CHAPTER XX. Religious Statistics.--Education.-Provincial Systems.-Insane Asylums.-Charitable Institutions.-Vital Statistics.-Patent Office.-Copyrights and Trade-Marks.-Temperance Statistics.-Divorces.-Historical Archives.-Indian Population.-Chinese in Canada.-Penitentiaries.-Criminal Statistics. 1308. The census returns, relating to religion, are given in paragraphs 273-277. 1309. From the same returns it is learned that there were 10,480 churches in Canada in April, 1891. This is an increase over 1881 of 1,828. 1310. Divided among the denominations, the increase is distributed as follows: Baptists, 324; Roman Catholics, 301; Church of England, 415; Methodists, 322; Presbyterians, 411. All other denominations, 55. 1311. Of the total number of churches, the Methodists have nearly 32 per cent, the Presbyterians and Roman Catholics 17 per cent each, the Church of England 16 per cent, the Baptists 12 per cent, leaving 6 per cent for "all others." 1312. Taking the total population, there is a church provided for every group of 461 persons. Taking the several denominations, the Roman Catholics have one church for every group of 1,115 of their persuasion, the Church of England one for every group of 386 of its adherents, the Methodists one for every group of 251, the Presbyterians one for every group of 428, and the Baptists one for every group of 240. 1313. During the decade 1881-91, the Church of England appears to have been the most active in providing places of worship for the people, the Presbyterians coming next, the Baptists third, the Methodists fourth and the Roman Catholics fifth. 1314. Territorially considered, the Church of England has provided 337 additional churches in the provinces east of Manitoba, and 78 in Manitoba and the other western provinces. Methodists have provided 227 in the eastern and 95 in the western provinces; Presbyterians, 302 and 109 respectively; Roman Catholics, 257 and 44, and the Baptists 305 and 19 respectively. 1315. Of their total increase, the Methodists have established 70 per cent in the five eastern provinces, and 30 per cent in the western pro vinces. The Presbyterians have built 73 per cent of their increase in the eastern, and 27 per cent in the western provinces. The Church of England 81 per cent in the east, and 19 per cent in the west. The Roman Catholics have apportioned their increase by building 85 per cent of it in the eastern, and 15 per cent in the western, and the Baptists 94 per cent and 6 per cent respectively. 1316. By provinces, the increased number of churches is distributed as follows: 1317. The Roman Catholic church in Canada has one cardinal, seven archbishops, twenty-three bishops, and about 1,500 clergy. The Church of England has two metropolitans and eighteen bishops, and about 1,000 clergy. The first colonial see established in the British Empire was that of Nova Scotia, 1787. In 1793 the Canadas were erected into a separate see. In 1839 the See of Toronto was established. In 1849 Rupert's land received its first Anglican bishop, and British Columbia received its first in 1859. New Brunswick becaire a see, independent of Nova Scotia, in 1845. 1318. The Presbyterians became united as the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1875. The Methodists were first united into one ecclesiastical organization in Canada in 1883. 1319. The census returns showed that the number of clergymen of all churches in Canada, in 1891, was 7,164, an increase of 735 in the ten years. EDUCATION. 1320. Under the British North America Act, 1867, the right to legislate on matters respecting education was placed in the hands of the gov ernments of the several provinces, the rights and privileges of denominational and separate schools then existing being specially protected. 1321. The census returns gave 112 universities and classical colleges in Canada in 1891. They were distributed as follows: British Columbia, 5; Manitoba, 5; New Brunswick, 5; Nova Scotia, 10: Ontario, 34; Prince Edward Island, 2; Quebec, 51. Of boarding schools for young ladies, the census returned 318, with 15,302 inmates. The number of persons giving their occupation as teachers was 21,851, showing an increase of 2,619 in ten years. There was a decrease of 60 male teachers, and an increase of 2,679 female teachers. The universities and classical colleges showed an increase of 27, and the young ladies' boarding schools an increase of 44 in the number of schools, and of 2,238 in the number of inmates. There is, of course, considerable difference in many details in the public school systems in force in the various provinces, though they are all based on the principle of free education, the funds being supplied by local taxation and government grants. 1322. In Ontario the school system is under the control of the Minister of Education, who is a member of the Provincial Government for the time being. In the other provinces there are superintendents and boards of education, who report to the respective provincial secretaries. In Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island the schools are purely undenominational. In British Columbia "the highest morality is to be inculcated, but no religious creed or dogma taught." In the other three provinces religious exercises are permitted, but no children can be compelled to be present against the wishes of their parents. In Manitoba the schools were Protestant and Roman Catholic, but an Act was passed by the Manitoba House of Assembly, during the session of 1890, providing for the abolition of separate schools-all public schools to be nonsectarian, and religious exercises to be at the option of the school trustees of the district, subject to the regulations of the advisory board. That Act has been the subject of great controversy still unsettled. In Quebec the schools are Protestant and Roman Catholic, and education is based on religious teaching, the Roman Catholic catechism, and, in Protestant schools, the Bible being text books. In Ontario the schools are undenominational, but Protestants and Roman Catholics are allowed separate schools within certain limitations. Every public and high school is opened and closed with prayer and the reading of the Scriptures, but without comment or explanation. The trustees, however, and clergy of all denominations are empowered to make special arrangements for religious instruction. By this means the fullest facilities for religious instructions are given, without the assumption by the Government of any responsibility in regard to the instruction imparted. 1323. Subject to the approval of the Provincial Government, all regulations for the public and high schools are made by the Minister of Education. These schools are under the control of local boards of trustees, elected by the ratepayers, and are allowed to have none but certificated teachers. Education of children between the ages of 7 and 13 is compulsory for not less than 100 days in the year, but the law is by no means as strictly enforced as is desirable in the educational interests of the province. The following table gives particulars respecting the public schools of Ontario in the years 1877 to 1894, Roman Catholic separate schools being included :— |