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'\ '
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION
IN THE
SCHOOLS OF ONTARIO.
I Vv
I. I'OINTS OK iNTEUKST AV ImI'ORTANCK RK(iAliinNG THE SCHOOL Law.
II. The Hi.stokv ok Heugiou.s Instrcctiox in the Schools. What it oncb
WAS. What it now is. How the Chanoe has iieen Effectkd.
III. The Story ok "The Scrii'ture Lessons." Thk Lessons for the first
time Critically Analysed. Omissions and Additions Noted. Th«
(JuiDiNQ Principles in the Compilation Discovered. The Char-
AfTER OK THE BoOK.
IV. The Dvty ok the State. Are our Schools Protestant?
V. The Sepabate School Law. The Force ok the Recent C.iAsuEs in th«
Separate Schools Act and the Asse.ssment Acts. Jud«!k Sinclair^.
Decision in the Dundas Cases.
V. A P1.KA FOR THE Reconsideration ok the School Acts.
The Outlook and the Duty of the Hour.
PRICE TEN CENTS,
^
[\eligious Ii)structioi) in the Schools of Ontario.
I'll!': Hubjuct of ReligioiiH Instruntion in thu i'ublic Hohoola of Ontario engaged,
last winter, the attention of the public to a degree which was unexpected. Thin
wan owing not to the importance of the subject, hut l)ecauHe it wan erroneouHly
Mup[)OHed that the discuHHion originated in party politics. PerhapH th't\ waa
unfortunate. Still it has been of u.se. The controversy directed attention
to the Hubject ; made men think about it, and had the effect of convincing
very many that our school law ih not in .some respects .sati.sfactory ; and that the
children attending our public schools fire not receiving such inatnvetion a8 they
should in the Revealeil Will of God. Now that the heat of political discUHHion has
[laHsed, it is to be hrpcd that the Christian public, without asking how party inter-
ests may be affected, will calmly consider the subject, and unite ii doing whatever
may hti necessary for securing to our children that teaching which, above all other,
prepares them for the duties of life, and mi^kea intelligent, law-abiding' and useful
citizens, as well lus elevates men .spiritually.
With the exception of those who are engaged in the work of our schools
very few care to know anything about the school law. So long as the schoola
are open, and the children taught, our citizens generally are satished. An occa-
sional grumble may be heard about taxes, or school books, or over-preH.sure, l)ut very
few enijuire regarding the law. Besides, copies of the Statute and the Ucgulations
are not always accccsilile, and even where the public school law is to some extent
known, ignorance of the separate school law is almo.st universal. Protestants
tliink that this is not their business, but belongs to their Roman Catholic fellow
citizens. Tliesc, again, consider that it is the function of the Lh.rch to attend to
educational matters, and leave the whole matterin the han<ls of their spiritual guides;
who in turn confer with the educational authorities of the Province, and have so
fax' in the past got everything done for them that is neccasary to make the .separate
schools efficient and to liave Roman Catholic chiltlren ta\ight the doctrines and
practice i of tlic Ron an Catholic fiith. It it; not an ea.sj' thing to obtaina copy of th(!
separate .scliool law, a;id it is notorious that while the public schools have been
over-regulated, the sep^irate schools go on almost without Departmental regvdation.
It is our purpose to lay before those who may choose to read the following
pages some points of interest and importance regarding the school law, and the
kind of religioMS instruction which our child i enjoy, as well as to enquire how
the se^mrate .school law is worked and how it .^fleets the public schools. In doing
this we recognize certain features of the provincial system of education, M'hich.
whether we approve of fhem or not, must be regarded as, for the presbut at least,
fixed.
Firni. — We have a Miui.ster of Education, as the head of the .system, who has a
portfolio in the Oovernment, mu.st be a politician, aud must assume or resign his
office as the party to which he belongs liolds the reins of government or gives
place to others. Thus educational matters may — nay, will always, be liable to
bticome mixed up with party strife. In our opinion thi.s is to be deplored, but we
must meantime accept our position.
Secondly. — We have separate schools established, both Protestant and Roman
Catholic, and they form an integral part of our school system. It is true that these
schools were forced upon Ontario by the Roman Catholic majority of Quebec, and
advocated as a matter of justice, as an equivalent to the Protestant dissentient
schools which are established in the Lower Province, as " a safety valve" for the
system established in the Upper Province and as "a finality" which would prevent
futher interference by the iLoman Catholic clergy in the schools. These hopes,
as they rested on misrepresentations and misconceptions, have not been realized, and
now Protestants generally, including many prominent politicians, regard soparate
schools as a verj grave mistake. Nevertheless, there they are, secured by the Im-
ifederation, !i-uA '•A'f mv.st :nn!?)!t.iTr.o ,T..'-.'^opt thnrr,, tbowgh art
,f rv:
THK
iA ir
acknowledged evil.
»,u;e<l,
ThiH
t<. rec^1t"?uch rd?;;i^^^^ «»h) that " l'u;,iU.hall he allowed
i^g tu any K«n3 r";^!^^^^^^^^^ I*'""^ '"• g"t^rdi»ni, desire, ac.,«rd
di?oi,,lin/o/^Sc3.K^^^^^^^^^ £7 "'' iT .*»'«,"rK«niu.tiou, government and
Hhall' require J^^rPUPi i iw.v IhH^^"^ r^'*'^'" *''*' " ^o F>erH«„
ir ir"plrtt'.;' ';.ir L;;:;- '^ vTth t ^i '"^r""" "•■ -''«<»->»i-ted to by^X
natihfi«V T«fi.,. f"'*'^,'"""''- , *^'t" thcHe Heotiotw ui the statute we are uuife
^t^St::&:;;;^r '''''''' ^'''' ^""«'""" inatructionTiS:;
(aoconHni^lo Hnn^ 11?"""^'^ *V' «ixty-nine out of seventy of our parentn
that purpoL. imX . 1 noL ' ","■"'" ''"'* "''•'«""'• •'nd.le«iroit to be uned for
vioIatWy ulXe jS' ,rLn\ •'V"'"'" '" ""* ^""" *" ^^y""*' "°^ «« 'he law
(Heotion?) () C>nK^^^^ aue reapect ,. had to the conHoience clau«.
education 1 pu3e? h.^ST.^i^^ that th«re in no lxK,k like (J.kIs lkH>k for
iouHinHtruotk". Ke.ivenLnf Tn^^^^^ T'"' "^'^ *''*'"'^'"-« *'««''-'^ «•«»*«■
by parents generaiTv au^ lu l tC* 7 ''•'f' '••"« *»'« religioua inntruction denirod
On these qfestiW dXriZ » '"«f "«ti»u oau be given in tne public schools.
<lifficultie8whi: 1 fZ?c^^^ ^« '^'•« l>«r8uaded that the
rcprcsenttttron CO. es u> an M d I?. J 'i "^'^ *"^'}y ^'' «v*>'-«"m". when wilful mis-
what iH gen^rluy leTired Firil thi!" ^'«^'-er understanding has been rea.hed as to
c<..ning it is an.l nroDLr that Z'. 'i ^ f""l\\^ diHtinctly noted that however be-
«xerci?es, in which ^theh^^^^^^^^^^ schools shoul.l be o,M,ned and closed wit devotional
instruction Nor docs a re3al, r'' "• ••"^'^^r:'*!^ ii.voked that is not religious
reiwlingafewversesof Hc.IvXh^^^^^^^ requiring the use of a form of prayer and
under which the Boarfl ic S cS.;";.^ ^'"'-"^i '''''' t'^'^^" f''""' *»«»«♦•
well :— n^nools ot the city of London are conducted, would do very
and suc^ h*st'!"cJlon\S^^^ *''«'•« «»-» ^ ««-«" «"«h explanation
HuitedtothelpSea rthcchildi^^^ pnuciples of morality and religion as are
and instructions no attVnotL,^^^^^^^^^^ ' iri''*? /'.'^^y'"^ **^''* "' «"*^*' «xplauations
tion • amlSaU. Lt!.^! ^ i '"^•''^*« """'-'h children to any particular denomiua-
tids reg"ktilm ; '""'^P'"^""' '^'''' ''^^^^^^ '"'^y »>« exempted7rom the operation of
«r8 ottKhoof. "^P^*^"*"""'^ '^"'i instructions be given by the resp^-nsible teach
the ^h;in; ±^::4s:^:t:£^' ^-*-^*^«- ^« p-p--^ ^- «- -- -^
April 2,']'"^; ^!;?esTecfhf ^"'"^'^^'.'^r'' ^^'''" ^'•°«^«' '" W«M«niorandum of
draWn their ch dm? f-om .l1; '''*'i' "» London, only fifty parents had with-
found to be so far frrn.T T ^^ ""' "»-**'"^'t'"n ! and that the teaching had been
pSintfrom the iar«.^ -ectanani.sm that there had not bein a com-
can lawfully reuuire thpir f«=. i,«^ +' .f ^*'?,.?'^"^' 'School Injards and trustees
divine,, ,,vea,e. pS;,^°S^uil.r■l''cSia':S>^^^^^^^ """ "">-
THK HI8T0EV OF SEUOroUS INSTRUCTION m THE SCHOOLS OP ONTARIO.
-« fiZ ZiriTtS'^!:iZ!,'''','t°'A''' '*.^."' »" "■» "^oolsUe BiWe
ie«o..%;;a:sr™;™r:„?"srpt„rKt,:>S
131107
N»tlon«l " ifl the titlr „f th« Uat b<K>k on th.. ii.« «» .i .
att«,n,pt wiu. nuul« mt th« IwiZiin^ t.. «?.!.. i !f ' •"thor,/.«.| text b<H,k.. No
Noone propose,! t«, «,ou IrZlS? (>^ ♦ ' '!•"«"•"« ^r"^'"^ '^"'" o'"- -«»'ooU.
Chrietmnitr U r^^cZMuThiZnJ!^ ti.e contrary, th. lU,Kul*tion. rteol.re. "A.
Ury inHtruotJon; and nrr)viM ,n w.« m Ju Krl^ w!^*' regulations f..r clomen-
»tthen,H,ni„ga,..i«lo;irK rtLTh^^H fo^i^^
ewh |.t.r.M..i.ion.' ButTeHon A ^("v!" L i i ^r**'^ '»« riution by the clergy of
d.t«r'y and not ,na,l"o"v'andIeff;r;hi'r/T' "''*'"" ^
reqniring U«oher« to Kive Bi 1 nitrT,2, » ^ u *""'«*'* the authority of
tho Hchool. No «vowe.iTtteuu wan fve „ 1 1 'Tn uT "'''*?*""• «««^«i««- «"
but Kraduully a .hange nai^ ov«r th« 1 K . '''";!''■''" '■«"'K»o"« inntrHotion.
