The new Bishop of Exeter, Bishop Edward Bickersteth, was distribruting Bishop Phillpott's Prayer-book prizes to the lucky pupil-teachers who had won them in a religious-knowledge examination. He made a speech in which, according to the report of The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 5th June 1885, he said"
"It was very gratifying to him that the first public meeting in which he was permitted to take part in the city was for religious education. (Applause) Education without religion, what was it? He remembered once attending a meeting where an advocate was very strongly supporting secular education, and he said, "Educate, educate, and you will win the day." His lordship's father, who was sitting by his side, whispered into his ear, "Educate them as much as you will you will never make them so clever as the devil." His lordship thought there was profound truth in that rematk, for religion and education should go hand in hand." (Applause)
"....His lordship went to America once and, with his friend Mr. Hoare, went into a school one day and asked the childen how they came over. "Steamer, sir," was the reply. "Yes" they said and his friend then asked if they did not know of One who came over the sea wthout boat or steamer? The mistress walked up to him and said, "I am very sorry, but I cannot allow that question to be put in this school; nothing must be mentioned in this school which bears upon religion, and that bears upon Christ walking upon the water." Thus they saw that if once they banished religion from education to what lengths it might go."
God bless America!
(It is an intriguing image: Christ, or anyone, crossing the Atlantic on foot.)
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