This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 2012-01-10 edition. Excerpt: …best education possible, and at any cost, for every child in England. But not even at the bidding of a Liberal Ministry will we consent to any proposition which, under cover of an educational measure, empowers one religious denomination to levy a rate for teaching its creed and maintaining its worship. The Nonconformist protest killed the proposal that grants might be made out of the rates to the denominational schools. But their attack on the main provisions of the scheme proved ineffective. They had no reason to be ashamed either of their cause, which was essentially national and liberal, or of their spokesmen. Of Mr. Miall we have already written. Mr. Henry Richard s especial title to honour is as the apostle of peace. But he was also called the member for Wales, and his speeches, lucid and cogent, were always on the national side. Mr. Henry Winterbotham, in whom Nonconformity had begun to recognise a parliamentary leader of distinction, and whose premature death came as a severe blow to many hopes, was one of the ablest of the small but courageous band who pleaded for a larger treatment of so great a subject. Nonconformity had its abuse from those who thought that the integrity of a political party was a greater interest than religious freedom and educational efliciency. But there were not wanting men of the highest distinction who paid notable tributes to the insight and truth of the Free Church contention. If in old days, wrote Mr. John Morley, war between the Churchman and Nonconformist was often in reality a war between the forces of political progress and the forces of political reaction, we may perhaps find on looking a little more closely that it is the same conflict which…
