The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-01 00:00:00

that each class should proceed in the' ordinary way, that the
gemlemen might have a fair opportunity of seeing and judging
of the daily routine of our fiction], previously to the formai exs
amisation, which was the object of their visit. One of the corn-
mittec propotted instantly to send for nut, but that was over-
ruled by the rest, and they contented themitelies, in the mean-
time,
with hearing a class of boys read the Bible, which one of
the teacher* allowed them to do, on its lieing solemnly demanded
" in a greater name than that of Mr. Owen."
I must, however, do these entlemen the justice to say, that
on my entrance into the school, five minutes afterwards,
accompanied by Mr. • Clegg, every sympton of anger or vio-
lence had disappeared, and they conversed with us, without
even expressing any disapprobation of my having ordered that
no change in the regular school proceeding should be made.
Th ey then heard several other classes read, and alike,'
whether they could repeat the Shorter Vaitechisni. Vre said
we did not know whether they could all do so or not, and
added, that the can chitin was . taught to them only on
Sundays. The conurittet however, on being invited to do so,
proceeded to examine the childrens
on this point. They began
with one of those next to them. who, Mr. Walker and Mr.
Lamb both admit, answered to their satisfaction, Mr. Walker.
hoirever, says " that not one of the 75th children, whom we in.
vited to conic forward, and whom we call upon the teacher to
bßttg forward. would undertake to repeat a Word of that cate.
Om it 11414," Now, it' truth did not esact from me the asser.
dim, I should not inform Mr. Walker, as I novedoottat he no
longer recollects what neither the teachers. nor Mr. Clegg, nor
myself, have forgotten, viz., that no. sach invitation, on the "art
of the Committee, Well ever nta‘le, eitier to the ehMiren or to Me
teachers. The real reason why no (idler boy was examined, he
may perhaps recollect, when I :nate to him the following cir-
cumstance :—When the little boy above-mentioned had an.
swered the questions put to him front the catechism, they en..
paired of him whether he was not taught these things at home ?
They gathered from his answer, that his grandmother was in
the habit of giving hint such instruction. I fear the poor little
fellow must have been confused by the intbnidstii3g manner of
the Rev. Gentlemen ; for his grandmother has since positively
disclaimed the merit of having given hint any eatechetleal in-
struction whatever, being perfectly satisfied with that which he
received in our schools. Of this, however, the Committee
could not be aware at the time, and therefore I fear they con-
eluded, notwithstanding my unwillingness, that they ahould
receive so false atn impression; aged ray entleavotirs, to prevent
their doing so, that the Catqldstti was proscribed in the New
Institution, and that there/ire it was useless to examine any
other child on that point. They then proceeded to sey, that
at least we did not .even profess to teach the catechism on week
days, and expressed their atoonialiment that we should dare to
proceed so directly contrary to the law of the land, bringing up
these poorchildren without religious or moral instruction; and
asked what I could expect from children so trained, when they
reached manhood ? I replied, as nearly as I can recollect,
" that we had never concealed what was done in the schools,
and that therefore had they taken the trouble to inquire of any
of us, they would long since have been informed that the ca-
techism was not taught on week days ; that I was perfectly on.
conscious of our having acted contrary to any law ; that I knew
of no children whose morals were more strictly attended to ;
and that I certainly did expect them to become very superior
men and women ; 'beside*, that it was entirely a matter of opi-
nion whether children under ten years of age could be bone.
fited by being taught to repeat the Catecliisni." I added,
"that they must be aware that this was it private and not a pa.
rochial school; and that if they were at liberty to interfere here,
they were. so equally inaho case of any private tutor.". They ,
admitted the accuracy of the inference; but asserted, " that
they had full authority to insist on every private tutor's teeth- I
ing his pupils the catechism." I confess that when I consi-
dered
the number of different religious sects, Quakers, Roman !
Catholim, even Episcopalians, and other dissenters who might
not consider this catechism the best, and who might yet, if they '
lived in Scothuid, lie thus forced to adopt it, I could by no means
reconcile a supposition that such a power was actually placed
in the hands of the Clergy, with that liberty of conscience
which I had always believed that we enjoyed in Great Britain.
I told the Presbytery that I doubted the existence of such a
power, that therefore we had no intention of altering our ors..
sent arrangements, and that indeed we had already gone
further than we were warranted in doing by the articles of part.
tienthip. I distitictly explained whence the report of the pro.
bibitory °Wet. regarding the Scriptures, originated. Sequel
of the tloinnaittee expreased theiretelves to me quite oath/Jed as
to the Scriptures being stacedly read twice a-week, but they all
complained that it was not enough to teach the Catechism on
Sundays only ; and added that they should be obliged to re-
port the case to the General Ameinbly.
They did so ; and in consequence of their report, the Com-
mittee of the. General Assembly took up the matter warmly.
They said, " Your Committee state with regret that the
Lanark Presbytery had been unsucceasffil in resisting the at.
tempts made by Mr. Owen, to exclude the Bible from the
schools under his superintendence." I profess myself still ut.
terly at a loss to conceive, how 'loch a Irep ort could be made
thus officially to such an Assembly. That it was believed is
evident. Mr. Lapelie thought " it was high time that the
proper authorities should interfere at New Lanark, to prevent
the Scriptures from being treated with contempt." And others
spoke in an equally violent and decided manner. Now, had I
been in Mr. Menzies's place, or in that of any of the Members
of the Presbytery Committee, I should certainty have con.
sidered it my duty instantly to come forward, and to state for
the infomiation of the General Assembly and of the public,
that although they might not approve of Air. Owen's proceed-
ings at New Lanark, yet they must correct a mis-apprehension
on the part of that Reverend body, in conceiving that the
Scriptures were not only not read there, but actually treated
with contempt; neither of which suppositions was founded on
fact, as they themselves could testify.
As no such statement was made, I conceived it to be my
duty, in my father's absence, instantly to enter my protest
against this report of the General Assembly's Committee, which
did, in a letter to the Editor of the Edinburgh Star, of the
oth of June last.

