liberty and self-control. Even when they forcibly resisted the financial exactions of some petty tyrant and by a popular uprising drove him from his post of duty, the Government was more apt to assume him to be incompetent and displace him than to regard the people as disloyal and subject to discipline.

The whole fabric of Chinese custom and rule has for centuries been building up a sense of self-respect and independence of thought and act that no doubt account for the marvellous speed with which the revolutionary movement swept the empire out of existence. Supported as it was by the mass of common people who had never been morally cowed and intimidated and who, while they reverenced their Great Ancestor the Emperor, had never been subdued into awe of autocratic authority, all that was needed was a leader in whom the masses had confidence. And this leader was found in the idol of the soldiers, Yuan Shi-Kai. Above all, the Chinese have a country of whose tremendous resources they are becoming aware, and they have faith in themselves. Moreover they have the moral courage and patience to stand firm under a long series of disasters. And these things should bring them success.

MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA. Few people realize the extent of the missionary work that is being carried on for the regeneration of China, nor that this work is civic, educational, and ameliorative, as well as religious. There are at present no less than 6500 foreign missionaries, Protestant and Catholic, at work in China. And their work is supplemented by that of nearly 12,000 Chinese clergymen, evangelists, and religious teachers. That the missionaries have won for themselves and for their cause a place of respect in the minds of the people, is shown by the fact that during the recent revolution both Chinese and Manchus offered them their homes as places of refuge from the turbulent scenes, and by the additional fact that one of the earliest assurances of President Yuan Shi-Kai was that of perfect freedom of worship and entire religious liberty.

The President, in a message to a large gathering of pastors of the Protestant churches in Peking, also clearly indicated his favorable opinion of the great work accomplished by missionary effort in China. After referring to the slow

progress of the work at first, owing partly to the distrust and suspicion with which the conservative Chinese looked upon the new ideas and partly to the fact that missionary workers could not at first make themselves clearly understood in the difficult Chinese language, he said the spirit of Christianity had gradually won its way. He then added: "Moreover, the different missions have achieved much success both in works of charity and in educational institutions. On the one hand, they have conferred many favors on the poor and the destitute, and, on the other, they have carefully trained up many young men. For doing both they have won golden opinions from all classes of society. The reputation of Christian missions is growing every day, and the prejudice and misunderstanding which formerly existed between the Christian and the non-Christian have gradually disappeared, which will surely prove to be for the good of China." He also intimated that, so far as he understood the principles of Christianity, they were what he was striving for in the new government.

Denmark.

Denmark is one of the few countries in which the school needs in rural districts are approximately as well met as they are in the cities. Illiteracy has everywhere been practically eliminated. This result is partly due to the high regard in which education is held by the people, partly to the ease with which compulsory attendance is enforced in a small kingdom with a homogeneous population, and partly to the excellent manner in which school training is adapted to the needs of the different communities.

Denmark unites public and private agencies in its state school system, Copenhagen having 25 free schools and 12 pay schools. The municipalities supply such educational appliances as are used in the schools and, for the children of poor parents, the books, etc., needed for the preparation of lessons at home. The expenses for maintaining the public schools are borne largely by the municipalities, especially such matters as providing buildings and equipment, although the State always assists communities that are unable to

bear these expenses. The public school funds are derived from a tax levied on land according to its quality and from annual subsidies apportioned by the State.

England.

THE TEACHING OF RELIGION.-The extent to which the formal teaching of religion in schools supported by taxation can become a subject of controversy is difficult to realize here in America where such instruction in the public schools is forbidden. An article written by F. E. Smith, M.P., for the March Fortnightly Review, indicates that the provisions in regard to religious instruction in the English schools have been the most difficult ones to frame in all school legislation for some years past. It has also been the subject of contention in most of the educational controversies that have arisen for some years past; and in many instances it has prevented badly needed combinations and the unifying of effort in behalf of the children of the schools. The main controversies on the subject in England have occurred between the Anglicans (Conformists) and the Non-Conformists (those not belonging to the Church of England, sometimes called Dissenters).

