THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1881. CLERICAL INTOLERANCE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2313, 2 September 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1881. CLERICAL INTOLERANCE.

It is hard to believe that in this nineteenth century there could be found a clergyman of the Church of England exhibiting such bigotry and blind unreasoning intolerance as the Rev. P. C. Anderson. This gentleman during tha debate on the question of religions education of the young in the Diocesan Synod, is ..reported to have made the following astounding statement: — " Ha could always toll a boy who came from a secular school from one who came from a Church school, by his ruffianly manner and irreligious behaviour. [Oh ! Oh J

Hear! Hear J ] He was less intelligent than a boy trsdned in a Church school.' Can the force of blind nnreasoning opposition to the system of State education go further than this? Because the particular dogmas of some religious sect are not enunciated in the State schools, this broad minded and liberal gentleman makes the assertion that the children are all ruffianly and irreligious. We can only wonder that such a mis-statement as this—putting it in the mildest possible form—found any sympathisers at all in the Synod. We note that it was received with cries of " Oh, oh," and " Hear, hear." The latter seems to have come from those who agreed with Mr. Anderson, but we ifeel certain of this, that such a charge as was then made against the children attending our State schools is unfounded and uncalled for. We do not suppose that the boys of these schools are a whit better than boys generally are, but to say that because they attend a school where, instead of having catechism and texts administered to them ad nauseam, they receive that amount of education which fits them to take their position in life, they are ruffians and Atheists is intolerance worthy of the old Puritan times. We comnaed the Rev. P. C. Anderson to a little practical exposition of the charity which he no doubt teaches.