Boomn (.atlmlic oleruv to tht uhI of Th^ P ^ *'?"'l- „.? 'J^<"t*on w, made by the
order to a.oi.l giv n/th -m rZ^^ fh. n ^ ■""^f"**"* '*»'«. •'«'» i» many pla,4, in
national . -hooUeaiJrHrv", 3^0 ;"?.!/* ''**' '"^^'^''V""*"**- '»'»'«" ^^e Fr mH
no Dlace. Next .«me af ^mr, ,^a /t ad" tin 7n h" ""'V'^ !''* '^ripture lesHonn had
in t>.e «chool«, P.„,| the BiK d no ^a.^^iu •♦ "'"■''"*'' 7^''^ '""-» ''■' taught
So that while great «treHH wal aid on arHbLf? '* *"'""« *''* obligatory ntudfeH.
and ti,e Huccei,* of teachrrs^d tL nro^ l- ''' /^''T'!'*'" ''"** «""^^^ "»*♦ "tL'.ao..
proficiency in the«e -ubJe'tB Scrilfre "^^^^^^^ ''"n""'"'' "'^'^^'V ""
time Hpent on rtligiouH inHtructioi «M..n«,l 1^ f 1 w»h niade of no account : and
circumHUnceK not*^mentioS into a3.nt nl^^- ^'^'''"^ *h«««. »>««"1««' other
re igipus instruction to a Cged^XS^ *^* **>« ."''^'*' »"**
mi«e,l against the school Hystem. After a CThe Jn . '* •''"?' "^ «'""*'«"" '^»»
by many pr«mi...mt educition^st/amrsuZrttdl^rTh /T/,"r"' "»^"'y T'^"^
our public BchoolB were established for teaE.J 1 ^ <Jlofx'i^'^m^ to be thnt
citizens of all faiths or no faitKtl aUed ' nfl fJ, / 'r' •'''*'' ""^'J**-'*"' «" *h*«-h
Bible should be relegated to th^B^rid,a?h ., K i *^t*/"''l«">"« instruction and the
the attention of t.u,ValcTs^'n fhe pllicH^^^^^^ '"""^' '^"^ «'^'""^' ""^ '"««««
preambro? Se' A^Jhich *finX "JiSfshe /" u"^*««"'"« -!--*« -hools. The
and proper t<, rentore to Roman ^tSf^^ \tZ 'l';'''^''^' " '^^'^'•«'*« «* i« J««t
they formerly enjoyed. " Yes rehSi fn.VL,, ♦^^^V ^If * ^'^•^•" "«'"« ^"^^^^
which they had ceased to enjov an f ^ .V. K '""/"'i*^*^''* •'''"^••'•«" ^^« » ^ght
in schools'^ supported brtC'sTaLZl-" '^f^^^' ^^^^- So that n?w.
the Roman Catholic fa^th are car;f.Sv^ catechism, aiul the practices of
Catholics are instructed in lherei?>"«ttT.^ the children^f Roman
lege is denied to Protestants M^nv ?"* *h« ''k* right and privi-
Kngland thought that in lue interest n'J'Tr'"* "ir° "' *»»« ^^^^urct! of
to establish cKurch sch^ls in which the ?!'£''" *''7 1^°"^'^ '^ "^""^^^^
might have the same pHvi le Je Z Ln!^ n 'I?'?" ''^ *h** denomination
the m^joHty of Prote^tr^tel^hile^favtr tff us "of^'th'TiVl^^J^^- ^"*
willing to destroy the non-soctarian ^vJllHf uV f ^ *"^ ^"''•'' ^^re un-
thankFal. and so^hat reereiTTasTo^TuotUurNSft^ '*"f ,?r° f° "^
number in al the Churches that anr»^*\.il t h / " ' '* ^*'' '«^* ^y » large
religious instruction a^S Bible re^tiJe^^^^ ""'«••*« ^aJe
ago an agitation, with this end Twew w's be^un 'tk"" P tY'^ ^'^*T° /«*"*
and Methodist Churches united in an an^l ^^fL n ^ Presbytemn, Anglican,
24, 1882, the Hon. Mr. MowatVo.irt^n„«^S^ •*'' **u ^"\«">'nent, and. on October
Churches and promised to gTveXZttert^^^^^^^^^ the united .leputations from these
demands. It was some t°mrbefore^Sp ^ffi* « f m •'^??*""i ^^'^^'^ **^ importance
by its present energetic rcupanithe Hon O W r"'*'' "/ ^^^^-r^tion was filled
pointment, he lost no timTand a book of t . • ' * ^T\. ^"""''•^iately on his ap-
Separtment, after being suCitted to t^! P*"'! 'l^'*''*'""'' ^'*8 prepared by tfie
an^ was at ince intrriied into tt pS 1 *^^ ^'^"°"« ^^^'^^^'^
regulations, which makes obStorv tbl In' . ^""^ ^""'^y, "«« ""d^'' * ««de of
the closing of it with readiW Sf a ILL fFZli ''i^^'Fy ^^ool with prayer, and
and the repeating of thrffromif. 1 T *u ^^^ °^ selections and prayer
changeof reguktinsfromrec^^ ^y the trustees.^ This
of devotional exercises is soX a e^SSertf^^^^ regard to the observance
nothing has been done tow-TrdnFv » T- ^ the desire of the Churches, but
children to read the S for thp Ifl ** religious instruction or teaching the
knowledge of God^ Wled WU kI^ TI ^^'^^/ff^^ding them an intelligent
oftheGovernmenthavesakfldwrken H isl^fllf^^^^^l^'r^^
men the duty of ^vin!r rlr"'?:A*:!^',VJ! t^'^i'-. policy to throw uponclergy-
~ ""= — «cti«si II, tne schools, although the
books. No
our RohonU.
lecUre, "A»
vinof) M Ml
f«»r elemsn-
nul exeroiaea
ulnionta, for
ho clergy of
i rnnniiitnen-
luthority of
9x«roiitOH In
inMtruotion,
iii<tu hy the
y placea, in
un tho IriHh
I legHona had
it l>". tauaiit
r»ry HtiulicH.
ik»: Htu.iioH,
entirely on
count : and
Hides other
Bible and
xllesH" waH
dy avowed
to be thnt
, on which
ion and the
not engago
oole. The
IN it is just
{hts which
f&B a right
that now,
ractices of
>f Roman
kud privi-
!hurch of
€ allowed
omination
joy. But
were un-
ason to be
by a large
r to have
«en years
Anglican,
a October
From these
nportance
was filled
an his ap-
ed by the
Churches,
a code of
ayer, and
id prayer
es. This
bservance
ches, but
ihing the
atelligent
ipportere
jn clergy -
ugh the
•tp*ri«ino«of thirty six years show* that clDruvmen will not iin,»„r*.w- - ♦- i. li u
wav nroL^f T^ '"■ /■"*«*'"■ "" """ ''*" ™**^'' »*'« y«"th of his charge in th.
KKr;Lt.i '"'""'•'""'""'* ■•""•'" '^ •»•-* '•»»" '" the future's It hJ
.A J^'? ''*J'"'»t"™ |««t ye*r, as the result ..f tho akltation Dre.^.Hnff the «l«otin»..
eitTnrth::;^iLv*^"'V'"'". I««*"»i"if/«''Ki-u- in.t'ruction.'il.il.h nf. lify^'to ^
.ft *i ""<»rB, and lo not Itriilt tlio Iciwoiix to i)« re»ii to t hone in Hi* l-«W „#
»l~tio„. : hut |„ ,,,iHt ,.,,,1 «.op. tl,.,ro 1,„ I., uti. 'h. ™ Ul..l,„„,l.
.ctorj; to k„ow tl..t in .,mc ,,1.^,.. the Biblo I. r™! I,, th'SolJ, N.lrth.
Mo / for elementary instiu.ition b " "» p«irva«ie
2. In the Public Srhooi. .4 r/ the principle of religiouH instruction in tU
the riAt .73''"'' "r '^-f'l-"" "-'-• which it is to^brjiv "n aie sUted and
the nght of each pi r.nt . .-guardian on the subject is se.mred '
from rloT-.i!" P" 1" ''"'*^''! i'''"^ * ''"•" »n'^ n«t » //oarrWwv .chwd, rules arisinir
heca T "'■" ..; ^nci duti", Are not required, and as he nu ils ar« u„de5
not mirelv ^t^^Ur^. ^i!'"f^^! '^"^' ^^^^^'^ *»'** *»»« school system of Ontario U
Herdn w7 , ^^ 1 JJ - ''"*," 7 .r'.'«^.''"'= ''^^•^ruction au an " essential element »
Sv H w^ ;;. SCJ^rfti .'t ':f '^"'.^ '" 'rr' '•* T?*'^ i.uliffere„trsm.
thisCienr^l P ; P.nlt -y . ;^^^ ^* ''*^1'"- "' >;>"*«"" asKed for the removal of
r..rw.a In/ i' . ?u ' *'>'.'i-««*-. wrr it cancelled ? Anyone can see how the
parents do not wltSsJ^ne NorLaT^* ^1^ thetoH^T /'':!"""',
Drincinle in nnf n»^^« i „ t/Il "*"' *"** '"'^ noble declaration of
Mem^andahv^anTw^ 1878 pages 269 to' 280 are occupied with valuable
SSn rL fK *"' ^"^''' T ^'*""»'' '"^^fc^" connected with religious
hrow much b^L 0^^.'' "'' *''* ' ' *•" ^" ^"""*^ '» the ('ompendium of 1885. As'they
proce«ling«, which refleot^I on cleVvmen le"e«m: whH. fhl'v? {TT""" **k*"'' •='?"« "«■"•'>'"' '^e
elation U, 8t.y a word in their own Klf orsh^w Ul^ 1 * '^1 J"*^ "*''®'' *'*^" '*«''«^ *»>' the Aaso-
provision of the Roirulatlon« t" ,» »!:'u "J 2,'LIT-,?''; f^ '?■" "»» ♦'yi"«'. to ari ve effect to the speoiouu
ends . "'"^ '""" P»y however U umy favor certain political
wrftton in vin<lit»tion of it Ivi tho .. ' ""■" """'> "^ ^'">«' *»>» l«*ve
that it .n.y f« of „«, to .t«^ Iw how i ** ' '''i'l "*""«"«« ^J"' the »HK,k ; Z
TUB OTOBT OK - ii,k mmilTUHK .sklk.TIoNM."
pnva1!7„:ur;,'t^H**i^ KTrr 'l^;. «7 J- "-•« MinUer of Kducation. .
th« Mothocli.t Churuh, »vn,Ut that' ti» ," Vli H?'"' 'iT I"-""«'"". connucte.! with
MoloctionofNo.ipturcumai.l wfi.Sri.f"^^^ •» I nu.tlur.l, In^g... to „«ke «
although h« tru!,t«,nt« Sal*^. 11^ r^^^^
-hort c«„,„,e„t inculcating P''rVm m i^fl «" '"^ "*
iMijH.I fr,>nUh«lirgt that t^M lit Mu.u.l^'T '."" •'"«"'"• >*••■ Kmr «!■<,
Archbishop Ly..oh. ^aZ::r^X Z^.^iZl th '" ,"'7'/'"' ."l'''"-'*' "f
in manuHcrint form, an.! oht,un...l hSL Ival f^ " r'""''*"' '•«»''"'«« '«' »'"»
When Mr. koHH Imciuxw Mini'ter tl ^3 !^ thoMdoctionH, coninient« and all.
