New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-16
s.,,.r,ap,sm and the Public schools

To fAe Editor Of The irtSF"fi .a A..
srR-AIlow me to call the attention o. 'ne "u''
tas, of our Public Schools TO the sec'aran ous,S0
Ter Of some portions Of reading 'ooA "n'cn mas
-ooer,l,, haen introduced in these schools refer
a. nCobDs N,., NoyA american Reader' or
.Fieb Reading Book On the 52d page IS
.o.d,r, le,.or entitled The Baptism,' by Mp.
VIII, A,a poem it is beautiful, but as reading
- :. TOO ,eetsrian for our Public Schools. 1t
olo.bo. IN besu,,fal imagery the scene Of an in
49, b.,t;sno "A hch a. you know. - regarded by
iAI. ION Of the patrons Of the schools, not
,~bS Ri,bost divine authority, bat Ia urioas -
80 Ci--;s,isn fsi b. and as the source oil many
- o s,.-sa5 evils. The article also contains the
,.iS;o5s argument OF example for the practice Of
sns;on In the place Of immersion, for baptism,
sbich Is also opposed 70 the faith Of at least one
tbird Of the pareats whose children attend these
schools But the article itself as il stands among
afr. W Hiss Sacred Poems, or On the page Of the
school book would not be so Objectionable as u is,
had not Mr. Cobb appended % the lesson the little
catechism, which settles the question as to the'
Sect0rtdH Intuition Of the compiler.
This cstechisn is designed 70 produce an impress
sion Of the truth 'l or principle 10 the lesson on
the mind Of the echo lr. The young neophyte Of
Anti edobsptist parents q expected 20 aho@ no"
be appreciates the sson The following are the
questions appended 70 the lesson, with the al
swers which are iurnihed rom II.
On h0A0m did The mother resi-? ~
"she stood up 10 70 meskness OF hsr besrt
Resting on Ood s14 held her fair young child" &c.
WHAT aoeat NJ der0uiyT"
"The prayer went up devoa.edlyr-
What gLOrced terveR1yl"
Ofthe good man glowed fervsnty with faith
Thai 1t mil hl be even as be had prayed
"Hhat mOged sleutlyl'
"As The holy words went on
Her lips moved silently
"Wkat lay soft vponth forehead Of the chtldI "
"Tesrs
Stole from beneath her lsshes, and upon
The forehead D b, beautiful child lay soft
Wtth me boPtismai 0Qfe'.'
What would be q deepeT covenant?
To the eye Of God that mothers tears
Would be deeper covenant
"Can there be Il mare interesting spectacle titan
that of a BottcT 6cdicatiHg her chad 10 God
in baptrsu 2" The child is expected to answer
None"
Now, Sir, is not the introduction Of such lesson
with its catechism a trsacherous attempt to bias
the young mind Ia favor OF q sentiment and practice
highly offensive to one-haB OF the community In
the name OF more than million IN this State and
Of more than seven millions IN the Union, CON
posed OF Friends, Christians, Disciples, Free VIII
baptists, Seventh Day Baptists, I nversa.ists,
Bsptists, and multitude not connected with any
religious sect, | remonstrGte against the use Of
books Of such a character in our Public Schools.
II that lesson cannot be at once removed from the
book the book should be discarded. large
class, who belong 10 the Methodsts L piscopalians
and Presbyterians, reject the doctrine and practice
of infant baptism, aud Ia their name also remon-
strato against the book. / ask for myself as ny
church has no such advantage in this secteran
controversy. Nor do believe q majority Of PedO
baptists wish it. OGt Trustees have introduced IL
without noticing this lesson which has been SID ia
by Mr. Cobb. Our Common Schools are not tue
places Of sectaran instruction. "A word to the
wise sc Yours &c. II. J. EDDY.