The Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3101, 27 January 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1873.

Yesterday week Bishop MoßAx’sLenten Pastoral, 1873, was read publicly in tho Roman Catholic Church of Dunedin, and has since been circulated. It contains, amongst other matters, an attack upon •tho educational systems of Otago, Can. terbury, and Wellington, which are described as “ being antagonistic to ” the principles, oppressive to the consciences of Eoman Catholics, and condemned by the Roman Catholic Church. We do not, in the slightest degree, suppose that opinions so dogmatically expressed can bo changed, no matter how unsound they may be. We are quite ready to admit that there is a remnant of ecclesiastical intolerance in the system of Otago, in that clause of the Education Ordinance which provides that the Holy Scriptures shall bo read daily in the schools], TVte consider the regulation an infringement upon religious liberty; a virtual assertion of a Stg-te right to compel men, who may not approve pf the system, to pay for giving instruction after a fashion opposed to their ideas, but which ijoipmcnds itself to others; and because it is stepping upon ground that society has no right tp occupy, we have alwavs advocated that, m public day-schools, secular education only cjjould bo given. In Otago, this spiritual tyranny is, however, barely recognisable ; for the in the Ordinance upon which it is based is the most milk-and-water affair possible. It runs thus: —

In every school established under the provisions of this Ordinance, the Holy Scriptures shall be read daily; such reading shall be either at the opening or of the school, as maybe fixed by the teacher; ami no child, whose parent or guardian shall object to such instructions shall be bound to attend at itimes.

It will bo seen that this is'an endeavor to reconcile the differences between those who would Jpivo religious instruction given in the clay school, and those who object to it. It is neither one thing nor another. Yet, maudlin as it is, this shabby apology for religious teaching on tho one side, gnd religious liberty on the other, open as it is for anyone who obi Gets .to its provisions to prevent Ins child being subjected to them, Bishop Mokax makes ’ tho battle-ground on behalf of his Church, fio recommends Ills flock, therefore, to make known what ho terms “ tho injustice done them, in petitions clear, strong, and respectful.” Hgd Bishop Moran stopped here, although wo do not sec any serious outrage to any man’c conscience in laying down a rule he Ims fgU liberty to accept or decline, we should have V 9 far sympathised with him, as to advocate tiift this clause should be repealed altogether. The Roman Catholic has quite a right to object to a portion of the taxes ho lias paid being made use of for teaching tho Protestant instead of the Douay version of the Bible; plthough wo do not think it matters, so far as children arc concerned, which of the two is adopted; but, as far as religious liberty is involved, tho outrage upon his convictions is equally the game as if Protestantism were taught. If,

therefore, wc arc to enjoy genuine rcli gious liberty, this mischievous and useless regulation should be abolished. llcio our sympathy with the Bishop cuds; foi he advocates the right of the Homan Catholic schoolmaster to do precisely what he condemns in other churches. But wo have a grave charge to bring against Bishop Moran. Wo can excuse his thinking differently from ourselves : that he has the right to do. Wo can excuse his morbid views on what lie terms “injustice and insult to Catholics as citizens, and pity the sensitiveness of his badly-instructed conscience. Wc can smile at the childish attack on Freemasonry. Wc do not suppose a single Freemason will feel disturbed in his sleep at the exhibition of intolerant interference with the rights of citizenship, in the powerless sentence of excommunication pronounced against him. Uieso spiritual anathemas may be very easily borne now-a-days, and, as nobody is worse thought of in consequence of being subjected to them, as a matter of policy they should be very sparingly resorted to. These arc not what we complain of. Our charge against Bishop Moran is that, in order to rouse the feelings of his flock against the existing laws, lie has stooped to what wo believe to be gross misrepresentation. Ho has made a statement which, for the sake of his own influence with his people, as well as to sustain his reputation for moral integrity, he is bound to substantiate. In the Lenten Pastoral, he says : There is, as we are aware, what is called a conscience clause, but we know that in Otago it is frequently a sham or a snare ; and we entertain no doubt whatever it will be found to be the same in the other two Provinces. Notwithstanding this conscience clause, such unfortunate Catholic children as attend Government schools m Otago are exposed to chastisement for refusing to read, or assist at the reading, of the Protestant Bible, learn Protestant prayers, and read the vilest calumnies against the Church and its Ministers. We know of cases in point of recent occurrence.

Wc do not believe tliovc is a school in Otago where any chastisement has _ been administered to a child “ for refusing to read ” or to “assist at the reading of the Protestant Bible.” Wo do not believe there is a school in Otago where Homan Catholic children have even been asked to loam Protestant prayers; much less chastised for not learning them. As for reading whatareeomplaincd of as nies against the Church and its ministers, wo suppose the Bishop moans the study of history; in which case wo should be very sorry to sec ecclesiastical interference succeed in smothering facts to suit the dogmas of a particular Church, no matter whether Homan Catholic or Protestant. Unfortunately the past bristles with very unpleasant reminiscences connected with them all ; so that men should be made acquainted with them in order that Biivitual tyranny may bo restrained, aving made inquiry as to the really serious charge of children being “exposed to punishment” for the offences stated — by which is evidently intended to be understood that they were punished—wc understand no complaint of the sort lias been mado to the Education Board, whose instructions to the teachers arc so clear and explicit on the point, that any transgression of them would result in the dismissal of the offending teacher. They are required to coniine the Scripture reading strictly to the terms of the Ordinance, and to have the authorised version of the Scriptures read without note or comment; and that children whose parents object, are not required to be present. ( If then anything has been done oppressive to Honiau Catholic children, it was the duty of the parents or guardians to make representations to the proper authorities, so that the charge could bo fully aud fairly investigated. We have one word to say to our Boynan Catholic fellow-colonists. Precisely tfco same struggle in regard to education has bjken place in Victoria as is about to commence in New Zealand. Precisely similar means were resorted to by Homan Catholics aud certain Protestant clergy, as have been adopted in New Zealand, to thwart the passing of a satisfactory measure. But the laity there, as in all liberal social measures in later times, are vastly in advance of their ministers, and have thrown away the bone of contention—the religious teaching in public day schools. So satisfactory does the system of secular teaching, only, prove to the population, that the Homan Catholic schools are in almost all instances placed nuder the Government control. Wc do not suppose the Homan Catholics of Victoria loss than those of New Zealand in regard to their faith, and we trust they will not prove to be in advance of them iu their love of liberty and willingness to accord it to others.