exception of the coronrntHWaHann^^^ ^T '"'"»'"•"' to him ; an.l with the
The wh,.lawa« then "SdTtK'MS^^^^ T*™"*" *«'« «<'''«d
form were ,ent to tie c.munittees o ftt « v^^^^^^^^ a.ul the proofs, in .alley
Arohh.Hhop. with the re^ue^t to meet w th t '^M ' i ^'^V'* ^'^'"-^h"" »"«« the
further preparatir.n of the hook A nllTm. r « '^"" ''ter and confer reyardinu the
it wai. re«,d that .u ch a Jok of "iec ion?^" I m '^'' "'*^*"'« ^"^ ^"''••. >^»'«»
«choolH: alHO. the „.„„ti„K .le ■ .1. y exprredl'!!!-: "' '^"^^'"^^f "••> 'f ""«<! i" the
r«a.l by the chil.lren, and the Mi,,Sr nrnmi^ l .' fu*'"'*'"*'*' ""'■ *'"^'"K *'"' »«««<»"»
nmall Hub-connnittee eoli"?i,u /" sevin m m t r'*''''i *" '■•."'''''*"■ ^'"-^ ''"'"»• ^
IXMUte.! to r.vine the draft, These ^^.1^1.?^! d "' '■'"" '*y"""'' ^'" *''«» ^P-
Ling Provost Hod> Arohdel'm^B d^M ;;'^h:J
Ca.i«elH K8,,.. ,„ct to ,i,. this work Mr ('ass ^s^n .I'l ' ?"' ""'*""• '""^ »•
Dr. Laing was present for the (i„t dw and fhn m "'"^'''''y ♦•"'"' »'«"•• or tw.,,
nay. in revising Huh lK.ok of 'o m^^^^^^^^^ 'n' ^'"" *^">'^ = *'"'<^ '"^ »"
mg Ignorant of who the comnil.™ . ■ "'•'^*'" *"•"'■" «'««*' 8|>ciit. lk.>-
Jiiaoover any pnncipl^Vwhllt i^'^:,;^::; ;V:n.a^^^ ""' ''t« "'"^'^'^'^
the book a.s it waa, and did litHe more tlia cm, ?i !i ' *''*• <'?""'"ttee accepted
verses and the headingn of t hV le sc.r Tl e ri *»"' """'"^"'» «f wordH 'and
omiHsions were due to a .leHire, o„ the , t of \\T T'^T '*I'P'^'--»«t that certain
might Beem innnodeHt or l)e off, oV^. i r *J'«^'>'npil«'r. to avoid anything which
length becan.e h<. impte^Jed u"u t " L " oS^ '!'''« «"'>--.n„!ftteo at
in tiio Scripture for any reas n tl at'T «l ^i allowing o.n.syions a.id changes
to the e.loct that no aek^ion Ji ;ul tve Yni± ""-'imou.ly a resolutfon
or verse had been omitte.l or o u ged After rec 1 '' T^ '" ^''•"'' ^''^ ^'"■■J
comnutteetheHon Mr. Ross niade Much c»;an,l/'"«o *''" '"*'?"'"* "^ *'"« «"'•■
of the revisors and others, as ^"^1^^ ^Zf.^d ' f '""'■*^''''"" ^^th the suggestions
i-ofe.ences and proceeded " it^ L ;o;k "" 'i Ij , '^f'^
unanimous resolution of the revisors • ^wJ.« . 1 I' '^".r'"'^"''' ""* "P«" the
thebook very„,anjselectionsTw, eh?™ a^^^^^^^^^ ''' all.wed to re,!,ain in
instances short parauranlm wh,-,4. „1 /■ f"'^ V""l'^ are omitted, and in three
Hibility tor the iooJ^jlr.^tly 1 • o^" t" th'^Kdu K^'^n '"^"'^ *'"^ ''''''' ""-p""
Hentatives of the fiu/rchis only Sed to the t o '^1 ^T'?''r'- • '^'''« ''^W-
reviaors only ^ave a oualifie.l Hm.t!^,,„i t H ? ^^^ """'^ "f selections, and the
them, but hacfno pa t n deterSrlhlf ' 1 ''/•''*'°"'' ^'''''•'' ^^'^'"^ submitted to
should l-inthc vSluine, or w It frd Jlo, ,fr ^Y "'V"*'^'" ''^ '''•-'>»«
the. opimon that no word or clause ^^^ J-::^::^,::;;!,!^^ ^
beent:mt\:ri;'\r/oS?:.sirfrr^^
Education has publicly declaredZat w hire fL ..*J'^ schools, and the Minister of
shall be from the Bible^itself! oi Mdiere W ^'^^'' *'*^* *'^« '^^^^S
are not in the book of select! Js ' tl e (lover^m'nKril noM 7 T'"^'' T"^ ^^^'^
Bible or its contents ar« ,.»od d-il- .^''^nn^^nt will not interfere.' so loniras f^hn
■ " • ''"'^-^ """^ «y3tcmatioaliy.- It is, however, well known
Kgyp
Calf,
<>(k>iiiintuiiiiiiiiiitit
nn(n.>ttiiMry to My
of I<^luc«tiou b
• hM fliH iilition
•f tho«« who likve
ih the iHHik ; so
•<'<i <inii what it
of Kducation, •
I. cniinuctfd with
«g»t> to lltAltfl A
rivate vtiturpriM,
iat«ly l.tiid to itii
"HMMinitd l»y "»
Mr. Kerr alao
tho approval of
n-adiiigg to htm
imiieiitH aiul all.
> ; iiriil with the
:!tn wtiro a(i<io(l.
\irnnfn, in galley
iirch«n ami th»'
»r regardiiig the
waH hishl, whon
•y if used ill the
'illg thu l0HH«)l)(i
■ this point. A
II, wiiB tiion ap-
isrlftiid, Dewart.
urton, and H.
vn liour oi two,
(ly.i ; tliat in to
ere aimtt. Hv-
l>«i»g unable to
iiittoe aoiicpted
of wordH and
ut that <;i!itain
mytliing wiiich
l)-coniniittt'o at
ns and changea
^^ a resolution
Inch any word
■t of this Hub-
tilt; suggestions
, the Soiipturc
, at;t upon the
to remain in
i, and in three
entire respon-
''■ Tho repre-
itions, and the
3 submitted to
ber of lessons
sxpresaly gave
in the selec-
lections have
le Minister of
it the reading
es read which
so long as the
r, well known
that «n aintindtnl edition nf th« tL.»liLi ..mt^^t i
jt 1- 1., »., h«,MHi that tT« ,1 jttSte.S^ •;; rr ."' p'«r»»"*- •"^
not
and
other. pa««d LI \t« hir„i"r*dv a^iln?U r T'''*^'" ^""-^ -«-<^«
ch<««n : -auh one of which .tand" bv^itl / -' ?' "' '"!"-«"• •»'»tr»Hly
{..gical conneotion. V„r drvotiona m.rL n ^'""1* ?«""' ^" ''''t^'rioal or
.y«t.»u»ti., r«ligi.>us i ..tr uti on r^.^ •'"' »"'^ "" ^•"" " imparting
i. utterly vduile^. The nu.'.Tb:: oTjll^ Lt!,: r'!"." l^^IT'Tt '' , '■'" i^T
important ,,art of (iSworl wl '. Z h« *i ' f'"'" T\ " '''y ''"«" '""»
ar«. '^*"' "*' '^"'^«" '"»««• t« niimuiouii aM thuy
"TIIK BBLRCTIUM*" ANALYSED.
It .,onHi«t. of five pJrJZ S; !/& Id. y^ *" ^"'""« "" •'"*'"**^« '»' '*
ueuterononiy, '2 fr„ni .loshua. I frc.m .Judge.,
2 from Ruth, .34 from the Umln of Hamnel Kinr^M.i.,.J rL • i t ..
P«lm., 23 from Prover'^ loTrom^^«k^l;,^ ''%'''*'''" T' -?•* ««tract» from
Mical^ Kzekiel. KooleHii^amrMSh^
have»l7 lesnoiiH. in whi.h are IH extin,./J f- .1 m »!i. '•. , ^'oMmlH -. here we
two or more chapter* ,,f .lifferent JK,ok^H orXr„n/^ "^^ •""'.** "*''*"' ^""«*
single le«Boi;. I V. Thf Actn ofthlTl ! ^ • *'"'"'/'« c«»mbi.iol to form a
onler and uWiuu nearfv thewt.l^r^r/fT^.. .t^^ ?f '^ '"-o"". following in
onler and giving nearly ^^^yi^oi: :^'SZ:^,;Sv"^J^c^J:T"'^ If 7"'^ "'
consisting ..f 4 l.^sons /ron. each of I. .J„Jn and Rovelatior-W^-^''"'' i^'c^^'lr'.' •
thians and Hebrews, I. I'eter 1» from «urnfR„L- u"^"' *'"''■'' ''^'- <^"""-
thians and Hebrews, 1.
dnmes, and on
iL;::n4el;";;;^o„t t;'%Jte.;^pSpJ^^ -*'. ;"-%■;«' •— .
■election.^, order or combiiiations Th^! principle to gunle either in the
in^ for instniction in mStn'th ^e Im. '^''^'^r^^P^ >^»'«" Provid-
thTs.lefect. The history of the antediluvian To Id^^^^^^^ '" ''«*»"
over: also tho history of the Swer o^
Nimnxl-H l)eginning of emJjre W^hfL i .' "I- ^^^ '""persion and of
from chaps, xli xuf ndxSrand^r^ , pnly « f*^* <l«8connected verses culled
».am givef. of ; whole history' of ISnT,! f '^ m"*" ""V"'""""' '^"'* *»•« ^'^^^ "^ '^ ^^a.
.lrenofUod,and wStheSt^rvStr^^^^^^ covenant l^ad of the chil-
Inaac an.l .Jacob is restriote.l Sr les' ois"^*^ Thf hfsUi'ofr'^ ^''^T'^ *^** °'
given, but lesson XXXIV. begins with f ". fnllo^f 7 "^ *''® **? P'*!*"*^" »« "«*
tare, '• After Kgypt had been iisited hv nl?^ZZl^ i^x^t^no^ not founcFin Scrip-
Egypt. co„sent5<fto leUhe Is^^c^Ues L '" No L'nS^^^ '''"« °^
Calf, and Broken Tables or the n,,n*^J^k.« ^ i cTu '', """'*' "^ **>« iloUen
twochaptersof Rutha ewantim The w1? r •^^'^.''f/''»»reaking. The last
isomittid, while the previous nat of thVnl? ♦ °" °? ^^'^l^' worship by JcrolK»n.
the chapters contain^ g he sT.rch for F St'" l^^T' ,^ ^r*"?^ ''' ''""« ^'*h
These aVe a few instants co-ncenfiVwhi^l^we mav flinJ^'^l^ of .Sennacherib,
important passages pas..ed over whHe ofh^.. of i ^ fairly ask, \Vhy were such
But a Btill greater defeSirthe^mss,?^^^^^^ ™°'"^"* '''*« «^^«" * Pl»<=«?
are in the boSc. as though hey c^Si TolK^tnmrar ^T P--«- ^^ich
to be read. While vre ^ive a fpwTnTf i^u- ."^^'^^^ or otherwise improper
answer, viz. : That thTs^rdoneTo pr^S teCJr^ "' Z'^''^^**" " P^"^«
aaking the reader to notice that the otSSn, tl sor^rJr "' Tl *"? '""«' ^^^
in very few cases would reUiDinTthrvfr-o^ •*?Tu'"®^ '" 'l'^"''* «'t*ract8, and
lesson^ Note, then, Z followiSf '"^^ °'"'""^ '^^^'^ ""^"^^ «''t^»d^-<l th*^
(ienesis i,. ^ ''An.l they were both naked," ef<5.
IX. 20 to 29, Noahs drunkenness.
T... — ^,, ,,^ ..yypjjjjjjj. Qj ciroumcision.
tl
wh4irJ5. * '^•*' '^ '««» »»>« 'Umd. look off clMirtM
-"..01 Nl„nI?''?J Jr/.**'- '^:n'»w !t.i..,h.„.
wm tha KirtK, th«
in Hcriptur,.. and ,1^^,! i„^^ ^,^
"'•titution of the tvlv^w
xa. 8 : th«H vv. 22 f. .la .miitUHi
IV- 1^ /^'It ,'**'' *'^ •'•'■"''*'••''•
the «tr*ot. .r. give": ^„ J'"?* H ^'T/T P**^ "' '♦>« '-»«'• Th. or.ler l„ which
fron, ;Hr;^[?l';.r;Efa^^^^^^^^^^ ve... fro. chapter iv. and thre«
to deaeroy it. proper merunV'S "" ^'"■. '•«'"'»ve«l from it, .jontext m
Proverb., chapter! v a ..^j'^^fi." **>/ "»^'«'.' «*<•.
