The Evening Star FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1874

Evening Star, Issue 3426, 13 February 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1874

We have received from Melbourne the Second Annual Report of the Victorian Auxiliary Sunday School Union, which is interesting, through showing the character of the efforts put forth by members of different churches to give religious education to children. From the terms of its constitution, “ The Union” is “ open to all Sunday Schools Victoria” holding the fundamental principles of Christianity, and subscribing one pound per annum, to all ministers and teachers subscribing half-a-crovyn per annum, and to subscribers of five shillings annually. Its range therefore is wide enough. The Union was formed in September, 1871, and embraces thirty-eight schools connected ■ftith Baptist, Congregational, Independent, Presbyterian, and United Methodist and Wesleyan Churches. From the statistical table annexed it appears that the re are 910 teachers connected with thoise schools, of whom 619 are Church members. Of the teachers 315 were forme rly scholars in some of the schools. T,'he number of scholars

under instruction is 9,349, of whom 1,209 are above fifteen years of age, and 1,579 in infant classes. To each school a library is attached, the most flourishing of which appear to be those in connection with the Wesleyan Schools ; in one of which there are 1,430 books j in another, 1,324 ; while several others contain from 500 to 700 volumes. It will be observed that neither the Episcopalian nor Roman Catholic Churches has joined the Unfon, and therefore to this organization for giving religious education, must be added the schools connected with those denominations \ but as we have no statistics of their doings, we, of necessity, can only deal with the report before us. In the course of the discussions that have taken place on the education question, the advocates for religious instruction in day schools would have us to be content with the reading of the Bible without note or comment, under the fallacious notion that by that method they are fulfilling their duty. That is, they place the schoolmaster, who may or may not be a religious man, and who is paid for doing very different work, in the position that a church or its appointee should hold. Limiting his functions to hearing the Bible read, the conscience is satisfied: that reading is dignified by the name of religious instruction, and the Press is pronounced infidel for calling it a sham. We, therefore, feel it due to ourselves, considering the position we have taken on the education question, to point to the systematic effort adopted in Victoria by those associated schools, evidently as thoroughly convinced as we are that much more is required than Bible reading to justify the term “ religious” being applied to education—and m passant, we may observe,, that much more is necessary than can be given in a day school with justice to the children. Passing over the general and various special reports, we come to one under the head “ Training Class,” which appears to be at present in an elementary position—perhaps experimental would be the more correct term. This class is intended for teachers. Compared with the large number connected with the various schools, the attendance does not appear large, the average being only thirtythree. Various reasons may be assigned for this. The teachers are scattered over a very extensive area in town and suburbs; some of them are debarred attendance through distance, some through secular engagements, a few because they do not need it, but most probably by far the greater number because they cannot realize their own ignorance of the subjects their zeal lias led them to undertake to teach. But, notwithstanding this small attendance, the Committee consider that the class has progressed favorably. They give an outline of what has been done, and of what is advisable in the future. “ Recognising the great usefulness of the Metropolitan Training Class,” they “ x’ccommend that branch or district classes be formed.” They propose to place them under “ one or two earnest teachers of experience from each suburb co-operat-ing with the Central Committee.” “ Such classes,” they say, “ would conduce to the edification of a much larger number of the Union’s teachers, and would be more convenient to many, who at present come from a long distance.” One passage in the report is , remarkable, taking into consideration the various sectarians forming this Union

In conclusion, the Committee desire to express ummstakeably the delight and benefit this class has proved to the members of different denominations of Christ’s Church thus associated with one object. There has not been one jamng word, not one harsh expression, not a tinge of discord; but instead there has been noticeable the influence of the Holy Spirit in the Christian charity, forbearance, kindliness, and sympathy that have characterised these meetings, and in the desire manifested both by old and young teachers to “ grow in grace, and JS; , ® knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ’

Our notice of this organisation would be incomplete, were we to omit to state that the Union has adopted a system of teachers and scholars’ examinations on Biblical subjects. They would remind the Union that the posfiessiou of knowledge is essential to imparting it: that a Sunday School teacher who does not thonuyhly study the Bible cannot intelligently teach it: that the rapid advance of secular education imperatively demands an equally rapid, or even a more than proportionate advance of knowledge among Christians, in order to resist the materialism and doubt which imperil so many souls : that such improvement of is one of the main objects for which the Union was formed ; and that the examinations, while furnishing the best (if not, indeed, the. only certain) test of that improvement, supply also a strong incentive to it by laying down a well-chosen systematic course of study, and by rousing healthy emulation. The teachers' examinations were held in July and December, 1873. It was required that each candidate must be sixteen years old, and to pass must be able to answer, in writing, the printed questions, without using books, printed matter, or notes of any kind. The Text-books, in addition to the paragraph Bible, were Smith’s “Old and New Testament History,” Stanley’s “ Sinai and Palestine,” Dr Thomson’s “The Land and the Book,” “ The Philosophy of the Plan of Salvation,” and W. H. Groser’s “ Our Work,” on the art of teaching. Successful competitors received prize books to the value of two pounds. We of course cannot expect everyone to agree with us in opinion, but when we find it possible for so many members of Churches holding different sectarian ideas, to meet on common ground, studying together, agreeing together, and, without the direct sanction of the Churches, forming an organisation calculated to work more enduring and wide-spread good than any

system adopted in our times—doing, in fact, the work the Churches are supposed to have been instituted for—we cannot understand the statement so frequently repeated by various ministers that it is impossible to give religious instruction excepting in the day school. What a Sunday Sehool Union can do, a Church can do more effectively ; and until some similar system is adopted, our religious teaching will remain more or less a sham.