Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-11-21
The ouakers aud PabIle schools.

Mn EorroI-
Well knowing your liberal character, I am GER
tain you would not viii ingly withhold justice from
any sect party; and as you have given place to
writer under the signature Of "Crito," whs has not
only withheld the credit due to the Quakers but has
some insinuatons which would appear TO accuse
them wrongfuly, beg leave 10 call your attention to
In the first place, this useful and unpretcnding
eicy havehe merit being the sther and osterers
Of this set Of schools. They arose to great useful
ness-6rst as free schools and afterwards in their
present form, under the philsnihropist, John Muir
ray, Jr and his friends and II thai eminent states
Inan, DE Witt Clinton, were living he would testify
to their dsinteresed perseverance, in the causcnot
only othese schools but Of many other Of the noble
charities Of our CITY.
In the second place, the Qaakers have the rare
merit Of minglinc but slightly, not at ALL their Pc
cuiar sectsriani.m with the public duties, whchas
directors Of these schools they have had 10 fsah-
They appear TO be perfectly aware that education
be separated from the degmas Of the church snd
that is public school, where the children of all
sects TO be taught il is their duty TO separate
it, as to give offence 10 none; but to leave each ia
mily and church to inculcste such principles Of re-
ligion a. 10 them shall appear most proper
This freedom from sectavianism dees not arise
from any superior virtue in the members Of this
sect. but because the principles Of their religion
more nearly consist in priscples OF morality or vir-
Another reason for their freedom from seetaranism
is the fact that they have NO hired clergy could
easily establish tbs former OF these facts BY eempar-
ing their church - sten contained in their "book
Of Extracts" or "Diseipline," with that Of most
other seets; hut will only refer to the facts that
they have no poor-that they are temperate, and
have acquired a marked character for integrity.
Like ether societies they feel an interest in the pro-
pagaton Of their peculiar religion, for they deem II
TaurH; but they hold but slight control, II any,
over the faith (morc properly bclef) Of their
bers. And as those 10 NO class among them whose
interest IL Immediately concerned In the propags-
tion, their means Of promoting conversion consists
in nothing but their conduct and sseh vietiop az
may arise from mildly enforced arguments. On the
other hand such s the direct interest which priests
Of all denominations hold in the promotion 81 their
peeuliar sect, that IL appears Impossible but that
any institution which they have any thing to do
with, should become ssctsriaB. Look, for instance
to the pretensions uHder which the New York Uni
versity was got up, and IFS actual history. II has
become decidedly seetarian. The Tract Society,
too was got up under the professions If free.
dom from sectarisn bias. As that was for the pro-
motion Of learning, this was for the promotes of
noraty and both TO be kept free from the faint Of
sectarisnism. Both have faRep from their hish ss-
tate, and become decidedly and strcNely ssessrias
I most deveutly hope, therefore, that the fathers
Of sur highly favored city will resist any en-
crcachmsnt OF the Catholics or any cther ssss but
leave the schools 20 be- they were originally I'M
tended, seminaries Of learning, viz: reading, writ
ing, arithmetic, astronomy, sc, free from the poi
son OF sectarianism. fours, &c.
0rAs.