ProverbH xxin. |^H^- For u .f^re i. a deep ditch, etc. "
XXV. ,5: .„. 2rPKi; i:;tr.^?r" jr-'««p p't.;^ •'tc
<<
II
•om „,„„r. " „, ! 'o .':'S ' » '"'1' »' I '.."til... ••
P=-alni8
Proverb, XV?' ;;.T,''"'',"'",'"," "'"•"''"■ '""Khiag.
bones," v. .S5. *^ "' '"'^ ""'^ *''« rottenneuH of the
" ?ii a..i[^^ .i*^: ^i::r';i,:f '. '^* ?• " ^'^ -•» for the hack, etc •■•
more, etc. /'v. 29 to S "•''"^""^ P""""*'' «" '« *'"-• wicked no
^'"'^:"- i:s !3i s J4::?u:;r!;i^^ tiir^- ^- ^"^ — ^f the f^ord
Isd Dm following
Iffla Mifl *r«gula
ttMMd. •to.
^ iiualAnd,"«lo.
^t thtt bow.
th« KinK, the
» U) nmkfl thflir
ted into chap.
» of the velvet
i. The re*4ier
Tcl : doubtlett
nler iti which
^ariuua boolu
'ftaimn ia ;~i.,
Ixvii., xxvii.,
"viii.; thktof
»-. XAV., vi.,
••■ Iv., i., v.,
iv. and thre«
t>i context as
lunieroiu ami
Ionian.
» of Iniquity ;
! w. M, The
ir, liar.
. etc.
I'ing wuy.
Jf Uoiitites."
■<l liiiighiag.
ea even tho
irt deviaeth
"Ho that
" The lot i.s
f tho Lord "
lioring from
V. 30. " A
inoHs of the
^ack, etc.;"
wicked no
»f the Lord
KMkUl i¥li « l« IM Th« whola rmmmiag prm^^ikory lo •• V«|" ol wm« If.
I'ruv«rb« «vl.. 7 and «, Ct^dcarnlng eiMllMit MOMh and oifU, v II and 12 III
-I.I 16. ;• H. that Ju.UArth t»«i ;;Sk*l '^. an abuMUi,ati«; w.
tba U^ru, eto.i I J, «). i\ and «. " H« that WMto£|| lOs faUwr
.,V"i \'*^*'*' '"V **.*■ •»»«»»'«'r »■ • •"« l»»*t ''auaaili all, m. mt^ »
' «WU. i. •' TM wofifc ol • Ida baarw aw a- wwn.1., etc
have mutilal^l the axtraota a^ hia own awaal will, and tha Mintiit..r .,f K^hicatlon
and crfhar* mjv Utat It ha* bean m^li dam. ««•"««
, ''•^^*T', i«. «^»-tai«!y lea* oMMttoML'a A kimi of harmony haa
bMD attotn|>tea 1 but tha ^wmningnng and iMnihtnatiou of maaaMa la
*f wH!l**'*To ". nt*'^J*« tfJ batwean lh« 2IMh and 'iftth varta* of Laka H
Mid Matthow Ul. following Luk. U. and priNwdlng Luka Ir. Than we a.e t'k "n
ba.., t«. John, and «i on ut^irly diaragardinM "»« wdar in H«.riptnra. Agalr.
Matthew «l. ia 'Mblt.arily Intarjaotad bHwan. tiM flnt and U»t parti of
ofMaVthaw xl * ^'' " *'' ••'•~*" ***• >•«•»«»» »lw »th verw
The lesson on the Ilwiurretitlon fa made up of Mark sri. I to 7. j Matthew xx iii
M F.uke xxiv. II. ! John xx. .1 ; and tha pfttobwotk raada aa one .^mtinuoiw
uiat..ry. while tht. o«... action, give a faiae oonoaptlon of the hlatory aa recorded in
Mcrtpture The lewm . i. the Aacanaion oiioaiaU of Matthei vUl h» • A.-ta I 4'
Luke xxiv M), : Act. i and 10. j Luke xxlv. 52. ; a atran. nedley of .UfTereni
pa«.«i|e.. lnU,nde.l to give the compUarc view of wliat hao. ......I, bi». auch aa many
will diaaant from '
Then why were the IniporUnt portion. JonUinlng the annunolation. the dr-
euiiK-.iilon of .|.,,ua, tht inbaaaore at Bethlehem, not ^.nva. ' Note a«ao the follow
tng atnking omiasiona in extraota which are giren :
Lake fl. 38 to 38, (Joncendng tha propheteaa Anna
Matthaw V. 21 to 82 Our Lurdn expoaition of the ^ixth and aeventh Command
manta in the Hermon on tno Mount. Are thoae not Ht to be
read ? t)r are they omittiNi on account of our Ixird'a doctrine con
ceming divorce i
Matthew X., tt to \\ Our Lord a teaching regarding divonw.
Mark X. ."I. " Many that are flrat ahall be Uat," ekj.
Matthew xii. . '23 to :}3. Our Lord'a reply al>out the reaurrection.
Mark vi. 42 to 44, T.velvc baaketa .)f friignionta taken up. The le.«aon from
which thia '« otnitte«l, co»iBi»t» of only 12 veiaea.
Luke xiv I, Ti.e lu-al.ng of the man with dropwy.
John x. 19 to 21, .luaua said to have a devil and 'oe mad.
Johnxiii., onlv 17 veraea given; unJ the Lord a wordn abruptly cut abort
when predicting Hia lK)traynl,
John xvi. 16 to 2H, <leatroviug the coDuection of tne diacourae.
Luke xxii. «1 inter jecte«l l)et.vecn veraea 74 and 75, and Matthew 26 an if it
were part of the hiator '.
Luke xxiv. 11 ia connected with .lohn xx ,1 by a " but ' and the omiaaion
n . / .1. o' *'";'"«''"'^«. giving a falae Impression of the cauae which follow.
I art fourth-^-the Acta of the A jwatlea. Omitting chap»*)r i. . H)iitaina n.iarly all
that hiaUiry in chronological order. The omi.saiona and cUngi!.- are few V'e note
only c.iapter v. 12. (iuuolea of hca.ing are pjisacdover. And in verae 17 (" after
thia ) .8 8ubatitute«i for " then ". Jlmpter viii. 7 to 2C " omitted ; the hiatorv of
Simof. Magna, etc.; chapter xi., 19 to .30 ; chapter xiii 1 to i:{, including histrryof
fclyina.s, tha aoroercr ; chapter xv. account of Council at Je-uaalem. Why waa
thi8 not given ? Surely it is an imp<jrtant point in Church history f Chapters x viii
19 to 28. Ihehiatory of Apolloa: and las being taught by A.jnila ui.c! FriHcilla
Chapter. XXI. Id tf) 2b, lea-ing v^mo 27 without- ite proper connectir,.. The
veraea omitted refer to Paul'a g.;ing up to .leruaalem, going to .lames an.i fulHl-
ling his vow.
Now we come to part nfth. Here the order ia arbitrary aa before. Roman,
xu., 1. Connthiana xui., L Corinthians xv., (Jalatianj vi,, Romana viii., Knheaiaus
111., and so forth. No doubt some important panaagea are given, but it seema
vary strange that such paasagea as Romans, cbaptors ii. , iii., ix., xi.. xii. and xiii in
which obedience to the civil magiatrate ia inculcated ; Hebiowa xii , Timothy vi
where the duties of rich .nen are Ui<l down, etc., shiuhl be passed over, and that so
many most important pa8.«.age» inculcating morality are not given. Tims in the
extracts which are given we have notable omissions, e.o,.
10
fiKhting H ifh \,i!a Ixut*
I. CoriuthiaiiM xv., 2J» to M, Bwptiiinj for the dead
Ub K|)h(>8IIN. (>tc
KomaiiH viii. 18 to :i», Th« glory tr. bo reveale<l : the refleinption of the cifatioR
fnm. vanity : the Mpirits aid in prayer ; the magnificent triumph-
ant expresHion of e(,n(i<lence in the unchanging love of t^hrist
IMiilippiunn iv. 14 to end, (x)nimendation of Christian giving, etc
r. 'I'iioHHalonians v. '25 to end. Enjoining prayer and the holy kisa
fl. Timothy ii. 16 to end, A most inBtructi/e pasHft^re.
Kfhrews xi., 11 to 1(5, Reffning to Harah's faitu and the better country
JameBiii. 1 , and Hrst part v. 2, "Be not many masters in many
thmps we offenu all!" v. 1 H also, "The fruit of righteousness is gown
in peace, etc.
I. John iii., 7 to l:!, " Whosoever is born of (iod doth not commit ain " etc
.... Cain's slaying Abel, hatred of world, etc. '
Revelation xxi. 5 to 22, Description of New Jerusaleuin ; in a most arbitrary
way omitting 22, "No temple" therein, and begining with " The
city had no need of the sun." Note that the lesson from which
tins IS omitted contains only fourteen verses.
Revelation xxii., the extract stors without giving v. In, "Without are docs "
etc. ; and signilicantly omits, " If any man shall take away from
the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away hi«
part out ot t'\e book of life," etc.
THE (niAKACTER OP "THE SELECTIONS."
Such are some of the omissions and changes made in the Scripture which
occur in the so-called " Scripture Readings for our Public Schools " When emi
nent ministers of the (iospel and professors have expressed the-nselves as satisfied
with the book, and when the Minister of Education said, in his place in the
Legislature, -'There was no garbling, no mutilation, and no adaptation except in
the case o. the story of Joseph," we must in charity suppose they 'spoke and
wrote without having examined the book. No one can contemplate these defects
without saying that if a book of selections is to be used, it must be compiled with
more care ; must be more full, and must show some reverence for the Word of
( }od. It is not to be done by «n amateur Men who have practical acquaintance
with making text-books for schools, and using them also, should be eniployed on
this work. There are among our teachers some who could do it well But it
would be much more easy, and quit* as satisfactory, to have a programme only
printed, coataining a list of the passages of Scripture deemed proper to be read
in schools, and to use school bibles from which the children can read themselves
The comparative cheapness of this plan will commend it to many and then we
shall be freed from all garbling and mutilating of the Word of God Besides a
book large enough to give all the important portions of Scripture would be much
more costly than the volume lately prepared, and it is by no means cheap It
may be asked, what reason can be suggested for the omissions and mutilations
whi 3h we have referred to ? No one but Mr. Kerr can answer the question It is
however, evident that a mistaken modesty, if not an ofiensive prudery has had
something to do in this matter ; further, Mr. Kerr has told us that he tried to
make it such as the Roman Catholic clergy would accept, while they object to the
whole Protestant Bible being m the school ; further, the evident attempt to avoid
the miraculous, as far as possible, may indicate a desire not to shock too much the
rationalist and agnostic. In a word, v.e have a book such as will give oflfence to no
one, whatever may be his religious opinions ; so colouiless as regards religion and
morals as to commend itself equally to the Pagan, Christian, Sceptic, Protestant
and Roman Catholic. So at least it was supposed. But is that the religious in-
struction which the Presbyterian, Anglican, Methodist, and Baptist Christians
wish their children to receive? We think not. The Roman Catholics have cll
they desire, and why should the Government for fear of offending them and secu-
larists, refuse evangelical Christians a like privilege ? Why not let our children
be taught their duty to God and man from the Book of Books ? It is with a view
of obtaining this privilege that we now appeal to the Christian public Let us
unite in a determined effort and we shall succeed. To have such religious instruc-
tion given to our children in the public schools is a right secured to us by Statute
(sections 7 and 8). If we are not to enjoy it let these clauses be repealed next
year, and let it be known that onr prblic schooln are cure!" ssn!'.!,'?.;' L-«^ i*. v--^
known that while Roman Catholics have their children 'taught the doctrines and
II
h \/tl(I iMute
practices of lloinaninm, and public niniiey Ih granted to teaoa doctrinea HnbTcrMive
of civil and religious liberty, while in our jails, pmitentiarieH, reformatoriep in-
dustrial Hchools, proviHion is made for religious inHtructiou, Protestant ohihiren
so long as they are not criminals, are not to l)e taught the knowle<lgo and fear of
<}o«l, which alone can effectually keep them from crime. Let it be known that
the moral teaching of our Hchoolw is not to be based on Christian reveliition. Let
the Minister of Kuucation openly avow all this, and lepeal sections 7 and 8 of the
School Act, aud we shall know what to expect. But do not mock us with ai:tatnte
that provides for religious instructioi. and yet is made void r,y Regulations which
only enjoih the reading tc the children of o. few verses at the close of the school ;
mock us l)y granting ptirniis.sion to such clergymen as think they can do so, to keep
the children of their C'hurcii after school hours once a week and give them a Bible
lesson ; do not do this and then cull that adequate religious and moral instruction.
