n from introducing the element of religion at all
into their part of the scheme, must, as here introduced, be
presumed to mean, that in the Act of the Legislature which shall
carry the views of the resolutionists into practical effect,
nothing shall be said about religious instruction; but that power
shall be given to the heads of families to manage the schools,
and prescribe the subjects to be taught, according to their own
convictions of what is sound in religious and useful in secular
instruction. But this would leave the religious rights of the
minority completely unprotected. Government must do something
more than _omit_ the religious element: it must limit the power
of the majority to introduce this element into their schools to
the injury of the minority.'--_Letter of Mr. George Combe on the
Educational Movement._

CHAPTER FOURTH.

Objections urged by the Free Church Presbytery of Glasgow
against the Educational Movement--Equally suited to bear against
the Scheme of Educational Grants--Great superiority of
Territorial over Denominational Endowment--The Scottish People
sound as a whole, but some of the Scottish Sects very
unsound--State of the Free Church Educational Scheme.

'Whereas attempts are now being made to reform the parish schools of
Scotland, on the principle of altogether excluding religion from
national recognition as an element in the national system of
education, and leaving it solely to private parties to determine in
each locality whether any or what religious instruction will be
introduced into the parochial schools,--it is humbly overtured to the
Venerable the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, to
declare that this Church can be no party to any plan of education
based on the negation of religion in the general, or of the national
faith in particular,' etc.

Such is the gist of that 'Overture on Education' which was carried
some three weeks ago by a majority of the Free Church Presbytery of
Glasgow. It has the merit of being a clear enunciation of meaning; of
being also at least as well fitted to express the views of the
Established as of the Free Church courts in Glasgow and elsewhere, and
a great deal better suited to serve as a cloak to their policy; and,
further, by a very slight adaptation, it could be made to bear as
directly against State _grants_ given for educational purposes, if
diss