Boroughbridge, near Bridgewater-By Mr. Rev. Wilkins. Shefford-Union Chapel by Rev. B. Hall... 2 15 0 Bradley, near Trowbridge-Collection by of Collection 10 0 0 15 0 0 Cardiff-Collections by Rev. W. Jones Stanger, Mrs Bates, Mr. J. Small sums 1 6 8 0 0 5 0 £ s. d. 500 1 10 0 2 10 0 1 15 4 5 16 10 390 100 1 17 0 2 12 6 19 13 5 500 2 10 0 500 1 0 0 0 10 0 0 5 0 1 15 0 Thanks for boxes of clothing to Misses Purday and friends, Sandgate; Mr. Sprigg, Margate; Mrs. Hud. son, Pershore; Scroxton, Bromsgrove; John Rogers, Foots Cray; S. Biggs, Frome; Mrs. Lodge, Harlow; Mr. Gutteridge, Dunstable; Mrs. Bult, London; Upton, St. Alban's; T. Knighton, Stoney Stratford; R.O. Husband, Ilfracombe; Friends at Lowth; E. G. Graves, Northwold; Mr. Button, Lewes; and T. B.and Mr. Westley, London. Subscriptions and Donations thankfully received by the Treasurer, EDWARD SMITH, Esq. 60, Old Broad Street; Rev. J. ANGUS, and by the Secretary, Mr. FREDERICK TRESTRAIL, at the Mission House, Moorgate Street, London: and by the pastors of the churches throughout the Kingdom. OF THE BAPTIST HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE ANNUAL MEETING of the Society will be held at FINSBURY CHAPEL on Monday evening the 26th of April. The chair will be taken precisely at half past six, by JEREMIAH COLMAN, Esq., Mayor of Norwich. The government scheme of Education recently laid before Parliament is one of the most dangerous measures which protestant dissenters have ever been called to oppose. Carried into operation (as it assuredly will be unless opposed with the utmost earnestness and in every way constitutionally permissible) in the course of a few years it will destroy not only the day and Sunday-schools connected with home missionary stations, but many of the stations themselves. The Committee feel, therefore, that it is incomparably more important this quarter to supply the means of intelligent and earnest opposition to the government measure than to report the labours of the agents. They apprehend that they cannot better carry out their convictions than by republishing the paper of the "Central Committee" of opposition,-a -a document singularly clear, comprehensive, and forcible. It will thus get into the hands of many thousands who will not otherwise have an opportunity of becoming sufficiently informed on the subject. -the I. DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE. that they understand its meaning ;1. The ostensible object is the multipli-examination: in other schools," the state of parochial Clergyman assisting in their cation and remuneration of Schoolmasters the religious knowledge," say the Minutes, "will be certified by the Managers." and Mistresses. 2 Their number is to be increased by means of a system of "Pupil Teachers" and Stipendiary Monitors" (of both sexes), of "Queen's Scholarships," and other "Exhi bitions." 3. Their remuneration is to be secured by various payments out of the Consolidated Fund, in the form of salaries, proportions of salary, fees, gratuities, and retiring pensions. PUPIL TEACHERS AND STIPENDIARY MONITORS. 4. The "Pupil Teachers are to be apprenticed to Schoolmasters for five years; but the term may be shortened in cases of merit. 5. They are to be selected from schools under inspection, on the nomination of the Trustees or Managers, and in the proportion of one to every twenty-five scholars. 6. The candidates for the privilege of being Pupil Teachers" must be thirteen years of age, and be approved by the Inspector: in schools connected with the Church of England, (i. e., in the great majority of schools,) they must have a certificate from the Clergyman and Managers (who, if not satisfied with the moral character of their families, may require them to board in some approved household), repeat the Catechism, and show 7. Accepted candidates are to undergo annual examinations, increasing in rigour and aminations, so far as they relate to secular alone; so far as they relate to religious know knowledge, will be conducted by the Inspector ledge, in Church of England Schools, by the jointly. The secular examinations will emInspector and the parochial Clergyman conbrace-composition, arithmetic, elementary mathematics, English grammar, geography connected with history, and aptness to teach : the religious-the Holy Scriptures, the Liturgy and the Catechism, more and more fully year by year. In other schools, "the Managers," say the Minutes, "will annually certify that they are satisfied with the state of the religious knowledge of the Pupil Teachers," and also, that they "have been attentive to their religious duties." extent to the close of their term. These ex 8. The Pupil Teachers must present annual certificates of good conduct, proficiency, &c., from the Managers, the Master or Mistress, and, in Church of England schools, from the parochial Clergyman, who, in addition to his joint reports with the Inspector as to the state of their religious knowledge, must distinetly certify that "they have been attentive to their religious duties,” i. e., have regularly | SCHOOLMASTERS AND MISTRESSES—THEIR RE attended church. 