Papurau Newydd Cymru

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3 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

THE NATIONAL CONVENTIONS.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

THE NATIONAL CONVENTIONS. LAST week four more of the County Conven- tions, arranged by the Welsh National Campaign Committee, were held in Newport, Cardiff, Brecon, and Llandrindod, covering the counties of Monmouth, Glamorgan, Brecon, and Radnor. Every one of them was attended by delegates representing every phase of progressive thought, both civil and religious, within each county, and the greatest determination and enthusiasm pre- vailed. Mr. Lloyd-George was present at Newport, Cardiff, and Brecon, and the following Members of Parliament "tended one or more conventions-Sir Alfred Thomas, Mr. Brynmor Jones, Mr. William Jones, Mr Frank Edwards, Mr. McKenna, and Mr. Charles Morley. We have no space to record the names of the large 'number of ministers, justices of the peace, and members of county councils who were present and took part. The following resolutions were placed before every convention and carried without the least sign of opposition i. "That this convention -(a) Declares its unwavering hostility to the educational policy of the present Government, which it regards as a violation of the fundamental principles of justice, an invasion of the rights and liberties of the people, and an act of tyrannical aggression directed against the nationality and religion of Wales (b) Expresses its full and unabated confidence in the stand made by the Welsh County Councils in refusing to discharge the odious responsibility of enforcing against men of their own faith the reactionary and intolerable provisions of the Education Act. 2. "That this convention records its cordial approbation of the steps taken to organise the national campaign in view of the attack made by the Government upon the county of Merioneth, and pledges the most liberal support of the National Campaign Fund which has been opened, and appeals with confidence to every Liberal and Free Church organisation through- out the county to organise a collection in aid of the fund at the earliest possible moment; and that a representative county committee be appointed to direct the campaign in this county, and to render all necessary assistance to ensure success." A committee was also formed in every case, consisting of the leading Progressives in the county. In his speech at Newport Mr. Lloyd-George dealt with some of the contentions of the oppo- nents of the national policy, and said that at one moment the Welsh County Councils were charged with persecuting the Church schools, and the next b moment they were told that their action was simply a farce. They had passed resolutions at Cardiff and had had a second convention to confirm them, and their opponents said, "They did nothing; it is a sham, for you are giving as much rates to the Church schools as they want." If that was true, where did the persecution come in ? They had not destroyed the Education Act, but they had made a very good use of it. The ecclesiastical colts had been trespassing in the public fields the Welsh County Councils had been trying to catch them for the last two years. They had not succeeded yet, but they kept them from grazing. The colts might have had a blade of grass here and there, but not enough to keep them fat, and the Councils had kept them trotting, and they would be glad to leave the field by-and-bye. The great court of appeal in this land would settle this case soon, and there would be no more trespassing. There was a Bishop in South Wales, who, he was sorry to say, was an export from North Wales. They consumed their best things at home, and the things they wanted to get rid of they dumped elsewhere. So they exported the Bishop of St. David's. He was an old Nonconformist, and all that was best in him he obtained from Non- conformity. His Lordship knew where he got the rest. He was the great exponent of coercion for the Nonconformity he quitted. This was always the Fate of Apostates. They were always the bitterest against the people who refused to emulate their betrayal. He had been telling the Times, that great champion of Nonconformity-he had been telling the Times all about Welsh Nonconformity and its griev- ances and he said, If you are. going to give money to the Council schools, why should you not give to Churchmen, who are also ratepayers, money for the Church schools ? The bishop knew that there was a great difference between the schools, and knew that the Council schools were not Nonconformist schools. In their ele- mentary schools at Newport quite half of the teachers were Churchmen, and it was perfectly right, if they were the best men. It approached blasphemy for any man to enter into the holy of holies of a man's conscience and ask him to reveal the most mysterious things that could affect a man's destiny. According to Church requirements the teachers must believe in the 39 Articles. Why, many of the parsons did not themselves believe in them. What right had they to ask a teacher what his opinions were about matters that were absolutely irrelevant to the profession ? Dealing with the question of catechism, he said that no fair-minded Catholic would agree with a catechism used in the London Roman Catholic schools which attacked John Wickliff, the star of the English Reformation, and Martin Luther, nor say that they had a right to ask people to contribute towards the teaching of such things, which were an insult to the memory of the men they cherished as the founders of British freedom of conscience. The whole world was looking to them in this fight, and he had received subscriptions from India, China, and Canada. All eyes were not turned towards Manchuria. No, there were some looking towards Merioneth. Wales was in the van of freedom, and let them take care how she behaved in this great crisis. At Cardiff the author of the policy and leader of the campaign had a tremendous reception,

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