The experience of three hundred years has proved that the intelligence of a
(tommunity, its prosperity materially, its civil liberty, its capacity for self-govern-
ment, as well as its moratity, are intimately bound up with instruction in Bible
truth. In evidence of this compare (Jermany, Holland, the Protestant cantoni
of Switzerland, England, Scotland, the Nortli of Ireland, New England, Ontario,
with Spain, Italy, the Roman Catholic cantons of Switzerland, Southern and
Western Ireland, Louisiana and Mississippi, the Province of Quebec, Mexico ;
surely there the difference is marked indee(i. Who among us cau desire that ^hile
one-fourth of our youth receive an education which is cramped by and subjected
to clerical control are denied the right of private judgment and taught the
duty of unconditional obedience to a, foreign power, viz : the Pope of Rome, the
other three- fourths should be trained under a system which knows no God, no
revelation of duty, no hereafter, but inculcates a purely heathen morality. If
such a state of things should supervene, the civil and religious liberty of the
natj^ will be imperilled — nay, must soon be at an end. In the interest of onr
nation we ask f )r religious instruction in the true sense of that word.
THE DUTY OP THE STATE WITH REGARD TO THW BIBLE.
Once more, it will be admitted that the Stale ought to do whatever, in the
opinion of the majority, is best calculated to make intelligent, law-abiding, indus-
trious citizens. Now the vast majority of the people of Ontario think that
religious and moral instruction in school will accomplish this. Further, they
think the Bible is the best book to use for giving such instruction. It is, therefore,
right that the Bibl be used for this end. Even if, in the opinion of some, it is a
sectarian book ; and if, by most people, it is thought to be inspired ; nevertheless,
being the best book for the purpose the Government ought not i o set it aside,
because some men say it is sectarian, and others say it is inspired. Give us the
best book on any and every subject, and for religious instruction the best is
God's w'jrd.
Contending, then, for this right, we entreat Christian men to prevent the
secularization of our school system on the plea that it is an easy way of avoiding
ditHculties ; also to resist the claim of the Roman Catholic clergy, put forth by
Bishops Lynch and Cleary, and acknowledged by some persons in power as just ;
to object to, --egulate, or interfere with the conduct of our public schools, because
some Roman Catholic children attend them, if Roman t'atholic citizens have
any representations to make, let them act in the same way as Protestants do, aud
as citizens and through their representatives in Parliament approach the Govern-
ment. The Roman Catholic clergy should not be considered as speaking for the
people. In public school matters the Roman Catholic clergy should have no
privilege accorded to them which Protestant clergy, as such, do not enjoy. With
their separate schools we Protestants do not interfere, and the Protestant clergy,
as such, could not if they tried; wny, then, should the Archbishop, as the head of a
church or sect, and not even a parent or a ratepayer, be allowed to pass judg-
ment on the use of the Bible or any other book on religion and morals used by the
children of Protestant parents in the school which they attend ? We have nothing
else to fear, for so far as Protestant Christians are concerned we are sure that
\,Lere are no such differences as to prevent all uniting in the use of the Bible in onr
schools. The School Act, as it is, is in this respect quite suflBcient. The great
majority of our teacl.ors not only may be trusted, but are thoroughly capable of
teaching the children to read God's word intelligently. We have confidence in
incin. very iCw nouici tniiiK ci giving tneir luotractiOu & tioctriimi or sectarian
bias, and if it were thoughtlessly attempted, such teaching would soon be anthori-
12
tatively Btopped. As for aome using their position to vlestroy the faith of the
<^ildren we do not believe that one teu^hcr in a hundre<l or in a thousand would be
•o diahoueat and mean, aitd for 8uoh an one peremptory dismissal and the cancelling
of his certificate would be a gentle punishment But Christians are willing to run
all risks rather than have an education given which ignores God and His revealed
w^ill, man's duty and msponsibility, a future state of existence and judgment
according to wc 'ks. Give us the Bible ; taught systematically ami iutelliguntly,
and as carefully and efficiently as other subjects. The Bible is at the foundation
of I'rotestant liberty, civil and religious ; our laws are based on it ; our citizens
are »wom by it; our litei iture is impregnated with it ; it affords the only key to
the noblest a.id most glorious achievements of this nineteenth century civilization.
ARE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROTESTANT?
This may be a suitable place for considering a plausible objection, viz : " The
Dublic schools are not Protestant, in the Protestant sense of the term. ' This the
Minister of Kducation pleads as a reason for not using the Protestant version of
the Bible in the schools and only such passagea as the Archbishop, speaking for
the Church of Rome, approves of. Tne Archbishop himself also said in a card,
dated June 26, 1886 : "I also wish to draw attention to the fact that the public
schools of Ontario are not Protestant schools, but schools common to Catholics,
Jews and the children of non-believers in any religion, and all these may frequent
the common schools without their peculiar beliefs being interfered with, etc. Pro-
testants as well as Catholics can have their own separate schools where their
religious views may be inculcated into the minds of their children." This was
written in vindication of the claim which is made by the Archbishop and by
others on his behalf, as " the recognized head of the Roman Catholic Church in
this Province, and of the clergy generally," to interfeio witli the view of havim^ the
"prescribed school books as far as possible from subjects reflecting on their Cnurch
and its teachings." Let ua examine this position : —
1. "It is not true that Protestants cau have their own separate schools as well
Catholics. They are only permitted to withdraw their children from the public
schools where a Roman Catnolic teacher is employed in these schools ; and even
v'hen the schools must be conducted according to the general regulations for public
schools, not by the Protestant clergy as they choose, frea from regulations, or
under special regulations suitable to tlieir doctrinal views and religious practices,
as is the case with Roman Catholic separate schools. Roman Catholics have a
great and unfair advantage in tnis respect.
2. While provision (section 7) is made for preventing interference with the
religious belief:; of anyone, be he Jew, Mormon, Infidel or Roman Catholic, our
school system is based on Christianivy, and no one would think of inviting or
allowing the interference of the chief Jewish Rabbi, or the presiding elder of a
Mormon community, with a view to having the " prescribed school books as free
as possible from subjects reflecting on their churcLes and tenets." Nor has either
the president of the Methodist conference or the moderator of the General
Assembly, or the president of the Congregational or Baptist unions, or the Angli-
can bishop put forth any such claim. W% then shoulcl the head of the Roman
Catholic Church be allov/ed to make it ? Why should our Government and public
papers recognize the claim and concede the right to him ?
3. If the schools are based on Christianity, and as declared in the original
regulations of our system, "Christianity is recognized by common consent
throughout this Province as an essential element of education, and ought to per-
vade all the regulations for elementary instruction." Our schools are distinctively
Christian, and the religious instruction to be given ought to be Christian.
4. But in this Province, where we have no Greek, Armenian or Coptic form
of Christianity, the Christian schools must be either Roman Catholic or Protes-
tant; there is no intermediate ground. The separate schools are R,oman Catholic
inasmuch as they are controlled by the clergy as the Syllabus requires, and have
the peculiar doctrines and practices of that church taught in them. The public
schools are not Roman Catholic. Nevertheless, being Christian, they must be
Protestant Christian, that is Christian, but not Rotaaa Catholic For, the Church
of Rome itself being judge, every school or society which is not subject to the
Pope, is outside the church, is not Catholic, and if Christian is Protestant, in the
wide and proper sense of the word, a non-Catholic Christian in Onts rio is a Pro-
Ltratdixt 111 trlttr ^j^ VI fiiv t<f»r '—ff- ••' -If- j-'-f^.tt' Jtt' ••! •••••_• t»-'!f!r>-»f -^'-yvii /If- vittttvtr.
If there were no papal claims there could be no protest against them.
13
I faith of the
land would be
the uancelliiig
leilliug to run
Hifl revealed
knd judgment
intelligently,
he foundation
; our uitizenB
le only key to
y civilization.
n, via: "The
1.' ThiBthe
•nt version of
speaking for
laid in a card,
lat the public
to Catholics,
may frequent
ith, etc. Pro-
I where their
1." This was
shop and by
lie Cliurch in
of hanmr the
I their Cnuroh
chools as well
)ni the puLlic
Is ; and even
ons for public
sgulatious, or
ous practices,
[lolics have a
nee with the
Catholic, our
f inviting or
g elder of a
Dooks as free
for has either
the General
or the Angli-
f the Roman
int and public
the original
men consent
ought to per-
diatinctively
itian.
• Coptic form
ic or Protes-
man Catholic
as, and have
The public
hey must be
r, the Church
ibject to the
estant, in the
8 rio is a Pro-
5. ProtofltantiBm is not a church ; Protestants do not form a sect; there is bo
«aoh thing as organized Protestantism. Rut every person and institution that
repudiates the claims of the Pope to spiritual antl temporal supremacy over all
men, governments and institutions, is Protestant. And as our school system repu-
diates the claim of the papacy it i.s distinctively and properly Protestant, and our
educational authoritirs ought to be Protestant, t.^., uon-C^tholic, and to administer
the schools without recognizing or asking the consent or approval of the Koinan
Catholic clergy. Our aohooU are Frotastanf, that is, non-Roman (JathoUc ;
(yhristian, not subject to clerical but to State control.
6. If the Roman Catholics had not separate schools, it would be right and
proper to consider them in all matters affeotine our public schools. This was done
at nrtit. Bishops McDonald an^l CharbonneU and other Roman Catholics had a
seat in the Council of Public Instruction ; and before separate schools had a place
in the system, Roman Catholics and Protestants were agreed that Christianity
should be taught in the schools, and had also agreed on the ^evotional exercises
that should be erigaged in, and on the use of certain portions of the Bible. But the
I >(>man Catholics preferred and obtained separate schools which are not Protestant;
and having thus withdrawn voluntarily from the public schools, while their chil-
dren are admitted to the public schools, and no interference with their religious
views is permitted, it is going too far co demand also that their clergy shall bave
the right to prevent the non-Catholic portion of the commuaity being taught^cer-
taiu subjects because,in the opinion of the clergy, these subjects reflect — no matter
whether justly or unjustly— on their church and its teachings. Let Roman Catho-
lics give up their separate schools and meet their fellow citizens on the grount of
our common Christianity and they will have a right to speak on all school ma<;ters
equally with non-Catholic citizens. But so long as they claim and enjoy Roman
Catholic schools and privileges beyond what Anglican, Presbyterian or Methodist,
Baptist or Congregational citizens enjoy, we must say " hanus off," let the other
Christians— non-Catholics — have their way. At the same time Roman Catholic
children are welcome to the public schools and their religious privileges will be
respected.
THE SKPARATB SCHOOL L.VW.
