per classes, though the present system might admit of much improvement, yet it is based on sound principles. The pure doctrines of the Church are taught at our Universities and principal schools; and, very generally, the instruction of the sons of our nobility and gentry falls into the hands of the Clergy. Then, we have the recently established institution of King's College, and its dependencies and connexions,—in all of which sound religion and useful knowledge go hand in hand. With regard to these, all that we, as Churchmen, have to do, is to pray for God's blessing on them, and resist any attempt which may be made from without to corrupt the soundness of their teaching. For the humbler classes, the National School Society has already done much to provide the same wholesome instruction; and she awaits only the insurances of greater support to extend her operations to the remotest corner of the land. LORD WAVERLEY. Still, there is a numerous class, which do not derive benefit from any of these institutions. HERBERT. I was going to observe, that, between the higher classes which are educated at our Universities and principal schools, and the poor who receive instruction in our national and Sunday schools, there is a wide interval occupied by an intelligent and important population: and here it is, perhaps, more than any where, at the present time, that the greatest exertions are needed to infuse the pure and scriptural doctrines of the Church, and train in a right direction that energy and intelligence, which can only be guided rightly by the influence of pure religion. I am happy to say that the attention of able and influential men has been directed to this subject, and a machinery will, I hope, soon be set in motion', the power of which will be brought to bear on this hitherto neglected portion of the community. If this scheme is zealously supported and prudently carried out, we may hope that in the course of a few years all the various classes of our community may be trained in communion with the Church of Christ. RIDLEY. You allude, I suppose, to the Metropolitan Institution? 1 Query, whether the proposed middle schools would not be more likely to succeed if they were connected with those above rather than those below-with King's College rather than the National Society? HERBERT. To that, and also to the plans of the National Society for extending their operations into a higher sphere. Their plans are still in embryo, and must, of course, depend in no small degree on the support which they obtain. The misfortune is, that well-disposed persons, especially laymen, are not sufficiently alive to the immense importance of these and similar schemes. They see an advertisement respecting a new society, and set it down as some new-fangled society in which they have little or no interest. Or they hear a charity sermon about education, and cast their sovereign into the plate, and then dismiss the subject from their thoughts, with little concern whether the institution prosper or fail. Or, perhaps, they read an article in some leading Review, the arguments of which they highly approve and straightway forget. They forget that all these are appeals to themselves,—the affluent and educated portion of the community; and that on their co-operation, under Divine Providence, must depend the success or failure of the schemes. It ought to be impressed strongly on Churchmen that the maintenance of Church principles is the business of all. If Church principles are true principles, it is our duty as Christians to do all in our power to maintain and to spread them; and if they are, as I verily believe, the principles through which our nation has hitherto prospered, we are still farther bound, as patriots, to uphold their influence. We must act vigorously together, and learn to make sacrifices both of our ease and of our wealth for the cause of truth. Every Churchman ought to be solemnly exhorted by God's ministers to set apart a portion of his income for the honour of God, as his forefathers used to do; and the sum so set apart might be entrusted to the bishop, after the primitive custom, to be by him employed according to his discretion; or perhaps, more properly, in accordance with modern notions, the Bishop might call in the aid of a council or committee of the principal Churchmen in his diocese; or else it might be contributed to those charitable institutions, of the objects of which the donor most approves. And next to the en dowment of churches, I know no scheme of more immediate urgency, nor any on which the character and fortunes of our country more depend, than Education on Church principles. |