BISHOP MORAN AND EDUCATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 168, 27 April 1871, Page 5

BISHOP MORAN AND EDUCATION.

(To the'Ediiokj • V Sir, — The sermon preached at Sr.^B Joseph's some weeks ago by- the above- ■ named distinguished Prelate has bvn made the subject of a considerable amount M of correspondence in the "t-Hag° -*- )c ' 1^ lm Times." I have looked in vain ni a'ncSj other papers as come under my notice for 1 any comment upon it ; and as the sul- 1 ject is one of great importance, I think k £ right that it should be ventilated limg country as well as in town — hence tin's letter. The writers to the '• Daily Times" J in the main (though not all in the saiaejtf manner, and I am glad to say not all i^iH the same bigoted unchristian spirit) con- M demn Dr. Moran's views, and go in 1 strongly against denominational cum a- J tion ; and I am surprised to see thai some writers of evident intelligence and erud - tion praise and extol the Otago educinofi system, while at the same time they strongly reprobate denominationnlism be- « ing introduced into our scholastic syj*' M teni ! ! This, in Otago, is too ab=irrii. v >.| What is the Otago sj'stem from begin' ingV to end but a denominational system { \ but the denomination is Pres'-ytori >v ; _Jy. and in almost evfry one of the Ot^o t schools Presbyterianism is taught. In 1 presenting a phase of the subject which * has not yet been touched upon (so far as i I am aware), although I am not of Di . Moran's persuasion, I think with him that the sooner the existing staie of things is put an end to the b-^ter, and I U find myself in good company in hoLiirg 1 the opinion that all the enlightened J members of the Otago community hive ' reason to thank the Bishop for having set the ball rolling. If th.3 secular sy^-^J tern is to maintain, and if it is p >s3gt <ed ~Jt of all the advantages which its votaries l^ ascribe to it, let, us have a secular systpir, and not the bastard which is, and has " been for years past, palmed off upon us , by peop'e who claim to ru 7 e according to I A their own narrow ideas, becaiiSd they \A happen to have been the first who wor'a J so unwise as to Belect this- prt±ci'>^Bß Golgotha for their nklus.^ But I h-ne^B yet to be convinced tliat a secular system ■ of education is the best, or even the most economic. I have no doubt what-^j ever that if a denominational system i^jfl introduced (which Heaven grant) we shall ■ find certain denominations which aie I near akin (Presbyterian, Methodists. J et hoc genus otrve) clubbing together P/j for one school. The Church of England I would, douMleai hare another, si.i-i ihefc^ '"hurchof Rome a tVIH. '-'nci; 30'fKiiVUwi c<vuld and would be well supported ml anj'thing like a populous district— such as 1 Tuapeka for instance. The competiton \ would bs healthy in tha cx i ri-:r"\ an.} } %i would afford an oonortunitv for tlie securing of really fir-t- -lass schoo 1 in asters — an article rather .varce in OtagM just now. Urrler such a sysfc^ra the instruction imparted would b^ satisfactory f o all p'lrties aftpr a very thovt trial, because it would allow all children to be taught the religion , of their father^ and if religion ia actually %\ "the one thing needful," I apj?r©h(. J n'l <v^ that it should bo. the basis of education. \ How would those dissenters who write against Dr. Moran's views like to send-L their children to schools of which he"l might have the spiritual oversight-?' How, \ ' then, in all fairness can they expect our \ Roman Catholic brethren to tolerate the ' instruction of their children in PreVbytorian schools, as is the case in Otago at present ]

One word more and I hnve dons. I have asserted that Presbyterianism is taught in nearly every school in Otago. I do not mean to charge the masters with any direct dereliction of duty in actually teaching the tenets nf their f.uth, bu«- T T say that the very school honks, tho method of teaching, tlip whole air and atmosphere of everything that is done, said, or written, is as Presbvteri*n -as' )T "* is possible for it, to be, and I think that it is high time for p a .nn!e of the Presbjterian faith to be made awive that unto a very large and respectable section of Protestants, FredbyterLinisni is as justly obnoxious as Roman Catholicism is to Presbyterians. A stain I say, if we are to have secular schools, let them be purely secular, and not so in name only, in i favour of one denomination and to the I exclusion of the rights and ''ntsrests of every other. — I am, &c,, Protestant,