New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1876. THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 233, 26 February 1876, Page 12

New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1876. THE EDUCATION QUESTION.

The Board of Education lias at last done ,the right thing. It has given notice to terminate the special agreement subsisting between itself and the Episcopal and Roman Catholic bodies, and iiractically decided in favor of secular education. This result was expected. After the marked expression of popular opinion on this question very recently given in Wellington, the Board could not plead ignorance of the wishes of the vast majority of the ratepayers ; but if there had been any lingering uncertainty on the matter, the very able and temperate statement by the clergymen of various Protestant denominations at the meeting on Wednesday, must have removed it. With the principles embodied in that statement we are in entire accord ; and we also concur in the hope, as expressed in the fourth paragraph, namely, “that before long the “ Legislature will determine upon a sys- “ tern of education for New Zealand.” This is a question of the largest magnitude, and should be dealt with on the broadest grounds of general policy. We altogether dissent from the position taken up by Bishop Redwood, on behalf of the Roman Catholic Committee of Education. It is not equality he asked for, but supremacy. “Give us every- “ thing we demand for our schools, or “if you don’t you are persecuting “ Catholics.” IN ever was a cry of persecution raised with less cause for it. What possible pretence in fact is there for this imputation in Bishop Redwood’s letter 1 The Board of Education simply resolves to treat every religious denomination alike. They are to be placed on precisely the same footing;—there are to be no special arrangements, no private treaties whereby one religious sect may obtain an advantage over another ; and this is what Bishop Redwood declares to be ‘ 1 persecution against Catholics.” The plea is too absurd to receive serious attention. No one means to “force secularism in “ education ” on Roman Catholics; what is demanded is that the State shall not interfere in religious matters, but confine itself to providing an efficient system of school instruction in which all may participate, without offence to conscience. This system of education is called “ secular,” for want of a better term, because its scope and intent is to fit the members of the rising generation to discharge, with credit to themselves, the ordinary secular duties devolving upon good citizens. The State has nothing whatever to do with what a a man believes ; it has, however, a direct interest in what a man does. The functions of the State, therefore, in matters educational begin and end with providing for the youijg the means of obtaining that amount of secular instruction which will fit them for the creditable discharge of the active duties of life. It is for the Church to provide that special form of instruction which fits men for entering on a future life. If it fails in that duty it need not fall back upon the State to help it. A policeman’s baton is a sorry substitute for “ the sword of the “ Spirit.” If the Church, in times past, had trusted less to the secular power, it would not now be seized with a trembling at the knees at the thought of being compelled to guide, in spiritual things, an intelligent and educated people. Bishop Redwood may possess his soul in peace. No one will “ persecute” either himself or his flock. The crown of martyrdom will never be won in New Zealand. Perfect equality in matters ecclesiastical and civil is what must obtain in this country, and it is the duty of all lovers of freedom, and justice, and truth to uphold such a state of things.