388 THE SCHOOL BOARDS xv 



" Xo religious catechism or religious formulary 

 which is distinctive of any particular denomina- 

 tious shall he taught." 



Thus we are really very much indebted to the 

 editor of the Guardian and his correspondent. 

 The one has shown us that the sectaries mean to 

 try to get as much denominational teaching as they 

 can agree upon among themselves, forced into the 

 elementary schools; while the other has obtained 

 a formal declaration from the Educational Depart- 

 ment that any such attempt will contravene the 

 Act of Parliament, and that, therefore, the unsec- 

 tarian, law-abiding members of the School Boards 

 may safely reckon upon bringing down upon their 

 opponents the heavy hand of the Minister of Edu- 

 cation.* 



So much for the powers of the School Boards. 

 Limited as they seem to be, it by no means follows 

 that such Boards, if they are composed of intelli- 

 gent and practical men, really more in earnest 

 about education than about sectarian squabbles, 

 may not exert a very great amount of influence. 

 And, from many circumstances, this is especially 



* SiiK'o this par.i.2:rnph was writton, '>rr. Forstor, in 

 speakinc: at tho Rirkbook Institution, lias rornoved all (]onl)ts 

 as to what his " final (leoision " will be in tho oaseof snr>h dis- 

 putes heinp: roforrod to him : — " T havo tho fnllost confidence 

 that in the readinc: and explaininc: of the Bible, what the 

 children will be tanerht will be the crreat truths of Christian 

 life and conduct, which all of us desire they should know, 

 and that no effort will be made to cram into tlioir poor little 

 minds, theoloprical dofjmas which their tender age prevents 

 them from understanding." 



