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The English Education Question.

Before getting into the actual subject of this Lecture, I want to make some preliminary remarks; partly, by way of explanation; partly, to keep the subject itself clear.

The "genesis" of this Lecture is simply this:—So many men of all sorts and conditions were asking me questions about the present Education Bill in the Old Country, that I thought the easiest and simplest plan was to explain the whole situation. So far as I have the ability, at some gathering of an informal kind. Little by little, the proposed informal gathering grew into this big meeting in a public hall to-night.

In consequence of the publicity of the meeting, as it had grown previous to June 22, I had to relinquish the idea of an informal talk and adopt the method of writing and reading a Lecture. This method, while certainly less comfortable and easy for my audience, has the advantage of enabling the Lecturer to refer, if necessary, to what he did say, for refutation of the words attributed to him by amiable correspondents in the papers, which are generally what the Lecturer did not say.

The Lecture to-night has been voluntarily organised by the All Saints' Branch of the C.E.M.S. and some other laymen of the Church of England. Some expense has been incurred. As you leave the Hall the opportunity will be provided of contributing not only to these necessary expenses (which are small), but also to an object, which is—thank God!—traditionally the privilege of the Church of England to provide for, i.e., spiritual ministry to, and Christian burial of, those of our kith and kin who, certainly previous to the erection of the Chaplaincy to the Public Institutions in Auckland, were sadly neglected. The purpose to which your alms will be to-night devoted is, in a real sense, harmonious with the history of Elementary Education in England:—the care of those who have none to care for them.

I am talking to-night about Elementary Education entirely. I have had to omit Secondary Education, The two are connected; but we have not time to think of more than one to-night.

I am talking about England and Wales, not about Ireland and Scotland. In those two latter highly favoured countries page 4 the State encourages Denominational Education. Anglicans, Romans, Presbyterians, in Ireland and Scotland are, possibly, better instructed educationalists than in England and Wales. Anyhow, in Ireland and Scotland things are better managed,. educationally, than in England and Wales.

For one moment, I do not expect every one here to agree with me when I express any personal opinions. It would indeed be a dull Lecture which dealt only with a subject upon which there was only one opinion—such an "undenominational" Lecture on any subject would be an insult to any audience. But, so far as ever I can, I am conflning myself to-night to a purely historical statement. Where I quote, without reference, from speeches of mebers of the English Parliament, I am quoting from "Hansard," When I express a personal opinion, I do so because this is a Lecture given by a man who, notwithstanding many ignorances, has had to learn by experience certain facts, and, further, the men who have organised this Lecture to-night are members of the Church of England; as such they have a clear right to know what their Bishop thinks on this matter. I am responsible for this Lecture as a whole, not for less. My MS. is at the disposal of the Press, but I distinctly decline to be responsible for any extracts from this Lecture divorced from the whole of the Lecture. Will "leader" writers and anonymous correspondents kindly note? Where I have occasion to speak of Nonconformists who oppose education, I wish it to be clearly understood that I am alluding to the definitely "political" section of the Nonconformist Bodies. I am not, in any sense, alluding to the noble and spiritually-minded section of Nonconformity which has helped both national life and Christian Theology to no inconsiderable extent.

In England and in New Zealand the question at issue is different. In New Zealand the issue involved is: Christianity or Secularism. At Home, it has not come to that yet; but, if I may venture to prophesy, it will come to that before many years are over if, as has been not unwisely said, "Birrelligion" is "by law established."

This Lecture was prepared and written for delivery on June 22—a week ago. The only parts that have been re-written have been these prefatory remarks and the portion of the Lecture connected with the Bill at present before the Home Parliament; the situation in this last respect has materially altered, so far as our cables give information.

A further reason for my limiting my remarks, almost entirely, to Elementary Education is : I have been closely con- page 5 nected with it in a large Yorkshire "slum" parish, a Norfolk country parish, and a West London parish, for more years than now I quite care to remember, A. man can best tell of what he has himself seen and experienced. For this reason, you will, I doubt not, pardon my quoting, occasionally from the facts of experience actually undergone. In a self-governing colony we rightly refuse to allow interference from Home within the sphere of our own self:governing rights. Similarly, we cannot interfere at Home. Therefore, the object of this Lecture is:—not interference in any sense. It is:—an attempt to state facts in such a way as may help people to think more clearly about a big thing in the Home Country—a thing so big that, for weal or woe, it is going to reach to the remotest corners of the Empire. Whether we be New Zealanders, Irishmen, Welshmen, or Scotchmen, we call ourselves Englishmen, and we want to know about what is going on in that Old Land which the Briton beyond the seas will always love to call by the sweetest name his tongue can lisp: Home.