登陆注册
5398600000034

第34章

Had Mr Whitbread not been trained,as almost all the Members of both Houses of Parliament have been,in delusive theories,devoid of rational foundation,which prevent them from acquiring any extensive practical knowledge of human nature,he would not have committed a plan for the national education of the poor to the sole management and direction of the ministers,churchwardens,and overseers of parishes,whose present interests must have appeared to be opposed to the measure.

He would surely,first,have devised a plan to make it the evident interest of the ministers,churchwardens,and overseers,to co-operate in giving efficacy to the system which he wished to introduce to their superintendence;and also to render them,by previous training,competent to that superintendence for which now they are in general unprepared.For,trained as these individuals have hitherto been,they must be deficient in the practical knowledge necessary to enable them successfully to direct the instruction of others;and had an attempt been made to carry Mr Whitbread's plan into execution,it would have created a scene of confusion over the whole kingdom.

Attention to the subject will make it evident that it never was,and that it never can be,the interest of any sect claiming exclusive privileges on account of professing high and mysterious doctrines,about which the best and most conscientious men may differ in opinion,that the mass of the people should be otherwise instructed than in those doctrines which were and are in unison with its peculiar tenets;and that at this hour a national system of education for the lower orders,on sound political principles,is really dreaded,even by some of the most learned and intelligent members of the Church of England.Such feelings in the members of the national church are those only which ought to be expected;for most men so trained and circumstanced must of necessity acquire these feelings.Why,therefore,should any class of men endeavour to rouse the indignation of the public against them?Their conduct and their motives are equally correct,and therefore,equally good,with those who raise the cry against and oppose the errors of the church.And let it ever be remembered,that an establishment which possesses the power of propagating principles,may be rendered truly valuable when directed to inculcate a system of self-evident truth,unobstructed by inconsistencies and counteractions.

The dignitaries of the church,and their adherents,foresaw that a national system for the education of the poor,unless it were placed under the immediate influence and management of individuals belonging to the church,would effectually and rapidly undermine the errors,not only of their own,but of every other ecclesiastical establishment.In this foresight they evinced the superiority of their penetration over the sectaries by whom the unexclusive system is supported.The heads of the church have wisely discovered that reason and inconsistency cannot long exist together;that the one must inevitably destroy the other,and reign paramount.They have witnessed the regular,and latterly the rapid progress which reason has made;they know that its accumulating strength cannot be much longer resisted;

and,as they now see the contest is hopeless,the unsuccessful attempt to destroy the Lancastrian system of education is the last effort they will ever make to counteract the dissemination of knowledge which is now widely extending itself in every direction.

The establishment of the Rev.Dr Bell's system of initiating the children of the poor in all the tenets of the Church of England,is an attempt to ward off a little longer the yet dreaded period of a change from ignorance to reason,from misery to happiness.

Let us,however,not attempt impossibilities;the task is vain and hopeless;the Church,while it adheres to the defective and injurious parts of its system,cannot be induced to act cordially in opposition to its apparent interests.

The principles here advocated will not admit the application of any deception to any class of men;they countenance no proceedings in practice,but of unlimited sincerity and candour.

They give rise to no one sentiment which is not in unison with the happiness of the human race;and they impart knowledge,which renders it evident that such happiness can never be acquired until every particle of falsehood and deception shall be eradicated from the instructions which the old force upon the young.

Let us then in this spirit openly declare to the Church,that a national unexclusive plan of education for the poor will,without the shadow of doubt,destroy all the errors which are attached to the various systems;and that,when this plan shall be fully established,not one of the tenets which is in opposition to facts can long be upheld.

This unexclusive system for the education of the poor has gone forth,and,having found a resting place in the minds of its supporters,it will never more return even to the control of its projectors;but it will be speedily so improved,that by rapidly increasing strides it will firmly establish the reign of reason and happiness.

Seeing and knowing this,let us also make it equally evident to the Church warn it of its actual state -cordially and sincerely assist its members quietly to withdraw those inconsistencies from the system,which now create its weakness and its danger;that it may retain those rational principles alone which can be successfully defended against attack,or which rather will prevent any attack from being attempted,or even meditated.

The wise and prudent,then,of all parties,instead of wishing to destroy national establishments,will use their utmost exertions to render them so consistent and reasonable in all their parts,that every well-disposed mind may be induced to give them their hearty and willing support.

