384 THE SCHOOL BOARDS xv 



cally the limit could not be so extended, but would have to be 

 fixed according to the special circumstances of each district, then 

 what degree of general acceptance in a district would exempt 

 such a formulary from the prohibition ? The answer to this was 

 as follows : 'It was understood, when clause 14 of the Educa- 

 tion Act was discussed in the House of Commons, that, accord- 

 ing to a well-known rule of interpreting Acts of Parliament, 

 "denomination" must be held to include "denominations." 

 When any dispute is referred to the Education Department 

 under the last paragraph of section 16, it will be dealt with 

 according to the circumstances of the case/ 



" Upon my asking further if I might hence infer that the law- 

 fulness of teaching any religious formulary in a' rate school 

 would thus depend exclusively on local circumstances, and would 

 accordingly be so decided by the Education Department in case 

 of dispute* I was informed in explanation that * their lordships' ' 

 letter was intended to convey tome that no general rule, beyond 

 that stated in the first paragraph of their letter, could at present 

 be laid down by them ; and that their decision in each particu- 

 lar case must depend on the special circumstances accompany- 

 ing it. 



" I think it would appear from this that it may yet be in 

 many cases both lawful and expedient to teach religious formu- 

 laries in rate schools. H. I. 



"STEYNING, November 5, 1870." 



Of course I do not mean to suggest that the 

 editor of the Guardian is bound by the opinions 

 of his correspondent ; but I cannot help thinking 

 that I do not misrepresent him, when I say that he 

 also thinks " that it may yet be, in many cases, both 

 lawful and expedient to teach religious formularies 

 in rate schools under these circumstances." 



It is not uncharitable, therefore, to assume that, 

 the express words of the Act of Parliament not- 



