SECULAR EDUCATION.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1435, 23 September 1872, Page 2

SECULAR EDUCATION.

The New Zealand Presbyterian Magazine, in a late issue, expressed itself in favor of a secular system of State education. The Rev. R. M'Kinney, writing from the Manse, Mahurangi, takes exception to this view. In reply, the editor very ably expresses views similar to those w&have always maintained in the columns of this journal. He doubts whether Mr M'Kinney really caught the drift of the article with which he finds fault, and goes on to say : This doubt is based on the following remark of Mr M'Kinney's :—"I have never met; in i his country with a single Piesbyterian who wished for a system of Education that would exclude religious teaching." Qur experience lias, been similar. But we have met with a great many who preferred that the State-paid teacher, who may be a Jew, a Roman Catholic, a Mormon, or an Infidel, should not impart i<, but that this essential element in Education should be imparted; by those whose hearts and heads alike fitted Jieni for the duty. Excluding religious teaching was no part of the theory laid down in the article in question; aud on this point nothing could be more explicit than our statements. The question at issue simply is—. Shall the State teach children religion, or should it be taught by others? In this there is no principle at s'ake; it is simply a question of means and possibilities. We maintain that the State cannot satisfactorily teach religion in a community so mixed, and a population so sparse. Sufficient is it if the State imparts to the mind "the bread that perisheth "; and shame on the Churches if they shirk the responsibility, and try to roll it over, on the State, of giving to the minds of i he young " the bread that endureth for ever " If Mr. M'Kinney can indicate a way in which the State can impart religious as well as secular knowledge in ail the public schools of the colony without acting unfairly, exciting bitter animosities, or exhausting the public revenue, he will be regarded as a benefactor of his country : for he will have done what no other man has been able to do. Whereas by the State imparting only that portion, of Education which it is competent to impart, and affording every facility for religious instruction of every shade and variety of belief, the State will have done no

wrong and violated no principle. If we deprecated religion as an element in the education of children we could readily understand the conscience being offended ; but the conscience that is offended because the State will not pay for doing what is ihe work of the Church is not so very intelligible. As we have said, education without religion is not only in complete but mischievous ; but we fear that indolence far oftener than principle prompts the demand that the religious' portion, as well as the secular, shall be provided by the State.