New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-28
EDUCATION.
The Common schools ana Religion.
n A, C3,sot of IN, A. Trftss

SR free discussion to the Of the Bible in Com
Schools having been admitted in your Journal both
sdes land by the way this usage is honorable dstnc
ton Of The 7TibHa1, compared with other newspapers
/ shall ask the privilege Of submitting my views briefly
which do not coincide entirely with any have seen al
yaEced in the discussion
1t urged in article which lately appeared 10 your
paper that the opening of schools by reading chapter in
the Bible and by prayer is practically II utility in pro
ducing religious impression. What is meant presume
is that the reading Of the Scriptures form
regarded 10y the pupils and therefore net attended to.
can hardly suppose hat any right minded man would
ture in this community that chapter in the Bible
SOLE mny read and followed by ferFeni and prayer
Ia not calculated to produce effect youthful minds
but the writer Of the articls before referred 70 and
others holding the Ike opinion, assume that Is made
a Formally and hurried with irrsverence and
haste have heard argued indeed with some p4usbil.
y that the reading oi the Bible in schools is cal
Cuated 20 impair the that should feel ard
II the word Of God-but why Because Il is said the
majority Of the the teachers not ous men, and this
lie the sole basis Of the objection But | lsk Ouz ht not
teachers of schools 90 be pous Trae they
have in times past been requ red be such and per
haps considering the grcst numbers Of teachers required
for schools would have been impossible TO OBJ
tain them too strict standard haa beer insisted on but
may not hope the time will cOme-haye not even
low arrived at the time-when may reasonably require
that every teacher IN common schools should be If
sound religious principles IL may perhaps b. going
far, that he should be communng memberof the church.
though that woad be in itself desirable. bat he shoud at
least hsve had religious education AMI been trained in
habits OF respect for public ship and actual attendance
ihereupOn.
But said that the Common School not the place TO
acquire religious knowledge that children sent there
be instructed in geography, mathematics and kindred
branches merely secuarthat the sabbath school and 10
mesiic instruction ought TO be- relied upon for religious
know ledge = llcOus there incOnsIsten-
cy IN combining religious and secular education Are the
Of religious i'm oressiOn ample that any can be
spared Has not she teacher in the Common Schools who
spends SIX houIs day with bio pupils position that
bes him 10 exert important influence for good in the
formation OF moral and gious charActsrl l. not
likely 10 be more efetuS than any influence which the
majority Of children enjoy At home The Sabbsih school
Is important agency but Us usefulness depends much
auxiliary meaIs parental influence and associations durie a.
the week particularly in the day school
To return then 70 the proposition with which set
undertake 10 say that pOus young profoundly i'm
press I'd with religious truths placed Comm school
exercise incalculsbe influence upOn the minds u
bis pupils Would Won inhihit such teacher from read
ing the Scriptures and from eItempors prayeri
But is said thai the reading Of the Bible is not IN
portsnt but that might be given concession 20 the
prejudice Of Roman Catholics asain.i let examine
this argument in detail
In the Grst place, do regard this concession A.
trivial Others vii venture TO say have f- a reyusion
ofteeng wel myself AZ the grstu,ous assumption Of
the writer Of the article bcf mentioned that on PrOtet
ant feeling j. thsn ordinarily his point
SIMPLY because objections have been made by tie Roman
Cxihoes But II Il admitted be sss essential than
Il is esteemed BY Protestant brethren generally sill Il
bebOyes 10 consider, before making any cenc-ssiOu
what viii be the limit 81 the demands u tbs Romin Csho
.
stand II tbs threshold against assault Win they b. sats
ned with the exclusion ofthe Bible and the suppression of
exteHpoTs prayerf VII they not demand that 10 teacher
81 kuO~n religious character. being they wsah terra
BIN hereto should be enploysd l. Y not tb-olu--lv
certain that they would prefer inhde Al open sc0r ~
religious faith, 10 holding Protestant teues Nav
would not depravy q chsrsc'er be- - exeelanable In
their views than the dsmnsbs hsrey they <oud term
IT, Of any Protestant sect IL not easy forsee thai the
result Of attempt az compromise would be rapid de-
cadence to nhdehy ana utter disregard Of thcse halo vel
associations which have heretofors Cherished As the
basis of sound culture of youthful chsract-r There Is
tendency Of the public mind thher which il
may be difficult successfully 10 cOuuterct even ii no con
cessiOn should be made | confess have is fear OF
proseysm TO the Roman Catholic faith than Il toe utter
subyersion Of all religious principle Looking b. such
probable result not called upon sterny ress. the
frst nacon of those usSges and principles il which We
have been nurtured and by which have attained 10 IN
exsnped national prosperity.
Our population Is receiving great accesons from foreign
countries. These immigrants welcome 20 the enjoy.
menf Of the privileges which laws afford and IN no
other country cOald they obtain anything ike What con
eedsd TO them here and with this they should be content
This vas originally and Protestant country sy
las, but BY immense, universal preponderanee and the
general character Of our institutions. Oar people have