Finding it avowed by Mr. Kerr, approved by the Hon. Mr. Mowat, and
fiercely maintained by the Government orguu, thr t it was the proper thing to
consult the Roman Catholic clergy and obtain their approval vegarding the
selections from Scripture which ought to be used in our public schools, some who
thought that the Roman Catholic clergy ought not to have that right conceded to
them, began to look more closely than they had done into the late amendments in
the school law, more particularly as regards their effect on the public scliools in
their relation to the separate schools, and so ascertain what further concessions
had been made to the Roma.. Catholic clergy That many improvements had
been made in late years was at once manifest, but it startled some to see how
adroitly and systematically and noiselessly everything had been done towards
making the Roman Catholic separate schools thoroughly ethcient, while for the
Protestant separate schools nothing of a like nature had been attempted. It also
became evident that some of these amendments tended to withdraw Roman
Catholic ratepayers from supporting the public schools, without their knowledge
or consent, at the same time making it veiy difficult for them again to become
public school supporters. On further enquiry it became apparent that in this way
the separate Roman Catholic schools had gained an undue advantage. The Separate
Schools Act of lS8t) speaks for itself. It most certainly requires to be amended, if
Protestants are to have equal rights with Roman Catholics. We propose now to
show this.
Tiie Hffch section of tlie School Act reads thus : " The Minister of Education
shall roport.aiiuually to the Lieutenant-Governor, upon the normal, model, high,
public and <!?/)« 'Yt^e schools." In accordance with thi- a report is annually sub-
mitted and ia laid before the Legislature. But it is n worthy that in this report
there is no mention made of Protestant separate schools, nor of the school sections
in wliich Roman (.Catholic teachers ave employed, where alone Protestant separate
sohools may be established. Why is this information withheld ? The public would
never have known that such schools existed in Ontario had not a news-
paper correspondent assarted that he knew of one in Penetanguishene, where he
resides, a . • e uudurstood there were two or three others :n the country. After
this the .1 .ister of Education, in r.n electioneering speech, corroborated that
u
I ill
ii* I
■t»t«meiit, .m.l Holemnly avei re.l that there w..r.. Huch iiiHtitutioriH, by way of showbis
that Uornan ( utholu8 wore not more favored un.ltr the school svgtcra tha*
FroteHtiiut« How many s.u:h BchooU there are, where they are iituatea. how the*
•re attt-mled how they prosper, under wliat i.pecial r.^gnlations they are conducU'./
are n,ttttor« belonging to the rny«teriim of the Departin. nt, which, for reasons
doubthHH gotHl and HuHici.nt, are carefully 8creene<l from t)ul)lic vn/e. Now
why .s th,H m onnation withheld? If it i« right for Hon.an l.'a.hoTicH to have
Bejmrat.' schcKde wherever they c^hoose, it is tonally the right, legally and morallv
of ProtcHtHut imrentH, where the public school teacher ir a H/m.aii Tatholi- to have
their .sej.arate schools ; and if such schools exist the Minister of E.lucation should
comply w.th the aw and rei)ort them. Perhaps the Report of 18HM will give us
th« valuable and interesting information, that is, unless it is the purpose of the
Government, while developing an fully as poHHJble an.l mauing thoroughly efficient
Roman Catholic seprate schools, to discoui age Protestant separate schools, and
by having them subject to the restrictions and vexatimis .lisabilities, from which
the former have been set f.ee, quietly to strangle these troublesome institutions
and remove them wholly from our school system.
Let us ''ow look at the conditions under which a Protestant separate school
may be estabhshe*!. 1 he municipal council establishes the school and prescribes
the hmit of the section -such a school is allowe.l only in a section i.i which the
teacher is a Roman (athohc ; any one sending children to the school or subscribing
at Jeast as much as hir public school rates would come to i.s exempt from public
school rates as long «3 he semis tc or subscribes for the school; the school shall
share in the legislative grant ; the trustees shall transmit to the Inspector, in June
and Decemlier each year, the names of the supporters of the school and of the
children, also the amounts subscribed and the average attendance. It will be seen
at a glance that there cr.nnot be a Protestant separate school in any city or to'vn
where a Frotestant teacher is employed; they are intended only for districts in
which the majority IS Roman Cathofic, and even then if the teacher be nominally
ft Prote.stant, thmigh the whole control of the school is in the hand of the Roman
Catholic priest, the Protestants are helpless, they cannot have a school. The
council also may restrict the section in such a way as to prevent the establishment
of a school Now, let us ask how it is with Roman Catholic schools in these
respects They can have a separate school in any section, even if the teacher of
the public school be nominally a Roman Catholic. Every school has a territory
extendmg for a radius of three miles from the school house ; any Roman Catholic,
on giving notice to the clerk of the municipality, can l)ecome a 8upix)rter ; the list
of such supporters with their contributions is not required to be given in twice a
year by the trustees. Every Roman Catholic who says he is such, or is known to
be such, or IS stated by a third party to be such, is put down by the assessor as a
supporter of such school, if he fives within three miles of it ; the school rates are
raised by assessment the same as for public schools. All property occupied by
Roman Catholics, a R^man Catholic's portion in a company's property within three
milesof a school and unoccupied land belonging to a Roman Catholic, maybe
prtma facte pr;t down as assessed for the support of Roman Catholic schools.
Thus it will be seen that if a Protestant separate school ia established, it has
not the advantages of the Roman Catholic school in several respects. Besides the
points noted above, observe further that the property occupied by Protestants
withm three miles is not pnma facte assessable for the Protestant school, far less the
unoccupied lands belonging to them, nor can the property of a company, one partner
oi which 18 a Protestant, be exempted from public school taxes, and no place on the
aasessor s roll is given for Protestant separate school supporters. It may not be an
easy thing to adjust all these matters ; but if Protestant separate schools are
to be maintained they should mtUalis mutandis enjoy every privilege extended to
the Roman Catholic schools. But the most serious matter regarding separate
™T.!.« ^* .^ °? *^® assessment clauses on the public schools. TherVis i.
wide difference of opmion regarding the meaning of the provisions of the Act, in
the matter of assessment for separate schools, Hon. Messrs. Ross and Mowat
have publicly committed themselves to the following interpretation —
1. Every Roman Cacholic ratepayer is primarily a supporter of public schools r
and continues such until he voluntarily withdraws.
In order to withdraw he must, " on or before the first day of March, in any
year, give to the clerk of the municipality, notice in writing that he ia a
Koman Catholic and supporter of a separate school," etc. (Section 41.)
Un ^vmg this notice he is to receive a certificate to that effect from th*
cicFK. (oection 42. )
2.
-.aMBlili i B i Ti-iiiijiiri i fi -
'^iifiii—i
vuy of showing
I 83'Btem than
itfd, liow they
»re conductt'if,
h, for rca-sonn
! ga/e. Now,
>olicH to have
yaiul morally,
tholie. to have
icatjon Hhould
'( will give UH
;)urpofie of the
ughly etticicnt
e Hchools, and
I, from which
le inatittitions
paratc school
.nd prescribeB
1 i.i which the
orsHbscrihing
3t from public
3 Hohool shall
lector, in June
ol and of the
It will be Been
city or town
r districts in
be nominally
)f the Roman
school. The
establiahment
oolg in thcHe
he teacher of
18 a territory
nan Catholic,
irter ; the list
2n in twice a
r is known to
assessor as a
hool rates are
f occupied by
r within three
holic, may be
schools,
lished, it has
Besides the
/ Protestants
)1, far less the
, one partner
place on the
nay not be an
s schools are
extended to
injg separate
There la a,.
f the Act, in
and Mowat,
blic schools ;
arch, in any
that he ia a
(Section 41.)
set from tiM
3. Thereafter he continues to Ih) a BC|«rate school suppoi-ter, unlesii he withdrawa
hj giving " notice in writing to the clerk, Iwtore the second W»*<ineHday
in .January of any year. " (H'iction 4H. ) Now, it was ascertained laHt year
that in vc :y few places was the law in tht.i respect observed. I'eople
generally, ^wth Protestant and Uonian Catholic took for granteti that any
Roman Catholic who did not ey\)reHs a contrary <le.sirti was proijerly a
He[)arate Hchool supjporter. And the practice accorded generally with
that anHuniption. 1 nis imprenaiuii (a inistahe according to McnnrH. Hohb
and Mowat) arose from the provisionH of Section 41. (l) " 'Ihe asHessor
orasseHSors . . . shall, in the assessment roll, set do i the religion of
the persons taxable, distinguishing l)etween I'rotesta. and Roman
Catholic, and whether supporters of public or separate schools," etc. (2)
*' The uHsesBor shall accept the statement of, or made on behalf of, any
ratepayer, that he is a. Roman Catholic, as sufficient /)n'wa/o»te evidence
for placing such person in the proper column of the asBessment roll for
s>>puratu school purposes, or if the asbeasor kiu)ws p«;rKoiially any ratepayer
to be u Roman Catholic, chis shall also be sufficient for placing him on
such last mentioned column."
Section .'•2 further provides that "the occupant or tenant shall be deemed
Mid taken to be the pciHon . . for detcrming whether such rates shall be
applied to public or separate school purposes."
From these sections it was nferred, rightly or wrongly :
1. That every Roman Catholic ratepayer is to be assessed us a separate school
supporter, and that the fact that he is a Roman Catholic " determines "
that his rates shall be applied to separate schools.
2. As nothing is said in the Act as to thtJ expressed wish of the ratepayer ;
it was assumed that the assessor is required to put dovn every one whom
he knows or is informed to be a Roman Catholic for separate schools, no
matter what the ratepayer's wish may be, or how expressed to the assessor.
This, however, Messrs. Kossand Mowat say, is not the proper iiitticpretativin.
The former says that the Act of the assessor is " merely a clerical action, and that
even if the ratepayer has told tn^' assessor to put him down for separate schools,
doing so can have no etfect unless tlie notice of section 41 has been given. " The
preliminary notice has not been dispensed with — on the contrary, it is expressly
continued by the 4lst section of the Act of last session, the section which gives
Romon Catholics exemption from school rates ; and any Protestant or other rate-
payer . . . may object to the exemption before the Court of Revision, on the
ground that the necessary preliminary notice was not given i and he may do so
without tiie consent, and even contrary to the wish of. the ratepaper whose case is
in question."
The section regarding appeal to the Revision (Jourt is 41 : (3) " The Court of
Revision shall try and determine all complaints in regard tp persons in those
{larticulars, alleged to be wrongfully placed upon or omitted from the roll," etc.
Wliat, then, is to be done : (I) Every Roman Catholic noleim volenn has been
enteved on the assessor's roll as a separate school supporter. (2) The assessor has
no way of knowing wh() have or have not given the preliminary notice of section
41 ; nor, if he did know, does the Act empower h m to change the roll in view of
such notice. (3) The clerk who knows who have given the notice lu's iy> power to
change the roll. (4) No objection by the ratepayer himself or by any other rate-
payer is taken before the Court of Revision. (5) Hence every Roman Catholic
renuvins as assessed, and all the taxes go to separate schools. This i^ just what was
done in nine cases out of ten, and no question was raised, until last November, ul)out
the notice of section 41. Then, however, it was fo\ind necessary to defend the
Act, and then, for the first time, was promulgated by the Hon. Messrs. Mowat and
Ross, the idea that recourse might be had to the Court of Revision. And the
public was made awaie that the law had for years b'^en habitually violated. It
was resolved, however, to test the law in the matter, and the case of two men who
declared that they had never given the preliminary notice, whose children attended
the public school, wiio, against their wish, were assessed as separate school sup-
porters, and whose taxes had gone to separate schools, was brought bei^oro the
Court of Revision. The court refused to make any change in the assessment, and
it was appealed to the county judge in Wentworth. The decision of Judge 8inLlair,
instead of confirming the interpretation of Messrs. Ross and Mowat, is in direct
opposition to it. The appeal was dismissed and the assessment was confirmed.
We now give the learned judge's view of the case and his reeksons for it :—
I
Iff
lUIXJR SIJCOLAIR'S DSCIUION in TIIK DVtiUAB CA8K«.
