43— THE MORAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN IN 

 SCHOOLS. 



By Rev. R. Balmfokth. 



[ABSTRACT.] 



During the last thirty yeans a great chajige ha.s taken pla^-'? m 

 our conception of Religion, a change by which the practical as]^)ect 

 of religion has come to be more and more emphasised. Though 

 men differ widely and irreconcileably on the theoretical side of 

 religion — on Theology — they are in full agreement and sympathy 

 on many things which concern the practical side — Morality, which, 

 however, finds no systematic treatment in our schools. This change 

 in our conception of Religion — which really means a change in our 

 conception of Life— must ultimatelyi affect our theories of educa- 

 tion, which are closely concerned with the practical side of religion. 

 We all agree that the end of education is the formation of character, 

 ajid yet, while we be.stow much time and labour on the physical and 

 intellectual training of the child, we give little systematic attention 

 to his moral training. This may be more difficult than the teaching 

 of creeds and catechisms, but this is all the more reason why it 

 should receive greater attention at our hands. 



But can Theology and Morality — for practical teaching pur- 

 poses — be divorced ? We do so divorce them every day of our lives, 

 leaving the theological sanctions to be emphasised at such times and 

 places as may be deemed advisable. This course should be fol- 

 lowed in our schools, so that our moral lessons might be couched in 

 universal — not sectarian or sectional — terms, each school linking on its 

 system of moral itistruction to its religious teaching according to its 

 particular bias. 



By " moral instruction '" I mean instruction and training in all 

 those habits, feelings, and ideas which help to purify, refine, and 

 elevate the human spirit. This is surely the great aim of educa- 

 tion, which should gradually introduce the growing mind of the 

 child into a larger circle of life and thought, alive and active with 

 new suggestions, interests, and ideals, which would draw its energies 

 into higher channels. Thus the teacher would be part of the 

 advance-guard of the army of humanity, preparing the wav for the 

 preacher, the theologian, and the philosopher. 



The full " content " of Morality requires systematic exposition 

 and illustration, because each part and detail affects all the other 

 parts which make up the unity of the self, and affects also the social 

 organisation, of which the indi\adual is a part. But the child can 

 only envisage such aspects of the moral ideal as come within the 

 range of its spiritual vision. Hence the moral lessons must be care- 

 fully grouped and graded to meet the growing mind and moral need.s 



