New-York tribune., 1906-05-09
Mr.. BIRRELL DEFENDED
EDUCATYON BILL DEL. .lYE.
Dar;d Lloyd-Goorgc Replies to III.
BaLfom.,s Criticism.

london. Hay S.-David Licyd-Cieoree. prcsi-
cent q the Board Of Trade. in tie course Of The
debate on the Education bin in the House %;
Commons to-day. replied to the demand OF A !.
FalfouT, the former Premier. for q logical set
slenent OF the question
Nr Lloyd-George said II was easier to he losi
csl in criticism than in action .'Of four ..iogi.
rsl settlements the first was purely secular the
second frankly deAominational all round the
,hlrd a common religious syllabus and the
Fourth VAS. he might say. that there could not
te common religious syllabus between Protes-
tsuts and Catholics. This was the settlement In
Germany. Quebec and Holland II was a rec
ignition that fundamental. differences could not
be solved
The speaker said that he had examined these
various settlements in order to show why the
,-overnment had concluded that the last of the
gour vas the only one it could PROFOUND in the
circumstances. having regard not merely TO
,ogie but 20 something stronger. namely. the
ssc.s Of the situation It was said they should
viye the same right of religious teaching TO
every denomination, but the assumption was
that none had dogma except the Church Of
Tneland-an assumption with q touch Of arro-
rance in it. Nonconformists had given the
bss, pledge Of the sincerity OF their beliefs in
their own individual dogmas. II was not so easy
N be a Nonconformist in the rural villages Of
England. where those on whom the people de-
pendei for their living went TO the village
church of the big landlords. who il offended,
would make life intolerable What right had
any one 10 assume that the dogmas of the
Church were everything in the eyes of the law.
and that those OF the poor. despised chapels wera
Of no account? If a right were given TO one
denomination. il should he given to ali.
TEo b;II assumed that fha NonconfOrmistS
would not do anything except pay the rates and
obey tire Law. and that IL was the business Of
che Anglicane TO make the law and profit there
b. States Air Lloyd-George said. did not bring
M sectarians but citizens. It seemed to him
the differences were largely artificial In Protes-
,ant churches. and that the real difference be-
tween the advanced theologian and the old one
vss one Of political differences between Liberals
and Conservatives.
What was occurring in England Mr.. Lloyd
George said was part of a general movement
that had occurred in every democratic country
n the world There were three democratic
countries-America, France and England What
vas happening in those countries showed that
democracy had come TO the conclusion thai cler-
scslisnl was its enemy. There was no use in
saving there was hatred of a special Church; il
was the instinct of three great democratic peo-
rles moving toward what they believed was lib
erty Of conscience. The people had mace up
their minds TO stand and rally round the Bible
,rbicb they we're anxious should be placed IN
the hands OF their children. believing that no
o,clesiastic or politician should be allowed to
interfere between a child and the great BOOK
-rh7cr had saved England from darkness in the
,,s, and would continue 10 illume the gloom
that might oppress her in the future