APPENDIX A. II. Rules and The following explanation of the preceding Rule, and observations of the Commissioners, accompanied by the new Regulations of Order issued by them in 185, in reference to the 9th paraCommission graph of section 2, are taken from their Sixteenth Report. ers. "We have recently issued an important Order, on the subject of religious instruction, to which we beg to draw your Excellency's attention. In our Report for the year 1847, we stated that our Secretaries having informed us that they had been frequently consulted, both personally and by letter, as to the true meaning of the following portion of section 2, paragraph 3, of the Rules of the Board with reference to religious instruction That due regard be had to parental right and authority; that, accordingly, no child be compelled to receive, or be present at, any religious instruction to which his parents or guardians object and that they deemed it desirable that we should supply them with an authoritative answer to such questions, we directed them, by a minute bearing date 18th November, 1847, to give the following explanation in reply to all such inquiries in future: "First-That the true interpretation of the words in question clearly is, that no child be compelled to receive, or to be present at, any religious instruction to which his parents or guardians object; and that this rule (in conjunction with the notification in the school room of the arrangement for giving religious instruction as required by Rule 9, section 2) has hitherto been found amply sufficient for the full enforcement of parental authority. Secondly-That though all that is required by this rule. (section 2, paragraph 3) is, that the Patron should engage not to compel any child to be present at such religious instruction; yet, should the Patron use any means, either directly or indirectly, to induce any child to attend such religious instruction, contrary to the desire of his parents or guardians, the Commissioners would consider such conduct inconsistent with the whole spirit of their system." It was with a view to guard against the possibility of such a case arising, that the Commissioners gave the following important explanation of their sentiments in their Eleventh Report, for the year 1814, dated the 24th day of April, 1845: "It would be found impossible to lay down in detail any set of rules so accommodated to all the varying circumstances of every locality, and so guarded against all possible mistakes and misrepresentations, as to be secure from being violated in spirit, without any tangible infringement of the letter of them. For example, under our resent rules, the Patron of a National school may give religious instruction during even the fixed school hours. A patron, Protestant or Roman II. Rules and Catholic, might possibly, availing himself of the letter of this APPENDIX A. rule, make so unjust a use of this privilege as to drive from the school all children of a persuasion different from his own, Regulations of or induce them, if they remained, to share in the religious Commissioninstruction to which they and their parents were conscien- ers. tiously opposed. In such a case we should immediately interpose, and cause the Patron to abandon a course so inconsistent with the whole spirit of our system; or, in case of his refusal, we should strike the school off our roll. "The Order which we have deemed it right to make is as follows:-That the following arrangement be adopted for carrying out more effectually the Rule as to the notification of the time for giving religious instructions, as set forth in the 9th paragraph of section 2 of the Rules and Regulations of the Commissioners: "First-That the public notification of the time for religious instruction shall be inserted in large letters in the "Time Table" supplied by the Commissioners to all National Schools; and the Commissioners strongly recommend that, as far as may be practicable, the general nature of such religious instruction shall be also stated on the "Time Table." "Secondly-That the "Time Table" shall be kept constantly hung up in a conspicuous place in the school room. "Thirdly-That, in order "that no child be compelled to receive, or to be present at, any religious instruction to which his parents or guardians object," the teacher shall immediately before the commencement of religious instruction, announce distinctly to the pupils, that the hour for religious instruction has arrived, and shall, at the same time, put and keep up, during the period allotted to such religious instruction, and within the view of all the pupils, a notification thereof, containing the words "Religious Instruction," printed in large characters, on a form to be also supplied by the Commis sioners. "Fourthly-That, when the secular instruction shall precede the religious instruction, in any National School, there shall be a sufficient interval between the announcement and the commencement of the religious instruction, and, whether the religious or the secular instruction shall have priority in any National School, the books used for the instruction first in order, shall be carefully laid aside at its termination, in the press or other place appropriated for keeping the school-books.' "Although, so far as we are aware, no case has ever yet occurred in which proselytism has taken place, either on the Roman Catholic or Protestant side, in any National School, yet fears have been entertained that such attempts might be made during the time set apart for religious instruction. The arrangement we have now adopted will, we trust, go far APPENDIX A. II Rules and Commission to remove such fears, and cannot be objected to by any one who places his school under us, with the honest purpose of Regulations of acting upon our leading principle. In founding our system, Lord Stanley announced, that even the suspicion of proselytism should be banished from it'-'that security would be afforded by it'-'that the most scrupulous care should be taken not to interfere with the peculiar tenets of any description of Christian pupils.' His language in this respect is in exact accordance with that employed in the Fourteenth Report of the 'Commissioners for inquiry into the state of all Schools on public or charitable foundations in Ireland.' In that Report, published in 1812, and signed by the Archbishops of Armagh and Cashel, by the Bishop of Killala, and by Provost Elrington, the Commissioners declare their hope that the scheme of National Education proposed by them will be cor dially accepted by the people of Ireland. And they add these memorable words: "That such will be its acceptance we shall indulge the more confident expectation, if all interference with the particular religious tenets of those who are to receive that instruction shall, in the first instance, be unequivocally disclaimed, and effectually guarded against. We conceive this to be of essential importance in any new establishments for the education of the lower classes in Ireland: and we venture to express our unanimous opinion that no such plan, however wisely and unexceptionably contrived. in other respects, can be carried into effectual execution in this country, unless it be explicitly avowed, and clearly understood, as its leading principle, that no attempt shall be made to influence or disturb the peculiar religious tenets of any sect or description of Christians. No person who does not from his heart adopt the sentiments here expressed by the Commissioners, and which are embodied in Lord Stanley's Letter, can conscientiously avail himself of our grants; and no one who does adopt those sentiments can object to the Order which we have issued on this occasion." 