The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-09-24
Our Stutgard Correspondence.
S,ry-


slty. MARCUS
Our Stutgard Correspondence.
STUTGARD, Aug. %, 1913.
The Church and the State.
The attempted separation of the church from
the state, is causing great excitement in the
southern part of the German empire. 1t affects
class of individuals who have hitherto taken lit
tie or no part in the political agitatons since
spring. it touches at the only vulnerable point, that
not inconslderable part of the community, calling
themselves " Pietisten,' whose doctrines and re-
!iglous rites, something like those of the Quakers
in the United States, forbid them to participate in
the political struggles that agltate the community,
and whose ignorance is made the means of add
vapcing the interests of few designing unprln-
crled priests. They Ghe clergy) fear that
separation OF the church from the state, which
must also, inevitably, cause separation of the
school from the church, will bring about condi-
ton of affairs, which must eventually hberate the
community from the oppressive sway which
priests now hold over 1t.
II Is difficult for citizen of the orlous United
States to imagine to what extent the public have
been tyrannizedby the combined efforts of the adj
vocates OF ignorance and amOnarchial system ofgo-
yernment. In the schools, (hithero. all under the
immediate control of the clergy, whether Catholic
or Protestanr nothing but the most simple rudi-.
ments OF education were suffered to be taught; IN
period of eight years Orom SIX to tourteen) the
child, which is, by the laws Of the country, com
PEELED to visit the school during the whole OF this
OH, among hundred is able to write orthogra-
phicalIy. AID to cipher, Besides this, about one;
fourth ofthe Bible. at least one thousa: spiritual
songs the whole catechisn,, ana NUMBER OF pro-
verbs ale committed to meIoory. 10 say nqlning
OF the cruelty OF compelling t.o 10 s'' ~
verses or songs by heart, which are much more
rapidly forgotten again when oace repeated TO the
teacher-fsit not a revolving crime against human
nature, thus to waste the best part of youth, In
which so much might be done for the dssemna-
ton of intelligence and useful knowledge ? Is it
not an unaccountable SIM thus to pervert all taste
for literature for learning, and for Improvement in
the growing generation! But It is the interest of
those, In whose care the school has hitherto been,
to educate the children fit subjects for the rule
OF despotlsm, both of the church and state. Ifthe
mind OF the youth were permitted to improve and
expand; if general intelligence and common sense
were suffered to take The place Of ignorance and
prejudice, then the sway of the priestcraft would
be endangered, and In place of the servlle, con-
tented character of the mass, upon which the
safety of the monarchlal system is dependent, a
disposition tor the amelloration of the condition
OF the people, ideas of liberty and equality, might
be harbOred by them. The church has hitherto
been used tool by the state, to perpetuate ig-
norance and prejudice the school has been the
means, not of promoting knowledge, but of s.upi-
flying the minds of youth. But this is the age of
progress and reform in spite of It's chains, intel
hgence has shed Its lustre upon many vigorous
mind; and In the contest between light and dark
ness, the latter has been conquered and compelled
to recede, In many instances at least, before the
allpowerful rays. of truth and the good genius of
humanity. Now that the press Is freed from its
shackles, now that an undisturbed interchange of
IDEAS may take place, prejudice and ignorance
may be successfully encountered and defeated,
despite their powerful advocates and numerous
friends.
When the national Parliament, at Frankfort,
approached that paragraph in its deliberations,
which treats OF the church, the priests and a
few others, aristocrats, ofice-holders, &c., &c,
made great and powerful attempt to de-
feat the emancipation of the school from
the church. True to their Jesuit character,
no means were too base to be made use of, % it
regard to truth, they preach from their pupts, and
declare, at every opportunity, that the most sacred
rights OF the people were In danger. :" They will
rob you OF your rellgion-o your Bible !" Is the
feelings OF the mass are appealed to indignation,
commotion, terror, is the result; many, who have
implicit faith in all that emanates from the priest
believe the day of judgment Is at hand; others ex-
pect, and are anxlousy inquiring the time OF an
outbreak OF religious war, such as shook Europe
to its foundation In the sixteenth century and all
Uhe "Pietisten," alluded to above,) agree IN de-
nouncing the political movements Of the day,
and consider II as Judgm-n. fro....i heaven.
'u'''e'o" -,.uons, circulated by the priests, in
which the convention Is begged not to interfere in
the affairs OF the church and the school, are signed
by hundreds of deluded and deceived indivld uals,
and sent to the national convention. Some people
have been terrified to such degree that they ac-
ually locked up their Bibles, and declare their
solution to defend them to the last drop OF blood.
In the Parliament itself, the debate upon
this point gives rise tomany speculations and
theories. to many speeches, sermons, and cler-
ieal cross-hrings (Among the six or seven
hundred deputies In the convention, there are
quite considerable number Of clergymen } :
What the result of the deliberations will be, it il
as yet difficult to imagine. II remains to be seem
whether the petitions alluded to above, will have
any effect upon the members whether the con.
vention intends TO take the matter OF education
into its own hands, or whether it will suffer the
churches to be the guardians of the YOUTH for the
future, as II has hitherto been. On subject has
tested, as on this; demands separation o
the church and state, on the ground, that liberty
Of conscience should be guaranteed to all, and
| that therefore, no difference should be made as
to the religious opinions of any citizen aspiran
TO office. Another demands the same, but wi hes
| the atheists, the universallst, and the heather ex
cluded nom all participation in the government. A
third one bases his demand for the separation upon
the condition, that the clergy be admitted to the
government, as well as others fourth one is OPP
poeed to the separation, and "goes the whole hog
IN his opposition, and so on None but those of the
extreme left, who wish to dissolve all ties between
| religion and politics and the "ultra Montaven,
| who are for continued system Of compelling tn,
people 10 confess or profess before the world, wha
they hold to be utterly false in their heart and II
| some degree, be said to harmoulze and agree will
| each other the centres, and the more temperate
members OF e ither side, are scarcely conscious o
| what they demand, aud many do not understan,
| the nature OF the question l. ey are debating A
Characteristic anecdoie is related Of gensman