9. Every Pupil Teacher, having passed these examinations and presented the required yearly testimonials, will receive a certificate declaring that he has successfully completed his apprenticeship. 10. The regulations concerning "Stipendiary Monitors" are nearly the same as those concerning Pupil Teachers; the difference being, that the former are not to be formally apprenticed, are to be retained for four years instead of five, and are to be paid at a somewhat lower rate. In all other respects, the same conditions apply to both classes. 11. Pupil Teachers and Stipendiary Monitors are to be paid by the Government, after the following rates, irrespectively of any sum received from the school or any other source : At the end of the 1st year 2nd 3rd Apprentices. £10 0 0 12 10 0 15 0 0 17 10 0 20 0 0 0 Monitors. 4th 5th These stipends will be liable to be withdrawn on the unfavourable report of the Inspector, or in default of the required clerical and other certificates. £15 0 0 to £20 0 0 20 0 0 25 00 25 0 0 30 0 0 Schoolmistresses in like circumstances are to have two-thirds of these sums. These grants are on condition that the Master or Mistress has a house rent free, a salary at least twice the amount of the grant, presents an annual certificate of good conduct and efficiency, ENCOURAGEMENT OF NORMAL SCHOOLS, QUEEN'S and that the Inspector reports the school SCHOLARSHIPS, AND PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT. 12. Successful Pupil Teachers are to be candidates for Queen's Scholarships and for public employment. efficient. 19. Retiring pensions, regulated in amount by the Inspectors' reports, but in no case exceeding two-thirds of the previous average annual emoluments, will be granted to any Schoolmaster or Mistress incapacitated by age or infirmity, or who shall for fifteen years have conducted a Normal or an Elementary School under seven years' inspection. 20. Masters and Mistresses will derive other pecuniary benefits in connection with the proposed Day-schools of Industry; that is to say, an annual gratuity to the Masters of School Field-gardens; a gratuity to the Masters of workshops for trades, for every boy become a workman or assistant in any trade or craft whereby he is earning his 13. The Inspectors, in conjunction with the Principals of Normal Schools under inspection, are to submit to the Lord President those who, upon competition in a public examination, annually held in each district, may be found most proficient; and the Committee of Council may award, for as many as they may think fit, an EXHIBITION of 20% or 251. to one of the Normal Schools under inspection; such to be denominated "QUEEN'S SCHOLARS," and the Exhibition liable to be withdrawn, if the Principal be dissatisfied with the conduct, &c., of the Exhibitioners. 14. Besides these Exhibitions, the Com-livelihood; an annual gratuity to the Mismittee of Council will award to every Normal tresses of School-kitchens and Wash-houses School under inspection, a grant, for every reported of favourably by the Inspectors; student of whose conduct aud proficiency the with an additional gratuity to Schoolmasters Principal shall report favourably enough at and Mistresses, for every male Pupil Teacher the close of each of the three years of train-trained, besides general instruction, in the ing, of 201. the first year, 257. second, and 301. third. culture of a garden or in some mechanical art, and for every female Pupil Teacher instructed in cutting out, and in cooking, baking, or washing; the Inspector to certify in both cases, and the reward to be propor tioned to the skill and care displayed. DAY-SCHOOLS OF INDUSTRY. 21. This class of schools are to be promoted, when arranged in all respects to the satisfaction of the Committee of Council, and placed under inspection; Field Gardens, by payment of half the rent and by a grant for the first purchase of tools; Workshops for Trades, by grants for building and first purchase of tools; and School-kitchens and Wash-houses, by grants for building; besides the gratuities to Masters and Mistresses above mentioned. II. OBJECTIONS TO THE MEASURE. UNCONSTITUTIONALLY INTRODUCED. 