The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1862-10-30
aSEGTARIAN BIGOTRY.n

The Southern Field and Firesids," an
excellent weekly paper published in Au-
gusta Co., and devoted to literature and
agriculture, " has the following commenda-
tory notice of our Presby terian "Children's
FrieSd."
"fuE CHLD'S FRICND.-We have re
ceived a copy of this handsome listle paper
for children. 1t is well printed, aud admira-
biy filed with useful and attractive matter
for the young. It isissued BY the Presby-
terrain Committee of Publication, Richmond
vt % cents per aunum to clubs Of 20 or
more. We welcome this and all kindred pa
pers to our exchange list. We cannot help
t.inking however, that it is unfortunate
that juvenile publications SHOULD be If q
sertarIan character. rhe Bdptis'S aud Pres
byteriaus have each Just started h,tle papers
ior children; the Methodists, EpjscOpallaus,
and others will doubtless be ied to 10 the
same. The result will DC that the children
of the country will be iIled with sectarian
bigotry before the grace OF God has made
any impression en- them. VIII not somebody
start a paper for the jlyeuiIes that will leave
controversial matters 10 hose of ripper growth
and be conten, to moald the morals and in
struct the mind without warPiug either to
any particular church creed"
From a part of these remarks we must
enter an emphatic dissent. Tde best and
wisest men of all denominations have long
considered the matters involved, and mach
more carefully than he Editoro the "South-
ern Field and Fireside;" but have failed to
discover any ground for the charge of ''scc-
tarian Jigopy," because taey nay choose
TO start, leach papers for httle chi.i'en."
As we'll might the demand be made that We
should have 10 separate Sabbath schools
and repudiate all Church Cateehisms for
children; in short that every thing distioc-
tive should be broken down. If all men
we're entirely good-of one heart ana one
vav, this would be indeed fine scheme.
But taking them as they have been, are
now, and probably will be for a long while,
It REQUIRES no great sagacity to predict that
such grand fusion would speedily end in a
orapder confusion worse confounded." All
sensible farmers want good gates to admit
their ueighbor5, with due hospitality, into
their fields upon all right occasions. Bat at
the same time, both to keep strange d,cks
ont. and their own focks in, there is nothing
ike good rail fence, with stakes and riders
It's a great peace measure. We shall be
Glad to see papers specially devoted to the
Telioious culture of children maintained by
al Christian denominations in the land.
At the same time we hive no relish for
the work of filing the pages of these pa
Ders. or the heads Of the children reading
them, with Improbable, and thOrny cOntrO-
var.iss We would not exclude distinctive
points, but prefer they should be taught to
children mostly in the definitions Of Church
Catecbisms, with the texts in proof of them
Certainly it is every way best that the mat
ter Of these papers should be mainly con-
fined to the palmer truths by which these
lambs Of the flock may be ed to the Lamb
Of God that taketh away the sins of the
world" tits with this idea we shall continue
70 conduct the "Children's Friend"
We thank the editor Of the paper referred
70 for the terms of commentator 10 which
be has noticed it. Il may be a good Ooea