By the Act of 1870, the English people had their first experience with schools receiving support from public funds. The approval of this act was quite general, and most people paid taxes willingly, although it often meant that part of the funds so raised were being used to support religious teaching not of their own faith. However, in 1902, the act was revised so as to increase the power of local control, and for the first time levied local taxes, or rates, to be used in support of the local schools, were provided for. This, in Mr. Smith's opinion, resulted in friction because "people who for years paid taxes (general) to support religious teaching which was not of their own faith could find it a point of conscience not to pay rates (local) for the same purpose.

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The friction arising from the Act of 1902 and from educational acts since that time seems to be partly political and partly religious. Mr. Smith summarizes the causes of controversy as: "1. In a very large number of districts

there is no choice of religious instruction, and, owing to the preponderance of schools founded by churchmen (Anglicans), Non-Conformist parents must either accept Church teaching for their children or withdraw them altogether from all religious teaching. 2. A large number of teacherships, especially head-teacherships, are by the operation of the trust deeds of voluntary schools (schools established by private effort prior to 1870) closed to Non-Conformist teachers, and confined to members of the Church. 3. Ratepayers who are not interested in or are opposed to Church teaching may be required nevertheless to pay rates to support that teaching. 4. The purely religious objections of such ratepayers are aggravated by the element of denominational control over schools largely supported by public funds and by the exclusion of the public authorities from the complete control of the public patronage of the education service."

The following statements are quoted from the expressions of opinion on the subject made by prominent public men; and they are quoted for the double purpose of giving an idea of the conflicting views that prevail and also to indicate some of the evident reasons for these views.

"The great body of Dissenters will be found ready to accept the same broad simple Bible-teaching which, for the most part, characterised Board-school Christianity.”—Mr. Augustine Birrell.

We want the child to be brought up in the faith of his father, at least until he comes to such an age as to be able to judge of a faith for himself."-Sir Henry CampbellBannerman.

Would it have been impossible, after all, to have arrived at some new and larger compromise on the question which would have ended once and for all this long wrangle, this lamentable quarrel, which for sixty years has kept the churches apart and has so often prevented this House from doing its full duty to the children? The virtues could be included without specific denominational instruction-but I do not think the State is entitled to say that. The State has no right to declare how much or how little dogmatic teaching is necessary for the formation of character. As a Liberal I wish to see, the greatest possible liberty given for

all sorts of religious belief to be taught even in the schools paid for by the State."-Mr. Herbert Samuel.

"The dominant factor in any settlement (of these controversies) must be religious equality."—Mr. Runciman.

Mr. Smith himself counsels forbearance and compromise on the part of both parties in the controversy. And the whole subject is mentioned to show to those who urge the necessity of formal religious instruction in the schools the possibility of friction that such a course would produce.

THE HEALTH OF THE CHILD.-As indicating the interest of the English in this problem, Education for October refers to the fact that in the conference of the combined childstudy societies, held in London in May last, the subject for consideration was the "Health of the child in relation to its mental and physical development." The conference was presided over by Sir James Crichton Browne, who was a pioneer worker in the care of the health of the child, a cause which through health teaching, medical inspection, etc., is attracting such universal attention.

The sixteenth annual conference of London teachers held during the year was also interested in similar questions, for their discussions centred on "The problem of the backward child; present position with regard to such formal training as deep breathing and chest expansion." Even in such countries as Russia, and in the Central and South American republics, where education is on the whole very imperfectly equipped and organized, the departments of school hygiene and medical inspection are well equipped. Altogether, the advances made in medical and sanitary sciences have greatly interested not only educational conferences but educational practice as well.

LONDON UNIVERSITY.-The London Times has been deeply interested in a movement for the development and expansion of the London University. In an article published in its Educational Supplement late in the year, it says: "The growth of modern universities in this country is the outstanding intellectual fact in our recent development. In England, Scotland, Ireland, and in Wales new universities have been created, old ones have been reorganized, and university colleges are adapting themselves to the full university standard. The causes of this wide-spread