1. It is introduced on the mere authority of a Committee of Council appointed in 1839 to administer a small annual grant in aid of school-buildings, instead of being submitted to Parliament in a Bill. 2. Even in 1839, on its original appointment, the unconstitutional character of the Committee of Council was pointed out by Lord Stanley in the House of Commons, and by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the House of Lords. 3. The noble Lord moved an Address, praying that Her Majesty would be graciously pleased to revoke the Order in Council of the 10th of April, 1839, appointing a Committee of Council to superintend the application of any sums voted by Parliament for the purpose of promoting Public Education. The Motion was supported, on a division, by 275; opposed by 280: majority for Ministers, only 5. The Archbishop of Canterbury moved an Address to the Throne with the same object, which was carried against Ministers by a majority of 229 to 118. Thus, the Committee of Council has been denounced by a large majority of one House, and nearly so by a majority of the other, as an unconstitutional, irresponsible, and dangerous Board, the appointment of which ought to be revoked. 4. If, viewed in connexion with the limited purpose of its first appointment, this Committee excited so much jealousy, how much more when it has actually assumed that stretch of prerogative which was then apprehended as barely possible. NEEDLESSNESS OF THE MEASURE. 5. The needlessness of the proposed measure is proved by the amazing increase of voluntary efforts. 6. Elementary Schools have vastly increased, and are still increasing in number; Training Schools are becoming numerous; the quality of the instruction has greatly improved, and is still improving; the number of children under tuition has trebled within the last twenty-eight years; vast sums of money have been expended in school-buildings; and many religious denominations and public bodies are engaged in making unprecedented efforts to promote education. 7. It is but a fair inference that, since so much has been accomplished in a short time, all that is needful will in due time be effected by the same means. 8. It may be urged, that Government and Parliament are misled by the reports of the Inspectors, which, relating to those schools only that are under inspection, afford but an imperfect estimate of the quantity and quality of education in the country. 9. It is, moreover, preposterous to make further demands upon the public funds, while a vast amount of property bequeathed for educational purposes remains without any just or useful appropriation. EXPENSIVE CHARACTER OF THE MEASURE. 10. It involves a vast annual outlay of public money, a fatal objection at a period when, to save Ireland from utter famine, the Government has been obliged to raise a loan of eight millions sterling, and may not improbably be driven to further expense to rescue the other portions of the United Kingdom from a similar calamity. 11. The scheme will be found to embrace at least fourteen several heads of expense, which, it has been calculated, will eventually involve a yearly outlay of little less than £2,000,000. GOVERNMENT PATRONAGE SPRINGING OUT OF THE MEASURE. 12. At least 88,000 individuals, to say nothing of their connections, will be dependent upon the Government, and consequently subservient to it. 13. Pupil Teachers and Stipendiary Monitors; Queen's Scholars and other Exhibitioners in Normal Schools; Schoolmasters and Mistresses; Masters of School-gardens; Master-workmen in School-workshops; Mistresses in School-kitchens and Wash-houses ;-all these, with their respective families and friends, and all those who aspire to such appointments, with their families and friends; and also Pupil Teachers admitted into the revenue departments, with their families and friends,-will thus be rendered the obedient servants of the Executive. 14. A similar influence will obviously extend itself over the Trustees and Managers of schools in receipt of or seeking the aid of the State. 15. The continued servility of so large a section of the community will be secured by the power reserved to withdraw or withhold pecuniary rewards on the adverse reports of the Inspectors and in the absence of clerical certificates. THE MEASURE SUBSIDIARY TO THE ESTA BLISHED CHURCH. 16. Both the principle and the details of the measure, and the circumstances attending its production, show it to be INTENDED TO FAVOUR THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH. |