4. In Schools, towards the building of which the Commiss sioners have contributed, and which are, therefore, VESTED in Trustees, for the purposes of National Education, or, which are vested in the Commissioners in their corporate capacity, such Pastors or other Persons as shall be approved of by the parents or guardians of the Children respectively, shall have access to them in the School-room, for the purpose of giving them religious instruction there, at convenient times to be appointed for that purpose, whether those pastors or persons shall have signed the original application or otherwise. 5. In Schools NOT VESTED, but which receive aid only by way of Salary and Books, it is for the Patrons to determine II. Rules and whether religious instruction shall be given in the School-room APPENDIX A. or not; but if they do not allow it in the School-room, the Children whose parents or guardians so desire, must be allowed Regulations of to absent themselves from the School, at reasonable times, for Commissionthe purpose of receiving such instruction ELSEWHERE. 6. The reading of the Scriptures, either in the Protestant Authorized, or Douay Version, as well as the teaching of Catechisms, comes within the rule as to religions instruction. 7. The rule as to religious instruction applies to Public Prayer and to all other religious exercises. 8. The Commissioners do not insist on the "Scripture Lessons," "Lessons on the Truth of Christianity," or book of "Sacred Poetry," being read in any of the National Schools, nor do they allow them to be read during the time of secular or literary instruction, in any School attended by Children whose parents or guardians object to their being so read. In such case the Commissioners prohibit the use of them, except at the times of religious instruction, when the persons giving it may use these books, or not, as they think proper. 9. Whatever arrangement is made in any School for giving religious instruction, must be publicly notified in the Schoolroom, in order that those Children, and those only, may be present whose parents or guardians allow them.* 10 If any other books than the Holy Scriptures, or the standard books of the Church to which the Children using them belong, are employed in communicating religious instruction, the title of each is to be made known to the Commissioners. 11. The use of the books published by the Commissioners is not compulsory; but the titles of all other books which the Conductors of Schools intend for the ordinary School business, are to be reported to the Commissioners; and none are to be used to which they object; but they prohibit such only as may appear to them to contain matter objectionable in itself, or objectionable for common instruction, as peculiarly belonging to some particular religious denomination. 12. A Registry is to be kept in each School of the daily attendance of the Scholars, and the average attendance, according to the Form furnished by the Commissioners. III-Miscellaneous. 1. It is the earnest wish of Her Majesty's Government, and of the Commissioners, that the Clergy and Laity of the dif ferent religious denominations in the country should co-operate with one another in conducting National Schools. * See the Order made by the Commissioners for carrying out more effec tually the above rule, as printed after rule 3, section 2. ers. APPENDIX A. Regulations of erg. 2. When any School is received by the Commissioners into connexion with them, the inscription, "NATIONAL SCHOOL," and no other, shall be put up conspicuously on the Schoolhouse; and when a School-house is built partly by aid from them, a stone is to be introduced into the wall having that inscription cut upon it. 3. The Commissioners require that no use shall be made of the School-rooms for any purpose tending to contention, such as the HOLDING OF POLITICAL MEETINGS IN THEM, or bringing into them political petitions or documents of any kind for signature. 4. The Commissioners require that the National Schoolrooms shall not be converted into places of PUBLIC worship. 5. The Commissioners require the School-rooms to be used exclusively for the purposes of Education; and any breach of this Rule will be held to be a violation of the principles of the National Education System. 6. The Commissioners require that the principles of the following Lesson, or of a Lesson of a similar import, be strictly inculcated in all Schools admitted into connexion with the Board, and that a copy of the Lesson itself be hung up in each School. Christians should endeavour, as the Apostle Paul commands them, to live peaceably with all men" (Rom. ch. xii. v. 17), even with those of a different religious persuasion. Our Saviour, Christ, commanded his disciples to "love one another." He taught them to love even their enemies, to bless those that cursed them, and to pray for those who persecuted them. He himself prayed for his murderers. Many men hold erroneous doctrines, but we ought not to hate or persecute them. We ought to seek for the truth, and to hold fast what we are convinced is the truth; but not to treat ha shly those who are in error. Jesus Christ did not intend his religion to be forced on men by violent means. He would not allow his disciples to fight for him. If any persons treat us unkindly, we must not do the same to them; for Christ and his apostles have taught us not to return evil for ev l. If we would obey Christ, we must do to others, not as they do to us, but as we would wish them to do to us. Quarrelling with our neighbours and abusing them, is not the way to convince them that we are in the right, and they in the wrong. It is more likely to convince them that we have not a Christian spirit. We ought to show ourselves followers of Christ, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again" (1 Pet. ch. ii. v. 23), by behaving gently and kindly to every one. 7. The Commissioners regard the attendance of any of their Teachers at meetings held for political purposes, or their taking part in elections for Members of Parliament, except by voting, as incompatible with the performance of |