The clause in the article of partnership, relating to the
Schools, to which Mr. Walker allude is as follows :—" No re.
beaus instruction, or lessons on religion, shall he used besides
the Scriptures, according to the authorized version, or extracts
therefrom without note or comment." Mr. Walker not unfair.
ly deduces from this article a charge of rather a novel nature
against my father. It is ; That Mr. Owen has hitherto given
the children in these Schools more religious instruction than he
was authorized by the articles of partnership to give them ; for
he directed the Catheehism to be taught on Sunday&
That the letter signed b,y_ the teachers did not appear sortie
time since, is my fault. They mentioned to me some weeke
their intention of publishlng such u declaration,, but I ad-
vlsed then; against it as unnecessary.
In conclusion—your renders have probably already anticipet.
et' that it is not our intention to notice any'allegations, Itowewr
unfounded, whielt may be conveyed through anonymous Outli-
ne's; for they know that he who feat% to attack, except under
a mask, le unworthy of a reply from those who have umforrnly
put their names to every statement which they have given to
the public.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
ROBERT DALE OWEN.
New Lanark, 20th Sept. 1823.

P.S. Lest Mr. Lamb should comphin of my having neglect-
ed to take notice of a circumstance, to which he had deposed
from personal knowledge, I shall just allude to the case of the
pig, which Mr. Lamb was so unfortunate as to sell to the Com-
pany, at a loss to himself. If he will take the trouble to call
at the connting-house of Mr. Mason, by whom the Village
Store is conducted, he will see the receipt for the money he got
for the pig in ciuestion t and will find that be WWI paid. for it et
the rate. -not or t,s. as he says, but of fts. a stone. The receipt
is signed for Mr. Lamb by a William Todd, who may be able
to refresh that gentleman's memory as to the transaction. With
regard to other matters, Mr. Mason will, at the game time, I
am sure, have much pleasure In roving to Mr. IJamh, from au-
thentic documents, the extreme inaccuracy of persons., who ad-
vance opinions without being in possession of the requisite data.