The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-09-28
The Bible in Schools.
TO tie Editor of fMe Caledonian.

Association, found in your issue of Aug. Il,
in alluson to MIR. Adams reply to some of
the positions taken by Mr.. Rankin in his ad-
dress, you state that the Secretary success
fully defended the position he had taken,
when appealed to by the Superintendent of
schools for Brighton, viz: "That there was
no law upon our statute book thct could
compel the reading of the Bible in our
schools" By implication you represent Mr..
Rankin as claiming such law to exist. un-
derstand his position to have been that there
was no law prohibiting its use or more de-
fnitely that its compulsory use did not con-
Aict with the Sd Article of the Bill of
Rights.
Your correspondent was somewhat less
fortunate than yourself, in that he was not
quite convinced by the Secretary's harangue,
that for all future time the Bible, if it hold
place in our schools, must hold it only by suf-
ferance 1t is said "None are so blind as
those who will not see and perhaps my I'M
willingness that such state ofthings should
be, has so blinded my perceptive faculties,
that am unable to perceive what does real
ly exist.
l have waited in hope that some one, bet
ter able to handle this subject as it merits
for it involves great constitutional ques
tion) would give it a thorough analysis. l
am aware that the prestige of our interpreta-
tion endorsed by such men as constitute the
Board of Education, will induce most minds
to concur in their decision without examina-
ton. am aware, too, that an argument
which if the prestige Of their decision, would
prove successful, with such prestige might
prove wholly unavailng.
1t should be remembered that this is not
an issue between indiv duals. So far as they
who opened this discussion are concerned, it
is matter Of no importance to others who
has the better of the argument but so far
as pertains to the decision of the question at
issue, it is matter of grave moment Upon
it depends the character of Vermont and
Vermonters through all future time.
The candid discussion of any great moral
or legal question, in the decision of which
the people are concerned, always results in
good. And it will be remembered that Mr..
Adams, in his last report, has invited the ag-
itation of this subject in the following words:
The more speedy and thorough that discus
sion is, the better is it for cur teachers"
Now, sir, with these predatory remarks, by
way Of apology, for claiming your columns,
allow NE few words upon the question a;
issue and afterwards briefly to allude to
some points of inconsistency, as it seems to
NE, in the action of the Board, ard some
false positions assumed by MIR. Adams in his
reply.
! The Bible is objected to as sectarian in its
teachings. 1t is a "Protestam Bible" But
the real objection is to the book itself, and
not to the version. 1t is the common Eng
lish Bible which has always been used. 81,
was written by the Father and Maker of all
creatures for all His children" 1t is not a
"Protestont Bible" Its translators, Tyndale
! Wicklitfe, Coverdale and Mathew, we're Ro
man Catholics. A Roman Catholic king per
mitted it to be printed and circulated. A
Roman Catholic bishop drafted the license to
read it, until better translation could bt
provided, which he hoped would not be til
doomsday. OF it says Bishop Leddes, him
self Catholic, and translator of the Scrip
lures, 1T is of all versions the most excel
lent for accuracy, fidelity and the strictes
letter of the text" Says Selden, "It is ,h'
best version in the world"
The fact that Roman Catholics are unwil
ling their own version-the Douay Bible
the only sectarian Bibie-should be in tn
hands of the people, shows conclusively tina
this is no question of version but that tn
book itself is obnoxious. Papacy has Away
claimed that it was mot book to be in tn
hands of the people" The Bishop of Bolos
ma, in an advisory letter to Paul ILL.,, who's
Papal reign was during the period of tn
most energetic progress of the Reformation
alluding to the Catholic Church, says "She
nersuaded that this is the book which abov
all others, raises such storms and tempest:
And that truly, if any one read it and OF
serve her the Church Of Rome) own Gu:
toms and practices, he will see that there
no agreement between them, and that tn
doctrine which she breaches, IS altogethe
different, and sometimes contrary to that cor
tanned in the Bible"
The question is then narrowed down
this Shall the Jesuitic craft OF priests
!, "men who have purpose, often avo"ed' n
overthrow of the entire system o! commo
public secular education in the State
cised upon the prejudices Of an ignorant 10
eign population, which comes to our 'hor'
bringing conscience under allegiance to al
other sovereign, be allowed so to take adSa
tage of our liberality, of our government