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THE EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

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Rhannu

THE EDUCATION CONFERENCE. DEAR SIR,-Having attended the Educational Confer- ence, held at Aberystwyth, Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 25th and 26th, allow me through your columns to express my opinion with regard to the inconsistent manner in which the conference was carried on. Having received an invitation (containing also the re- solutions already passed in the committee at Cardiff) from the secretaries, and considering the question one of the greatest importance to all, I attended the sittings, fully expecting to see all things carried on in an unsectarian manner, and to see all parties or denominations equally represented. However, to my sad disappointment, things did not turn out as I could have expected, because the proceedings were not of that character; and I found that about three denominations took the whole proceed- ings in their own hands. I suppose that the gentlemen who formed the committee intended to impress the masses with the idea that the conference would be an unsectarian one, but I think that no reasonable man that attended the conference would think for a moment that such was the case. But I find that the first committee held at Cardiff did only represent three denominations. Of course if this committee had come forward as representing these denomi- nations only, nothing could have been said, but instead of that the committee was called a general and unsectarian one. I ask, if the gentlemen at Cardiff intended that the com- mittee should be a general one, unsectarian, and to repre- sent the whole of Wales, why not ask some clergyman or some of the Wesleyan ministers in that town to attend? Or if they intended that the committee should only repre- sent the dissenting parties of Wales, why not ask one of the six Wesleyan ministers of Cardiff to attend. But the fact is that neither of them knew anything about such a committee until it had been numbered with the past. And I ask again if the conference was intended to repre- sent all denominations in Wales on this important ques- tion, why not nominate some clergyman of the Church of England, and some Wesleyan minister, to read papers on one of the subjects, instead of nominating two Calvinistic Methodist ministers, two Independent ministers, and two Baptist ministers I don't for a moment cast the slightest disrespect on those eminent men who read papers, although I fully believe at the same time that others could have done quite as well, and given as much satisfaction to tha public as they did. Would not that seem to be more like unsectarian? And by so doing would not the whole of Wales be better repre- sented ? The general conference was of the same inconsistent character. Although there were a number of Wesleyan ministers and laymen present, not one of them was asked even to propose one resolution, during the whole of the sittings. If we were to take it for granted that none of them were good speakers, although I think that a great many of them that were present could have ascended the platform and addressed the audience without damaging the English language; but if they could not it would have been wise to give all the same advantage of expressing their sentiments on the question. But I believe that I state the fact when I say that the plan had been made before the conference, that the system of education had been adopted, and those gentlemen thought lest they should meet any objections to the plan that they would keep the whole affair in their own hands, and try to blindfold others, but the fact is, that it is gone too far in the day by this time to leave those wild radicals go on as they choose. Had those gentlemen who carried on the conferencebeen wise enough to exclude the term Unsectarian," the "Whole of Wales," then there would not have been the same extreme of inconsistence beheld. But while considering that to be the fundamental principle on which the whole concern was carried on, and that lost sight of, who can account for it? The same spirit I beheld the next day while sitting, at the university question, while the Rev. D. Charles, B.A., &c., were nominating committees for the different counties of Wales. So far as I can understand not one Wesleyan minister nor layman was entered on the committee. Perhaps some may say that the secretary did not know anv of the above respectable denomination. To this I answer if the secretary wanted a collection he could find out even the last young minister entered on the probation list, and I ask if he could find them out for one thing why not for another as well? I understand that some gentlemen already among the Wesleyans have contributed handsomely towards the University College of Wales. I also hope that many more will follow the same example, so that the college will soon become free. Now, I ask any candid and reasonable gentleman, do such proceedings give a fair meaning to the term un- sectarian? Do -such proceedings seem consistent with common sense? Do they represent the whole of Wales! Methinks I hear every reasonable man saying that such are not as they ought to be, and could be. I would wish for all to understand that I do not for a moment condemn the system adopted by the conference. I believe upon the whole that the plan adopted is about the best so far. But the reason 1 write this letter is, because some people that the Wesleyans did not take any interest ui the question of education, and I find that some already have taken the liberty, through some of the Welsh papers, to carry an undue influence through the Princi- pality; but the fact is that several Wesleyan ministers of great popularity and influence attended the conference, but had no chance of taking a part without intruding. However, I hope that all Wales will be better represented in Parliament than at the general (so-called) conference held at Aberystwyth.—Yours, &c., SIGMA.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

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