Thelollowing is the teirt of the judgment of Jucl«e Sinclair fV.imtv I.ul—
of W«ntw.,rth. in the c«... of the appml^ Lu the ( o„rt*:;f f'^vi-i^ of tw f flomS
Ctholi. ., who w.. hecl to in, relieve<l from the payment of semrate ■chool t»«e. 1i
order that they might Bon.i tiieir ohihiren to tL public school *
town of'uu^Cfo^'tJe ;Z1hT"''' '^ '^'"''•'"' ''^ *'' ''""'^ "' "-"i- '<"• '»»•
VVm. I^ncl and An^ig Mcintosh, appellants.
These men are admittedly i>oth Roman ("atholicH. and .'.urine the vear iNMt
were «sB«Hg«,l as supporters, oi the l.'oman Catholic separate school at ijJndas
1 must asbume that they were i)roperly bo nesessed. Durina the nresent vear
each o then, conceived the fdea of (.ecoming a supporter of the JtbHc^scZ S
deHired to sever their connectio.. as Hupportern oY the Hon.sn Ltholfc .Swrate
8cJk,o1. They appealed to the Court of llcvision and that court SrmedT the
""rtuie. "' """^ '^^""' *'"^"'""" *« *'^'' '^"'^^ "' "- ^•^""ty. l«>r" uant to
Vi, ' h"* °I«* n ?P'"'"" **"** *'•.* ^^^^'^ "*'*'■*"•" «^ **>« Separate Schools Act (49
Vic chap 46, Ootano.) governslheir cases, it is there provided that "any Koman
(.athohc who may .lenire to withdraw his support from a Hcparate school LlUive
notice m wnt.ng to the clerk of the municipality before the sec --d wtnesdav In
January in any year otherwise he nhall be .le.mcd a supporter,./ such school "
Ihese words appear to me very nlain, and require no imaViuation to interpret he
ZTl^ ''^ *'•' L^«»''ft">^«- ^ ^« >' «t'^t"te, having a definite obje" t £ plah^
English exprescs itself as our Legislature has here done, we need not seek fir
latent ineaniu^s or apply to it any strained construction
In Maxwell on statutes it is laid down in construing a statute that "the
correct rule is to construe Acts of Parliament according to**their grar^ma c'al and
natural sense, unless the context shows clearly that a .liferent seme warintende*f •'
Ist M. Boyes 195 am 19(i, Doe v. Considine and Wallace. (U. S. A ) I-'O In the
case under consideration these men were, .luring the year 1886 assessed as sun
porters of the Dundas separate school, whether rightfy or wrongly soTt is not Jr
thi'iRJh'^ fj"" determine their position as separate school supporters und^r
the 48th sec. of the Separate Schools Act, already quoted. In neither of tCe
cases did the appellants do so. They must, ^^herefote, be classed as contin£
fKn'ti''" °f, *'^M«P»''''t« «.9hool, They must, to be in' any other posufon g vf
the notice wit un the prescribed time. They cannot elect afterwarc s and bK
separate school supporter.s of the year 1885, and not ha-ing deterTiS tha? reS
m the manner ported out by the statute, they must, umler sec 48, b^ deemed
supporters of such school. ' ueemca
In the same manner, if a ratepayer has been assessed for common school
purposes he cannot change his position as such unless he has given, beToTeJhe 18th
of March in any year, the notice of his desire to change to a separate school bud
porter as provided for under the 4l8t section of the Separate Schools Act
In re H^rdsdale and Brush, 22 N. C. R. 122 •
It was argued that the Court of Revision could, on appeal, change the status
of the parties and declare whether they should be sepf rate or publif school S
porters, according to the facts appearing before them and without any notTc?
This IS not law. The duty of the Court of Revision is, where au appeal is properly
but not to declare who is the^subject of ass^rsment or of assessment in a particulw
way. 1 hey can only alter their assessment as the law prescribes. P»™cuiar
Tobey V. Wilson, 43 Q. B., 230, per Armour, J.
In these cases these remarks bear no particular application, because the Court
of Revision has not altered the assessment but on the contrary confirmed it
1 have virtually determined the only other point raised, viz. ; That theappel-
lants who had previously been assessed as p^lic school supporters have for
the years 1883, 1884 and 1885, and Mcintosh for 1884, never giVen notice of their
desire to change to separate school supporters under the 41st section of the PubTic
Schools Act. I repeat that they never appealed against their assessment a.
separate school supporters, allowed without cbiectio,, th«ir L'.l^rf!!! '^.t^L!'
Uruied, paid their taxes no doubt, and cannot now be allowed-io'question" the
»wnwwaH«wn i n i M i i i >.M i ii i
17
iKH.
, County Jndg*
n of two Roman
■chool taxes, in
lovi«ion for the
the year 1H«6
at Dundaa.
he present year
blio Huhoolti and
tholio i-eparate
confirmed the
ty, pursuant to
Schoola Act (4»
it "any Konian
:h(X)\ hhall give
Wt'Mncsday in
such Hchool."
o interpret the
bject m plain
id not seek for
ite that, " the
immatical and
ivas intended.''
,)4r)9. In the
aesaed as sup-
so it is not for
sections they
id cases there
to continue so,
jporters under
either of these
as continuing
position, give
OS, and being
d that relation
t8, be deemed
ommon school
)efore the 18th
te school aup-
8 Act.
ige the status
ic school sup-
it any notice,
ial is properly
ament made ;
n a particular
use the Court
med it.
lat the appel-
ers have, for
lotice of their
of the Public
.ssessment aa
nt to hn .".".n-
question the
< ornotnesa of such aawwiment. If they wiah to become Hupportera of public
whoola again each of them must pursue that course which the statute pointa fiat
and give the retpiired notice.
The deciaions of the Dunda* Court of Reviaion are thereforo affirmed. No
(joata to either party.
See Marling rn. Maysville, 21 C.P., 49i.
Free ix. McHugh, '24 C.I'., 13.
. J. 8. 8lN0LAI«.
I. He aaaumed that inasmuch as these ratepayera are Roman Catholics, were
iMtsesaed and nlaced on the aasessor 'a roll aa separate school sup^Mirters in 188fl ;
did not api»eal against the assessment, allowed it to be confirmed anc! paid their
taxes, thev were " properly asaesaed " and must be presumed to desire to continue
rs in 1887, and cannot now l)e allowed to (lueation the
separate school aupporter
(;oi rectness of such assessment.
2. It is decided that they must continue to be separate 8ch<ic! aupporters until
they give notice to the clerk of the municipality, according to aection 48, that they
>vithdraw from being separate school supporters.
3. That in order to l)econ.e a separate school supporter, it is not necessary for
» Roman (Jatholic to give notice according to section 41. The judge declined to
en(|uire whether these men had done so, as being inmmterial. He holds that a
Roman Catliolic once assessed for separate schools remains such until he gives
notice according to section 4S ; and that a ratepayer once assessed for public
schools remains such until he gives notice according to section 41.
4. It is decided that " it is not law," that the Court of Revision could, on
appeal, change the status of the parties and declare whether they should be separate
school or public school supporters, according to the facts appearing before them
without notice. The Court of Revision may alter, change or amend, according to
the facts, the assessment made ; but it may not declare who is the subject of assess-
ment or of asse'smeut in a particular way ; they can only alter the assessment aa
tl e law prescribes.
5. Further, it is decided that a Roman Catholic ratepayer who, per ineurtam,
or per ignorant iam, or for any reason, has allowed himself to be assessed for separate
schools, is debarred from appeal to the Court of Revision, or from putting in the plea
that he never wished to be assessed, never directed the assessor so to assess him,
and never gave notice according to section 41. Once assessed as a sejmrate school
supporter, his only remedy is to withdraw according to section 4S. And as that
retjuires to be done before the second Wednesday of January in any year, it follows
that no Roman Catholic who is assessed after that day has any remedy whatever
until the following year -and it is to be noted that as the as.sessment is always
made after the second Wednesday of January — cannot possibly be made before
that time ; every Roman Catholic at his first assessment (section 49 (2) ) must have
his name placed on the roll as a separate school supporter, nmst pay the taxes to
separate schools for that year, and for all succeeding years, unless he gives notice
in writing to the clerk of the municipality according to section 48.
Note, now, the important dififerences between the judge's decision and the
opinion expressed by Messrs. Ross and Mowat : —
1. The judge says : Every Roman Catholic is pri7na facie a separate school
supporter, and is properly so assessed. The politicians say : Every Roman Catholic,
unless he has given notice of withdrawal (section 41), is a public school sup-
portei'. Which is right ?
2. The jud?e says : If once so assessed, he must continue a separate school
supporter until he gives notice of withdrawal. The politicians say : The entry
by the assessor of a Roman Catholic's name, as a separate school supporter, is
'* merely a clerical act " that has no value and is not conclusive, unless the primary
notice of section 41 has been given. Which is right ?
3. The politicians say that the Roman Catholic ratepayer himself, or
any other ratepayer, may object, and bring before the Court of Revision a case
of which a Roman Catholic, against his expressed wish, or without his
knowledge, or without having given the primary notice of clause 41, has
been put down as a separate school supporter ; and that the Court of Devision,
and, if it refuses, the County Judge, may remove the name from the column
of separate school to that of public school supporters, when the taxes will
go to the public schools The judge says, "This is not law." The Court
of Revision cannot ileolare who is the subject of assectsnieat, or of a-sessinens
in a particular way. The Court of Revision or judge in such a case has not
iK
■) '
i ■
Ih^l . ' ;' ,*'h«i.Ke th« Htatu« of tl. ^*rti«., .ml .lecUr,, wh.th«r th«v
UnKU....„g b«twe«n nupporter. of public or He,«rate mh.ml. " "T ,"„:?,
.1"Lfto w.;'t;rr' t'""'""' ^•'"' '^^ "-««i"re«:rdto anvil;.:
«.Tf I 1 ^'L ** "/'^ P''^*'*'^ "'•*'" •"■ "'"'tt"'! f«'»"> tho roll. •• W liJn tlio oourtM
the law-iimkcrH .litfor, liow Hhall laymen .lecide '
fnr ♦?■ *?'"-.'^""'"* '"••^•'•"- «*«««. " Th«Ho ActH [1H89, 1 87 1 ) substitute.! tho assessor
for th« j,lerk. ami Kav« the riuht of appc-ul to the Court of Revi.ioa an 1 thoTm n?v
.lu.lK".' Mr. Mowat prohabfy n.eans l.ere that the makina rt of h„ "o^
K3<,un« tho wo.k <.f ti.0 a8«eH.Hor an.l not of the clerk of thoTu c .H^Utv asTt
ormorly had ,.en. accor.ling to tho last part of clause 41- whirl" mw Si.
lit the Act fails to give the asHOHHor .lirections ,u, to asccrti in. w har^ive.;
tho m.tice re.,u.re(l gy the first nart of section 41, or to n.affiT.p h „ J i
accoraauce w.th .uch notices, an.l «imply re,.uircs him to enter «n, J/J J. , ti''
Hcpar«te Hchool column every rateoayer pr<.Uing to 1m3, or k umnTv hi m be
;« concerning whom he has been told by a third party, that he i^ a J?„ m» ("athol c'
l.ea«He.8or then ,h done with tho roll; and the rolf thuH ..utdrou accord ..fto
tut cd for h. 1 . i a"""" • "'■■^"""^y •' "••«"• »"t ^* the a,sHOH.or has V^en huS
^ 8 amen.le,l what .. to be .lone ? When next January co.nes, n?;ery Roman
1. thr. I'n'ih ^•'"'""" ^'.^' '"I'' «'-•' '"'' -•••"«'"to to that eHect(Hection 4^ (2 )
and then tel tho uHsessor, when lie comes round in February or March that he Ih
public schoo supporter ? Is the ansessor then, in view of tha^t Zvtmae at li e. tv
«1 Lough he known him to be ,i Roman Ottholic. to pat his nun , drnv^,' for nubli,'.
