The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-30 00:00:00

ANTE OMNIA CIBUS.

The John Bull says that the division on the University
Tests Bill must be very disheartening to those who rely
upon the Conservative party for the firm maintenance of
religious teaching in the land. With every explanation
of which it is capable, it yet remains a testimony to the
apathy and coldness which, in the House of Commons,
are opposed to the fervid earnestness and disciplined com-
bination of the supporters of the bill. The dinner-hour,
which left but 68 Conservatives, found 193 Radicals at
their post ; and it becomes more clear day by day that the
former will dine, come what may, and with a.comfort and
luxury which they do not obtain in the dining-rooms of
the House of Commons. There were, no doubt,
many pairs, but the outside world looks at the division
list, and is apt to judge of the absent as at least indifferent.
A heavy blow has been struck, and opposition in the
House of Commons is stunned. Arguments have pre-
vailed which logically condemn the whole position of the
Church of England, and so far as regards her Educational
position, she is disestablished if the House of Commons
is to prevail. Is it to do so ? The House of Lords has
that great question to decide. There was a tone of regret
—of willingness to amend—in Mr. Gladstone's speech ; but
has he the power to modify the deadly work he has in hand?
Upon one thing the Lords may fairly act viz., the profes-
sion of the promoters of the bill, that religious teaching is
not meant to lose its pre-eminence, and that proper safe-
guards ought to exist. They are bound to see that the
profession is made into practice, and to satisfy themselves
what safeguards are really necessary. There are men in
both universities who can supply such information, and
without it Parliament is not in a position to insure the
realisation of the preamble that tests should be removed
only " under proper safeguards for the maintenance of
religious instruction and worship in the universities and
colleges and halls now subsisting therein."

THE GOVERNMENT AMENDMENTS AND THE EDUCATION
BILL.

The Spectator thinks that the Government amendments
to the Education Bill are carefully drawn, and very good
so far as they go—but we think it a pity that they are
limited practically to the points of the Time-table Con-
science Clause (to which Mr. Gladstone pledged himself
on the second reading) and the vote by ballot for the
school boards, and that so much is still left which the Dis-
senters will unquestionably think it their duty to fight
for in Committee, possibly even at the expense of delaying
the bill itself if the Government should not prove pliant.
There does seem to us every reason for prohibiting the
distinctive creeds and formularies in rate-built schools.
For the perfect personal freedom of the masters in express•
ing their own views, so far as they find that essential to
their efficiency as teachers, we have always contended;
without that the religious lesson would be a mockery.
But there is every reason for putting strongly before the
masters that the object of a religious lesson in a
public school attended by the children of persons of all
shades of opinion, should be to inculcate common prin-
ciples as much as possible, and disputed opinions as
little as possible—to avoid every sign of the triumph
of one faith over another—to unite, and not divide.
Finally, we must express our earnest, we might almost
say ardent, desire to see the determination to carry this
bill override all minor considerations both with the
Government and their critics. The Government might
indeed, we think, have yielded more without renewed
discussion ; but there is no sort of reason for supposing
that they are going to draw the line here, and resist all
further concessions. The Dissenters have certainly gained
much, and they have this great motive for moderation,--
that they themselves are entirely unable to unite upon any
programme, and may easily obtain now all that they really
agree to ask. If the bill fails this year, one of two things
will happen ; either it will succeed next year without any
change that might not easily be secured now, solely because
a longer consideration will tell in favour of the Govern-
ment—or legislation will be deferred for an indefinite
period, till the Dissenters and the Secularists can really
unite, which at present they are far from doing—and in
the meantime, millions of children will grow up ignorant
and helpless ATId dull and wicked, solely because English-
men cannot agree either to permit the schoolmaster to
speak freely on religious subjects, or forbid him to speak
on them at all. Can a worse reason be conceived for
granting a new lease of life to the hideous uniformity
of the ordinary English child's miserable and vacant
infancy ? _ .