Sunday schools throughout the Colony is, lam glad to say very complete. Ti ere is, 1 understand, at least one Sabbath school in every township throughout the country. In fact, wherever ton or twelve children can be got togi-tlr r, there we find a Sabbath school. From the latest returns which f have received from the Registrar-General, 1 find that there are 100,040 children attending the Sabbath schools of the Colony, which is a considerably larger number than that attending the common schools. The number of tlv se Sabbath schools is continually increasing, and I feel assured that, through these institutions, the religious instruction of the children in this country will be carefully attended to.” Here is an organisation for the express purpose of imparting religious instruction to the youth of the Colony—an organisation that ia doing its work admirably ; why interfere with if; It is evident if the church and the clergy did th ir duty in this respect, they would never think of calling np.m the secular teacher to help them.