同类推荐
  • THE PROFESSOR

    THE PROFESSOR

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 筠廊二笔

    筠廊二笔

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 后画录

    后画录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 算学启蒙总括

    算学启蒙总括

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • El Dorado

    El Dorado

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 我的男友是只妖

    我的男友是只妖

    一个家族世代和妖怪打交道有着阴阳眼的女孩,五岁的那年机缘巧合在农村的山中救了一只火鸟,却不从想那只火鸟竟然是一只在山海经中才出现的老妖怪,于是被那千年老妖怪死缠烂打数年,不得不做个某个妖怪女友的故事。
  • 北大文学课

    北大文学课

    生活中从不缺少美,只是缺少发现美的眼睛。上百篇古今中外最佳美文,完美再现语言魅力,让你在诗词文章中邂逅一段纯美感情,于戏剧故事里领略几番悲欢离合。从北大走出了数不清的文学大家,他们博古通今、指点江山,对文学有着独到的见解。本书收录了众多优秀文学作品,内容涵盖古今中外,体裁涉及散文、诗辞、小说、戏剧。在北大学者的点评中,我们学习百家古文,重温民国美文,阅读国外经典,于文字中领略生活之美。
  • 全世界都盼着我们离婚

    全世界都盼着我们离婚

    (1v1甜宠文哦)一朝重生归来,叶念洗心革面,下定决心要做个好妻子,从此开启幸福无限模式。“老公,我渴了,要喝水。”“自己去倒。”男人清冷开口的同时,已然起身去给她倒了一杯水,送到她跟前。“老公,我饿了,要吃你做的饭。”“没时间。”下一秒,堂堂总裁大人已经穿上围裙出现在了厨房里。……明明夫妻生活甜蜜蜜,为什么偏就有人想尽了法儿要她和老公离婚呢?呵呵,不好意思,老娘这一世智商在线,这辈子是跟定了最最亲爱的老公,绝对绝对不可能离婚的咯!
  • 黑森林之主

    黑森林之主

    大火焚尽了森林,点燃这个时代。我将生灵化为血墨,将人皮做成稿纸,书写着让人疯狂的知识!超凡的世界,非人还是弱小,什么才是原罪?(蒸汽,克苏鲁,伪游戏流)
  • 青春:甜蜜

    青春:甜蜜

    古叶妤在父母出国时被安排进齐家借住。齐家父母常年不在家,一般只有齐家少爷——齐泽辰在家,所以她住进齐家等同于和一个素未相识的男生同居了!由于以前的学校太远了,所以她也因此转到了齐泽辰所在的学校。在学校时见到了自己初中的暗恋对象——陈浩沐,他依旧帅气阳光,而且两个人关系本来就不错,某少女的小春心又开始萌动了起来。
  • 异世三国之大展拳脚

    异世三国之大展拳脚

    周晨,一个普通的上班族。为了找回自己的U盘从而不小心掉进了一个时空隧道来到了三国,但是他发现,此三国非彼三国,且看他如何在异世三国中大展拳脚。
  • 星宿大人对不起

    星宿大人对不起

    洛鸣作为一个刚升的新神,还没来得及接受世人的祈祷,就把各大星宿得罪了遍。统:娃,跟爹走吧,爹带你向他们慢慢道歉洛鸣:不!我拒绝!统:……洛鸣:如果,我好好道歉的话,我还有机会成神吗…统:娃,你都快灰飞烟灭了还想着成神!洛鸣:爹!我们走吧,道歉去!
  • 雪山

    雪山

    阿舍,女,原名杨咏,维吾尔族,1971年生,新疆尉犁人,西北第二民族学院毕业。银川文学院签约作家。出版长篇历史小说《乌孙》。散文《小席走了》获2004年第五届“PSI—新语丝”网络文学一等奖;散文《山鬼》获2011年《民族文学》年度奖。
  • 总统大人,我在上

    总统大人,我在上

    二线女星池一一,发誓要睡了总统大人!在池一一跟总统大人传绯闻的时候,所有人都以为池一一在作死。而男人腹黑一笑:“池一一,签了契约,你就是总统夫人。”契约如下——半年时间,池一一要陪总统大人秀恩爱,双方不准亲密接触。婚后,池一一揉着酸痛的腰抗议:“总统大人,你违约了!我不服!”“那我睡服你。”
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。