The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-28
CORRESPON ENCE.
Letter from Wales.
PENMAENMAwR, March

MesSrS. Editors, interest in Wales
Just now is concentrated for the greater
part on educational matters, and so |
shall have Just to speak of these a
The love of learning is passion with
the Welsh people, and in no other land
have greater sacrifices been made for the
attainment of it. Scotland, thanks to the
Reformation and the adoption by Knox
of the school system of East Friesland
has been admirably provided for more
than three centuries with Primary schools
England, especially owing to the noble
initiative of Edward vi, and the libe-
rality of her wealthy and illustrious citi-
zens, has long enjoyed the possession of
many High schools and Ireland has not
been slow to profit by the splendid Gov
ernment system of education conferred
upon it. Poor Wales has, until recently
had neither efficient Primary schools nor
a greater number of endowed Grammar
gers of one hand. A college was estab-
lished few years ago-some eight or
nine years-at Aherystwyth. The build
ing was purchased and the college mas
been sustained mainly by the small sums
willingly contributed by the humber
classes. The time has now come when
the Government proposes to endow two
colleges-one for North Wales and one
for the South. The question of the sites
has been, by common consent, referred to
the decision of a school committee in
London, who will be superior to the in
huence of any local prejudices, and will
1oto,no,rn he x,xyo1 oil orlxr in ho
interest of Wales at large. If the en-
dowment Of these colleges 900 year
each) should be followed by the creation
of few modest scholarships for the pu-
pills of the Primary and Grammar schools,
very much will be done to rescue Wales
from the opprobrium of its present inefi-
cient system of education. At least
twenty or thirty additional endowed
grammar schools ought at once to be
founded; as the teaching given at what
are known as private venture" schools,
is defective in the extreme With a
sound school system Wales will soon
take its rank with any nation in the
field of scholarship. In the meantime
the decision of the London referees
which cannot be given until after Whit
suntide-is looked forward to with much
expectancy.
Religious Matters.
On religious matters some little con-
troversy has been awakened by an article
from the pen of the aged Bishop of Llan.
daft Or Ollivant, died December, 1892,
which appeared in the Church Quarterly
of the autumn Of last year. In it he ac-
cuses dissent Of having done little for the
morality Of Wales. A reply is being
prepared by a member Of Parliament for
South Wales, which will appear in one OF
the Nonconformist quarterlies. That the
question has been raised is not to be re-
GREETED that it should be taken up in
the spirit Of rivalry is alone deplorable
In reality the question Of discipline is Me
question Of the hour for the Christian
Church Of this land and the difficulty is
not met on the part Of the Nonconformists
by saying that the discipline is naorelax in
the Establishment. What is needed is
to show in practice that the Church has
grace enough to sever from its commun.
ION the man who habitually transgresses
the law Of yeracity, or is guilty Of dis