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I have presented briefly, but I believe faithfully, the evidence given in the Nonconformist interest, I now turn to that of Churchmen.
The Rev. John Griffith, Rector of Merthyr Tydvil, has a Church school in union with the National Society. There is of course no Conscience Clause. The Catechism is taught to all the children, numbering 800. Of these 800, 700 at least are the children of Dissenters, who know that the children learn the Catechism, but never object to their doing so. The average Sunday attendance at Church, which is quite voluntary, is about 100.
It is his opinion that the majority of the clergy in Wales have a strong objection to the Conscience Clause, but he thinks it desirable that the feeling should be overcome, and the Conscience Clause be introduced in the National Schools in Wales.
The Rev. E. B. Squire, has been twenty years Vicar of Swansea. (3863—3865.) He teaches the Catechism (excepting the three first questions) to all the children in his schools. In fifteen years 12,402 children passed through his schools, and in one instance only had an objection to the Catechism been raised. He has ascertained that from seven other schools in South Wales with an average attendance of 1,346, only two objections proceeded during a long period of years.
3941. Mr. Squire says that "the clergy in Wales as a whole "are decidedly adverse to the Conscience Clause."
The Rev. R. J. Binns is an Inspector of Church schools in Wales. He supposes that the clergy in Wales would generally be satisfied with the adoption of the principle of Church schools with Conscience Clauses. Many of them would, he thinks, feel it a disadvantage to be cut off from the National Society by the adoption of the Clause; but opinions are divided—many are in favour of the Clause, and others are adverse to it. (4252, 4253.) Mr. Binns admits (4251) "that he knew very little of the working of the National Society."
The Rev. Alexander Stammers has for twelve years acted as organising Master of Church schools in Wales, and is intimately acquainted with the state of education in the whole of South Wales and the county of Monmouth. During that period he
