The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-01 00:00:00

JULY 1, 1854.

It purports to be a petition from the under-
signed clergymen of the United 'Church of
England and Ireland residing in England;
and, when we state that it is signed by no
fewer than 5,414 of our English clergy, com-
prising 170 dignitaries—and among them some
of the most distinguished men who adorn our
Church—we need scarcely add that it affords
a strong proof of the sympathy which exists
in this country as regards the position of the
clergy of the Established Church in Ireland in
respect of the national system of education in
that country ; and vindicates amply the course
which that body has been constrained to take
in maintaining the great principle of scriptu-
ral education. A petition so numerously
signed has never, we believe, emanated from
the clergy of England.
The petition is as follows :
The Humble Petition of the undersigned Clergy-
. men of the United Church of England and
_ Ireland, residing in England,

Sheweth,—That your petitioners are deeply interested
in all that concerns the welfare and progress of the United
Church of England and Ireland, and specially in the edu.
cation given to the children attending parochial and other
schools, under the direction of ministers or members of
the Church.
. .

That your petitioners have regarded with much anxiety
the rules and practice of the Irish National Board of
Education ; in accordance with which, as it now is clearly
ascertained, even the parochial schools of the Established
Church in Ireland, if receiving aid, could not be permitted
to make instruction in the word of God an essential part
of the education of all the children attending the same.
. .

That your petitioners have with thankfulness observed
the decided stand made by a very large majority of their
clerical brethren in Ireland in favour of scriptural educe•
tion, and cordially sympathise in their efforts to secure in
their schools the unrestricted use of the word of God :
whilst in their steadfast refusal to connect themselves with
the National Board, under conditions which would prevent
them from instructing in the Holy Scriptures every child
in attendance, they have only acted in accordance with the
principles of the Church and in strict fulfilment of their
ordination vows.

That your petitioners have noticed that in England there
is no interference with the religious instruction given in
schools assisted by the State; that in all Protestant schools
the Scriptures are taught to every child attending; and in
iloman Catholic schools such instruction as their directors
think proper is given to all the children in attendance :
consequently it seems unjust and invidious to place the
Irish branch of the United Church in a position which
would not be assigned to any sect or denomination
in England.
Your petitioners therefore humbly pray your honourable
house to pass such enactment or make such other provision
as may secure for the ministers and members of the Irish
branch of the United Church who seek or receive aid from
the commissioners of education the free and unrestricted
use of the Scriptures in their schools, and enable all persons
freely to read and honour God's holy word, and thus to
remove every hindrance to giving or accepting public aid
for promoting sound and scriptural education in every
part of the United Kingdom.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound,
will ever pray, &c.