"discretion; and if he see cause, to remove him from "his office of master. *

"And be it further enacted, that the Rector, Vicar, "perpetual Curate, Curate, or other Minister of any parish or chapelry, whether residing and officiating "or not, may at all times freely enter any school pro"vided under this Act, either on complaint or on application, within the same, or for the use of the same 'jointly with any other parish or chapelry, and may "examine the scholars attending the same, touching "their proficiency; and may question the master touching his government of the school, and touching "the proficiency of the children: and such Rector,

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Vicar, perpetual Curate, Curate, or other Minister, "shall answer any inquiries directed to him touching "the said school, by, or by order of the Ordinary of "the Diocese wherein such parish or chapelry is "situated. †

"And be it further enacted, that from and after the passing of this Act, all Biskops and Archbishops "who are required by an Act made in the Forty-third "" year of his late Majesty, intituled 'An Act to amend "the laws relating to spiritual persons holding of "farms, and for enforcing the residence of spiritual

persons on their benefices in England;' and by "another Act made in the fifty-seventh year of his "late Majesty intituled 'An Act to consolidate "and amend the laws relating to spiritual persons "holding of farms, and for enforcing the residence "of spiritual persons on their benefices; and for the + Vide Act, page 14.

* Vide Act, page 13.

"support and maintenance of stipendiary Curates " in England;' to make returns every year of 'mat"ters connected with the residence of the clergy "under their care;' shall in addition to such returns, " and in the body of the same, further make a re"turn yearly, specifying the names of all schoolmas"ters in any way appointed under this Act, within "their care, together with the number of scholars taught by each, and the amount of the salary, and "average yearly emoluments received by each such "master; and shall add thereunto such remarks "touching the said schools, and the education of youth generally, as may be from time to time com"municated by the ministers within whose parishes "or chapelries such schools are situated."

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These important clauses confer the sole right of visitation on the Parish Minister, the Ordinary, and Diocesan Dignitaries. To this exclusion from public direction and control-this removal from the salutary check of public opinion-the Dissenters entertain strong and decided objections.-Nor are these objections founded on a feeling of resentment at being deprived of the paltry importance which a share in the management of a parish school can bestow, neither in hostility or prejudice to those to whom it is proposed to commit the power; but on a firm conviction that if the schools have not the benefit of public government and control, they will not be rcgarded with interest by the public, and must fail to ensure the benefits which they would otherwise produce. What melancholy proofs, in confirmation of this opinion, does not the history of many institutions

* Page 15 of the Act.

present? From what have arisen the feebleness of management, the contracted usefulness, the entire perversion, of those endowed establishments, whose abuses have been so recently exposed? The greater number of these institutions have had visitors; and those, in most cases, chosen from the very order of persons selected by this Bill. Had such establishments been superintended by committees, chosen annually, and selected, as is generally the case in elections of this nature, for respectability of character, and disinterested benevolence, most of these decayed establishments would probably to the present hour have maintained their usefulness. Their fate affords a striking instance of the extreme folly of committing and bequeathing charitable institutions to official management; as if the office would inspire the individual who fills it with the necessary qualification for the trust. In former times, indeed, the power and advantages of public associations, for benevolent purposes, were comparatively but little known; but, in the present day, when their superiority is so strikingly manifest, to pass over the benefits to be derived from them, as the Bill in question altogether does, and to commit the objects of its care to the official superintendence of the Minister of the Parish, subject only to the Ordinary, and Dignitaries of the Diocese, appears to be altogether at variance with the experience which recent discoveries in charitable abuses furnish, with good policy, and with common sense.

In no instances have the advantages of public committees been more obvious, than in the government of schools, and other institutions, calculated to promote the moral and religious welfare of the people.

Let the effects which have resulted from such management be compared with those arising from official superintendence; and it will be found that where public committees direct, there is spirit, energy, and a strong sense of accountableness to public opinion. -Where the power is entrusted to an individual by virtue of his office, (honorable exceptions undoubtedly exist) indifference to the objects of the institution is strikingly apparent.-Would the British and National Systems of Instruction have found their way into every populous town in the kingdom, and been instrumental in training up thousands in virtue and intelligence? Would Sunday Schools have spread their moral benefits throughout the land? Would the Bible have travelled into every village? Would the country have derived these blessings, had the Legislature merely passed a bill for the enactment of these great objects, and referred the execution of it to the Clergy?

Thirdly-Is not the measure founded on principles calculated to aggrieve and oppress a large proportion of the community?

The following are the words of the Act relative to the instruction to be communicated to the children in these schools.

"And be it further enacted, that in every school "to be provided under this Act, the master thereof "shall diligently teach the Holy Scriptures in the

version authorized and appointed by law to be used "in churches, to such scholars as be of age to learn

"the same, and shall use select passages thereof for lessons, whereby to teach reading and writing, and "shall teach no other book of religion, nor from any "other book of religion whatever, (except as herein"after excepted) without consent of the resident_offi

ciating Minister of the parish or chapelry, where such “school is held, first had and obtained; and shall use "no form of prayer or worship in the said school, ex

cept the Lord's prayer, or other select passage of "the Holy Scriptures, in the version aforesaid: Pro"vided always, that it shall and may be lawful for "the said resident officiating Minister to direct, from "time to time, what portions of Scripture shall be "used, either for lessons or for worship in the said school, which direction the said master is hereby required to follow.

"Provided nevertheless, and it is hereby further "enacted, that in each school to be provided under "this Act, the catechism of the Church of England as

by law established, together with such portions of "the liturgy thereof, as the resident officiating Minis"ter of the parish or chapelry where such school is "situated may appoint, shall be taught during the "half of the school hours of one day in the week, "to be fixed by the said Minister when he fixes the "hours of teaching, as herein before directed; and the "said Minister is hereby further empowered, if he

sees occasion, to order the said master to teach the "catechism and portions of the liturgy, aforesaid, on "the evenings of the Lord's day, during a time not "exceeding three hours. Provided always, and it " is hereby expressly ordered and commanded, that