This Protest has been drawn up by our Synod Committee, and forwarded to the Secretary for Scotland.
“THE Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland would hereby enter its earnest and emphatic protest against the preferential treatment proposed to be given under the new Education (Scotland) Bill to voluntary or denominational schools in the following particulars:—
“I.—The Synod earnestly protest against the special recognition given regarding religious instruction to transferred voluntary schools. It cannot possibly be held that the teaching of the Roman Catholic religion is of such national importance that it calls for such special treatment as is proposed to be given it in the new Bill. Protestants throughout Scotland will be righteously indignant if such distinctions are insisted on.
“II.—The Synod also strongly protest against the appointment by the local educational authorities of supervisors of religious instruction, approved as regards their religious beliefs and character by the representatives of denominational schools for the purpose of reporting to the education authorities as to the efficiency of religious teaching in these schools. The Synod holds that such appointments are diametrically opposed to the constitution and religious feelings of this Protestant nation.
“III.—The Synod would also, in the strongest possible terms, protest against the transference of the voluntary schools according to the terms of the Bill. These schools, which are generally in a most dilapidated condition and are inadequately equipped, are to be taken over in their present state at a price paid for out of the rates, and afterwards must be put into working order by the education authorities. This is surely a glaring departure from the treatment shown to Presbyterian Churches regarding the transference of their property under the 1872 Act.
The Synod would humbly suggest that before this transference takes place it should at least be required by Statute that these
buildings and their equipment should first be made by the denominational authorities to satisfy fully the requirements of the Education Department.
“IV.—The Synod would also draw your attention to the fact that these transferred schools, while becoming under the Bill nominally public schools, will remain practically denominational. This is obvious from the fact that it is provided that the existing staff of teachers is to be taken over, and that teachers appointed in future must be approved as regards their religious beliefs and character by representatives of the Church in whose interest the schools have been conducted. This, as could easily be proven from the character of the teaching staffs in Roman Catholic Schools, is practically endowing the Roman Catholic Church.”