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impose restrictions in the matter of religious teaching upon the master, and provide that he shall abstain from all teaching which may be considered matter of controversy.

Such legislation would be in opposition to the principle laid down above, that the State should not sanction religious differences by legislating for them, and apart from this there are various reasons why such legislation should be objectionable.

The master ought to feel himself a free man in his school, to appeal to what motives he may think fit in influencing the minds of those under his charge. The efficiency of the teacher would be much impaired if he had ever present to his mind the fear of treading on forbidden ground. Legislation in such a matter would rather have the effect of calling up to his mind points of controversy which would not otherwise have occurred to him. Moreover, if a man were inclined to deal unfairly and tamper with the religious liberty of those of other persuasions, no legislation on the part of the State would practically prevent his doing so. Experience, however, fully shews that teachers who at all understand their work have no inclination to give undue prominence to their private sympathies in dealing with a number of children of different religious persuasions. Their common sense and their own interests would alike deter them from thus injuring the general usefulness of their school.

The minds of children up to the age when they for the most part leave school, have neither inclination nor capacity for theological discussion. Children are led more by feeling than reason—more by example than precept—more by the insensible influence of their master than by any precise or dogmatic teaching.

The adjustment of any matter connected with religious teaching other than that taken cognizance of by the state, may well be left to the good sense of the local committee of each school, it being presumed that such committees represent in each case the wishes of the parents of the children who attend the school.

As the selection of the teacher would in the first instance rest with the local committee, parents the would have an additional security that their wishes would be attended to.

The following is a summary of the recommendations which the Commission would make with regard to the question of religious teaching.

1st. Every school shall open daily with prayer and reading of the Bible.

2nd. The Inspector of Schools in his periodical examinations shall test the scholars in every school in their knowledge of the Bible, and shall in framing his estimate of the efficiency of each school assign a definite value to the subjects of religious knowledge, such value to be in the same ratio as that assigned in other subjects of instruction.

3rd. Arrangements for the communication of religious teaching of a special character in the school, may be made at some duly convened meeting of the local committee, provided that all the members present at such meeting concur.

4th. Children whose parents, or guardians, object on conscientious grounds to the religious instruction given in the school, as above prescribed, or as arranged by the unanimous vote of the local committee, may, on written notice to that effect being given to the board, be excused from attendance in class at the times when such religious instruction is being given; provided that it shall not be competent to the board to grant such exemption, except satisfactory proof is given that the religious instruction of children so excused is otherwise provided for.

5th. Facilities shall be afforded to ministers of religion to give religious instruction in any school to be established under the board to children of their own denomination; and in order that this rule may not become a dead letter, they should be able to claim it as a right that the school should be open to them for this purpose, at certain specified hours; provided always that arrangements of this nature do not interfere with the regular work of the school.

6th. In sanctioning the appointment of teachers, the board shall take account of the religious and moral character, as well as of the intellectual attainments of the candidates presented to it.

7th. A book shall be kept in every school, in which ministers of religion shall record the date of their visits, and make such remarks as shall seem fit to them; but they shall in no way interfere personally with the master in the discharge of his duty.

V.—TEACHERS.

The inequality in the attainments and qualifications of the staff of teachers at present employed in the province will present many obstacles to the efficiency of the schools, and will render any satisfactory organization in this respect a work of time. The only means of correcting this evil, and at the same time securing the services of really competent persons, appears to be to raise the position of the schoolmaster in his own estimation, and in that of the public, so as to make him realize the great responsibilities and the honorable nature of his vocation. It is evident that if inducements were held out to persons of high attainments to engage in the work of education, not only would more correct methods of instructions be introduced into the schools, but the still more important object would be gained of creating a staff of teachers capable of training the habits and developing the characters of the children, so as to prepare them for the proper discharge of their duties in life.

It would doubtless be a great assistance to the ministers of religion, in the religious instruction of the people, if the instruction of the children were given in such a way as not merely to inform their minds on their duties to God and man, but to influence their habits and feelings so that a sense of the true source of all moral and social obligation might be not merely instilled as a precept on the understanding, but be imbibed from every part of the daily routine.