The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-02-14

of christian creed till they arrived OF manhood and left
his walls
Now are not laymen equally sectarian in their
views as ciergymenf And it would be just easy to
prevent sectaran doctrines from being preached by
Clergyman, as being taught by layman is idle.
therefore, to speak oflay preaching
Mr. sAnoEsr here said that they on their side
had not uttered one word about approaching 1t was
lay teaching they spoke Of
Mr. WEssrER-Well. I'd just take il that way as
the other-teachfng preaching the teaching of
laymen As sec arian the preaching of cergymenl-
What the difference between unettered and let
tered clergymen on thsl Every knows that aymen
are as violent controversalists clergymen SO this
while is little ridiculous is equally
Here there was quite burst of laughter in the court
According to my experience layman is Just likely to
launch into secarian views and advance clashng
doctrines, and violent bigoted preudices, and little
ton therefore, Of these controversies by lsymen would
not be very edyng mode of teaching nor would it be
very edfying example.
But there is no provision in any feature of Mr. Grards
will for the introduction OF any lay teaching religious
whatever The children to get their religion
when they leave his school, they to have nothing
do with religion before they do leave it. They are
then to choose their religious opinions and not before
Mr.. BINSry-"Choose their tenets' is the expression
Mr.. WEnsrEh--Tenets are opinions, believe. The
mass Of ones religious tenets make up ones religion
Now, it is evident that Mr.. Grard meant to found
with religion. But after ALL there is nothing original in
this plan OF his It has its origin in destca source
Bolingbroke, shsesbury, or Gbbon not even from
Voltare,or DAlember is from two persons who
probably known to MIR Girard in the early part Of his life
it is from Mr. Thomas Paine. and Mr. volney., Mr..
Thomas Paine in his Age OF Reason says Let devise
to establish schools of instruction. that
Danish the ignorance that the regime kings and
morality unfettered by superstition"
Mr.. WEpsTER.-The same place that you got Mr.. Gil.
rars will from. Paines Age of Reason The phra.
seology in effect is here Paine disguised his real
schools to propagate morality unteered by superstition
Mr. Girard who had disguise about him. the plain
h
He says let us give these children system Of pure
rails before they adopt any religion The ancient regime
Paine spoke of obnoxious that of kings and priests
That the popular way he had Of making thing OBJ
noxious that he wished to destroy Now, If he had mere
y wished get rid of the dogma which he says were es
abished by kings and prestsf ne had had desire
abolish the Christian religion-he could have thus
pressed hmse :" Let rid ourselves of the OF
kings and priests and plant morality the plain of
the Christian religion with the simplest forms OF religious
worship"
however, if my strength holds out And trust shall
not be considered presumptuous renchng upon the
duties that properly belong to another profession But
deem it due to the of Christianity to take the
notions of this scheme Of Mr. Girards and show how
mistaken is the idea Of calling il charity-in dis.
tinct form say this scheme is derogatory Chris
tanity because rejects Christianity from the education
of youth by rejecting its teachersby rejecting the ord
nary agencies Of nstng the Christian religion into the
minds OF youth do not say that in order to make this
charity there should be positive provision fol the teach
ing Of Chrisapy But say is derogatory because
rejects the ordinary means and agencies OF Christianity
And he who rejects the ordinary OF accomplishing
end means to defeat that cnd ITSELF or else he has
meaning And that can BIZ proven And it will not be
supposed trust that am trenchng on ground belong
ing to another profession If enlarge little that pro-
position He who rejects the ordinary means Of accom-
plshng end, intends TO defeat tho end itself -
And say that this is trne although the means originally
be means Of human appointment and not attaching OF
resting any higher authority
For example, IL the New Testament contained O set OF
principles Of morality and religion, without reference to
- Oh k,a h..
ed and yet in the of time system Of means had
sprung up, become identified with the history Of the
world, become general sanctioned by continued aud
custom then he who rejects those means would design
to reject and would reject morality and religion itself
This strictly true where the end rested on divine
thorty and human agency devised and used the means
But ii the means themselves be of higher authority then
the subject becomes much more importent-i become.
as the gospel Of the New Testament itself ~ ' .
There is not in the New Testament religious truth
there is in the New Testament precept Of morals
more planmore authoritativey laid down to thar
this doctrine OF the appointment Oft Christian minis
try. There be such thing in any intelligent
Just view Of the Christian religion to separate the pre-
cept-its fulfment from the authority itself 1t is not
cessary your onors that should proceed to argue th
you. Is it not indeliby stamped the face of tn
Christian relgionl Was not the Divine command give
when the disciples were sent out to preach the Gospel
hear your words" Sc, was the injunction laid on tn
Apostles And after the resurrection the proclamation
sent forth that the Christian religion should becom
the universal religion instead being heretofore tn
narrow inheritanc of the Jewsthe command was given
Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel ever
creature" say, therefore. that there is AUTHORITY
clearly set forth, than the authority of appointing
| the Christian minister; and he who does not be
lieve the one, cannot, and does not, believe tn
| other. The mode of appointing the ministers o
the gospel 10 true is set forth in different forms h,
different seet but still the authority used by all is tn
ed word Then can't see why any attempts should nov
be sanctioned to overtun this important arrangement
and order Of things, resting il does such authority
Why should we shut to the whole history O
this matterl Why do we, this day. enjoy the lights
benefits of heChristan religion we owe it to the early
successful and continued lsbors of the Christian Minis
try. Departing from Asia Minor raversing Asia, Africa
through Europe to Greenland Iceland almost to the YER
Poles Of the Earth suffering all things, enduring al
things hoping all things in order to carry with them tn
blessings OF the Christian religion And where tn
Christian religion ever receved-where was the Cbri,
tan rcligionAever planted where did take
Thy means Of Christian Ministry Did we ever hea
odoes the history Of the world accord instance Of
single speck of earth that Chrstanised by tn
efforts of lay teachers9 Descending from cities down
parishes and villages we find that the Christian religion
was carried every where by humnn agency, and tha
the operation teaches that every where the creates
results have been produced by the early administration
Christian uths to small circles and in small quantities
maintain therefore, that this devise is defective IA
regards it being entitled to the legal term Of charity
by this leading principle which throughout It'll
rejection OF all the appointed means by which Christian
y has been taught since the creation Of the world
This plan, as laid down by Mr. Girard, place
rails upon ground Independent of religion Becans
told that these youths are to be made very goo
moralists before they get any religion at all That prov
on in ITSELF Is highly derogaory to the Christian re
sion because 1t removes that foundation which all sect
regard the purest and only foundation for
morality says in effect that religion not necessary
10 form sound morality What be higher insult O
derogatory TO Christianity than thsf IL it not
'ablished as truth throughout the civilized world, tina
system Of education. in order to inculcate morality
must have it's foundation in religion religious truths
And the system Of education that rejects that be de
rogatory to Christianity But at what age Of the Christian
have those who protested to ench the Christian rel
zion not insisted the ear ly teaching Of its
inspire youth at early age with love and fo
the Christian religoni In what age-hy what sect
-whenwas the system of instruction in religious
truths struck out from the education OF YOUTH Whv.
No where Never II IL the very essence-the vitality
of all systems Of education From this doctrine, Mr.
Girard dssents He declares in his Will that il is not
cessary to make 1t e6ectua and therefore say the de-
wise is dcrogatory TO Christianity. And he dssents
not only from these sentiments--not only from all
he admitted and received authorities the results Of
Christianity and Christian education-but he disscnts
from still higher ahortythat Of the Bible ITSELF My
learned friend who is opposed TO has quoted to your
honors the second commandment in the Bible But there
| 10 M which ia of all