jchoolH. ,,r muHt he .,t him .lown for separate a.-imolH, and tc h 7 , appSto
the (,our of Revision ? If appeal is taken, has the ( „ urt of Hevis i.m nowe • to
change h,.s status on pro.luction of his cortiricate (clause 4H (2) ), ind if t^Jiurt
rofuseH. ha«the(;.>untydudgep„«^r to make the change ? Horis any RoZn
Catholic ratepayer, wliofor tT.e lirst time comes into a munioipality or E in 1^87
boon assessed for scp.trate schools, to secure tlie liberty and pri v ei^ of s^. in] his
Again, if a h'oman Catholic c.mics for the first time into a mtinicipalifcv and
w.shes to send Ins ch. drcn to a separate scliool, what has he to . lo ? wfl the
fact tiiat he ,s placed by the assessor in the column of separate school supporte "
.sufhcejornuistheasogive notice to the clerk, before the first .lay JCoh
according to section 4 , and get a certificate accor.ling to section 42? To whom ^
that certificate to be shown ? Is it intended for the Court of Revision in cse.f
appeal ^ or is i to be shown to the assessor to iustify him in putting th name own
for separate schools? If any appeal shoul.l ie ma.le against the^as essmen To^
separate schools of any Roman Catholic ratepayer, who has not «iveirthrnH Lrv
notice of section 41, shouhl the Court of Reiision'or the (Vm trial g^fw Lit
that notice, take his iiame trom the separate school column and p.^t it in ? le
public school column ? These are practical ..uestions in which all ratepayer and
school boar.ls both public au.l separate, are deeply intereste.l and must t ke uctfo
But when ju.lge and statesman contra.lict e.ch other, how is the citiin to act '
ro ,i"^':«.";''«'ot'e'- provisions in the separate school law, viz. • Sections 47 kt
53. (.2, which undoubtclly have the merit of ten.ling to make the R, ma cSm c
separate schools more efficient an.l ..f .loing justice to our IJoman ('a hole fellow'
citizens, and which, so long as separate schools exist, are wise, an.l have the appro"^!
of all reasonable men We only ask that like privileges be granted to Protest uit •
separate schoo s in order to their efficiency, and with a view to^qnS lihtsTtween
-^p^trtttc nimlci schools ror Roman Uathoiics. Now if
19
■ lintiiictivitly I'liittmtiuit, what n««d U thor* of
our (NHiiitv iiiimI«I mt:U<iiy\» mn not
th«M? Hut if it ia pniper thiit Konian ('RtholicN havo thtiir t«««h«ni tntned in
l(ut if it ia ,
tht* tloi-trinoN and prnctrceti of tnu Korimnt'atholic f'huroh in th««ii« nintlel ncIun)!*,
why Hhoiild t*roteiitanta be denied » like privilege in their ochoola ? Having
Roman ('atholiu model avhcMila, no Konmn ('atholic teauhur need attend the other
nuHlel aohoola. Surely it ia a« imtxirtant that I'roteatant teauhera Im; traine«t in the
priniuplett and practiceaof religion, which are nomnion to all Hrottrntanta, aa that
tho Konuui ('atnolic teachera )>e trained in Komaniani. And y«>t further, when no
l*rnteNtunt teacher can Ito t<niploy«<(l in H«|)ar»to H<dKK>la, ia it right that teachera
trained in iteparate HohrH)lM, primary and model, ahoutd l>e iiligihle aa teachera in
the pultliu !toh(K>l8? The ImmjIim in which they have lieen trained are widely
different, the readera and hiatorica ctmtain many thinga offenaive to Proteatanta,
and they are utterly uiiacc{uaint«>d with the I'rotoatant readera, I'roteatatft hiatoriea,
Protestant Bible, und l'rot€.stant muthoda. ('an it then Ik; riuht that, men and
women ao trained Hhould bo eligible for Hohoola frequented chifny, or wholly, by
Protestant children? There can b« no dilTerenue of opinion here, and yet there ia
nothing in the law to prevent thin lieing done.
Section H7 giveH ae{>arate HchooL boards power to appoint a member on the
high Nchool lioard of the municipality in which it ia aituated. Thin privilege has
been grantetl with the view of encouraging Roman ('atholic atudcnta to attend the
high Holioola. The ilesign ia commendable, the nieana a(lopte<l highly objectionable.
VN ill <i like privilege be (conceded to Protestant separate sch<K>l« in munioipalitiea
whurt the teacheiH of public Hchoola a'e Homan ('atholicn, and where, being in the
n>aiority, the Roman (^'athoUes, properly enough, control the munioi{)al oouncila,
and may, if they chmwe, fill the high achool Ixiard with '{oman (!atholicM? We
fear not. But in any event it ia cIuh.s legislation of the worst kind to give
privileges to Koirmn Catholics an cntizens over and above thone which they enjoy
in common with their fellowciti/.ens.
A PLKA FOU A UBCONSIOERATION OP THE HCHOOL LAW.
In view of the above statements, we appeal with confidence to every man of
intelligence, and posse-ssed of a sense of justice and a desire to deal fairly an iMstween
man and man, and ask : Does not our school law require reconsideration at the
hands of our legislators ? What we ask for is not more tinkering and patching ;
but a simple, intelligible law, free fronj onerous and usele8,s detail, and which
X'ccognizes that the school l>oardH of our Province consist of educated men, who
can be trusted to walk without lea<Ung sti ings and desire to do what is right,
fair, ju.st and expedient, fn course of the foregoing diHCUHsion, we hope it has
become clear to the reader thai in the intere.stn of education in our Province
changes are desirable, we may say indispensable. \\v a.sk for these changes
altogether aside from any consideration of what party is now in power, or who is
responsible for the changea which have been made It is matter of satisfaction to
every patriotic citizen tliat all classes and creeds have access to schools, and we
wish every sc^hool to be as excellent as possible. At the same time we cannot help
feeling that the Protestimt community of Ontario are deprived of many privileges
which Roman Catholics enjoy, and, although aaked to grant these privileges, tht;
(^iovernment is unwilling to do what might and should be <lone.
VVe **,Mk no change in the statute in the matter of religious instruction ; but
we do ask that the geneial regulations be framed in the spirit of the statutes, and
shall be such as will secure for our children systematic instruction in Scripture
truth and Christian morality. The Roman (Jatholics have all they desire, why
cannot Protestivnts have what they desire? The conscience clause will protect the
one in seventy, who, on secularistic grounds, objects to the Hible, and surely no one
will maintain that the othei- sixty -nine are to forego their piivilege, or ' e denied
their earnest desire Itecause this one man objects, (yhristian parents , enerally
wish the Bi)»le again to be taught in the school as it was at first under our system,
and do not wish the obligatory studies to exclude Bible instruction. Wo have
shown that the " Scripture Selections " ia not such a l>ook as meets this wish, and
is properly objected to. We are satisfied that arrangements could easily he made
for reading the Bible by the pupils from the book itself without reading every
chapter and verse thereof. We also believe that our teachers generally can In-
fully trusted in the matter. They are as a class discreet and judicious, and can
have no object in making an improper use of God's word. There may be a few
n'no arc so devoiu oi priiAOipie aiici hoiicaty, as to buiiiic of Uning cneir position ror
upsettinj; the Christian faith or for sectarian proselytism ; but to prevent an
20
inlinit.-niMUkll) •iiiitii I i^k III iiiiocliU'f Iniiii^ thiit iltiiii', It iritttiitly •'•imt iU'< i'i>N*ry t'»
liijurt* our yoiitli hy witlilmldUig tlif only Lffectivu truinintf f«r thwli reli^^umit miiI
iiiorul iiibtiirc, ittiil *M'<'iil»ti/ing thfir viuw* of truth ikini iluty If Miy t«MK)h«r it
utiwilliiiK t') t<'it It our rliililrcn timt there iii » (mmI, that Mu Iiam rflvwuwl Hiii will,
tkitd iirovidoil II >«ivt'iur iroin nin, mimI that th«ri in » future Kt«t« nf t<xUt«iic« in
wtiicli wi< NhiiU l>« happy or itiiMiahlti lu'iortiing to our (hurauttir hihI (U-chIn in thin
lift) ; if there Iw Nuch i% t«!iM'hf<r, h« i.« an intnulur In our public MclwMtU, ho ought
not to ]») entrusted hy ( 'hristittii iMireiitn with forming th(» •..hai.-ii.tfci of tij«ir
ihililren. Our Hchoolti ure ChriMtiiiii ; ami the ({eneriil priticiptu, originally plai:c«i
ill lorel'iont of thii H«tgulittioiiN, i|«H:liire(l thi^ To <lo away with tliat I rimiplr,
iot'iilikri/.e our h< hiM>lM ami ileiiy riiligiot;a iiiatructioii in >\, noriouH lirua'h of faith
with the I'liriHtian public. And tho wronu ih gri^-itly IntchNiiied when the Koinun
Catholie)/, iiiiiler the miuiiu law, have Mchooln in which til* llomau ('atholic religion
ia taught, while I'roteMtiintM are <leiiit*<l tlie privilege.
Tlien li.H to the Menarate whool law : we ivmIc the Minister of Kdui iition to
report (Concerning the I'roti'Ntaiit separate ncIiooIm, aH well aa the Koniaii (atholii
Hoparate si:hi»«>l«, also to re|K>rt in vhat ^eitioii^ [{oiiiaii ('tt'.,holii! t«ai.'hers ar<!
eiiipl.iyed in the public ncIkmjIh, that it may \i ' known wliere froteatniit se)Nirate
MchiMdr* Mhoiild be entabliahed. Knrther, woank forvijual rightn ; and that in evtry
r«a|H>ct I'rotcstant M;,Mirate hcIiooIn If ladc a« uHic'eiit, and Ik; as liberally and
conMiderately dealt with aM the otheiH are ; ai d enjoy the same privilegcH ami
tacilitiea.
Last of all we a^k that the law bo made intelligible to uoininon men, no that
there may ariHe no unplcasaiitiiOHD or irritation ill tito ma^.erof liMMeMMment ; and
titut itH proviHioiiH be such that, ciiually with ourMelvva, our Koinan Catholic fellow
citi/eiiH may have liberty to Hupfxtrt the piittlic schooU if they m> ileaire, and tu
withdraw th»'ir 'liildreii, if they nee fit, from any religiouH iiiNtructinn that ij^giv«;ii
in t!u' Hcluxdi , public or Heparute.
No ulei^tioii iw now imminent. No citizen, However lilindcd by party*ipirit,
can Huppoac that we wish to injure any (iovernmeiit o; |)arty. We need
not, tnerefore, diMclaim hiicIi inteiitiona. Hut we do imwt eniphatically dc
dare our intention to continue t' in agitation ami demand our rights, an
NHcured to iia by Mtatute, until either our chihlreii do receive the religions
instnictb)!! wc desire, or the LegiHlature, supported by the elictorH thioughotit the
I'roviiicc, has repealed sections 7 and H, and Mei:ularize<l our nehoolH. If the latter
lie tlie result, it will become tlie duty of IhristiauN t(» consider, as tiiey have done
ill HollamI, whether t'ney should not establish Cliriatian schools wherever they
can, side by side with the public secular schools, and leave these to l)e frequented
by the children of such a.s think that '• the fear of the Lord is not the beginning
of wisdom," and that a proH()erous nation can be built up witlunit the knowledge
of Hiw will, and can l)e preserved without the salt of the kingdom oi Heaven. In
our opinion the more excellent way is the old one in which, fur three iuuidred yearn,
the Protestants have walked, namely, To teach our uhildren the Bible.
[Copies of tliis pamphlet may be had fr(»iii any bookseller
through the T«>r<)nto News Coinyjany.]