The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1868-11-25
se. Such state Of things actually exist,

teaching in religious instruction, rather
than such as Brigham Young'sl 1t is no
ansver TO say that the doctrines of the Pro-
testant Religion are not like those of Utah;
Tor you must keep in mind that Joe Smith
and his Saints profess to be Protestant
against all other Religions and Sects, and to
be the true church ami the only pure Saints.
Mono can be more extravagant and
more exclusive in their Religious
prt tcnsions than Utah Saints: and the
question we are discussing Is one of toler-
Ance by forbearance merely. Would you
not pray then to forbear pressing what you
claim gross error upon the minds Of your
children1 This board honors your profess
sions of a pure and holy Religion too rever
emily not to know you would fervently pray
for forbcarHnce at least. Well, many Jews
and Catholics, and Episcopalians, and 9TH
ers think you entertain many essential errors
in your creed, in your forms OF worship,
and in your religious instructions, and they
all here prefer, doubtless that you should
torbear. Is that ''in antagonism to the spi-
rit of our Christian civiliZAtlonl OF, essen
tally anti Christian The Board humbly
submits in reply to your fourth objection
that 1t Is precisely in the meek and lowly
spirit of Christian humility, long suffering,
patience, peace, faith and wisdom,-an
more especially is it in the true spirits of that
1IOLcalAut AuElSG1AllLy MulCu kOb us very
name from protesting against church estab-
lishment, Union of Spiritual with temporal
power, and the dictation of conformity. ~
Except as applicable to public schools
schools established by law and supported by
State taxation, the Board agree in the main
with all you say in your fifth and sixth
points OF observation on the inestimable and
infinite value of the Lords prayer and of
the Holy Scripture. This Board is COM
posed of SIX protesting Christians five of
whom OF the ProtG slant persuasion and one
= Roman Catholic; they hope to live forever
on the bread of life provided in the Word of
God; they fear it would be scattered and
lost If served up promiscuously on altars not
consecrated.
The public schools are not churches; the
public school houses are not the houses 'tfor
the name of the Lord 10 dwell in, y but then
the pupils of knowledge are taught faithfully
towards what house to turn to pray both rs
Solomon taught the Jews and Christ taught
the Dove sellers in the temple of the Jews
what the House of God was made tor-not
TO become = pandemonium, or temple of
Pantheists. But this Board cannot consent
that the religion of the Protestant Pastors
of this city 'tshan be q central and controll-
ing element either in all our system of edu-
cation" OF sin all the machinery of society"
"An the machinery of society II Gen
tlemen, embraces the Machine of Civil
Government not merely the public schools.
This Board has not the machinery of socie-
ty or of Civil Govern at, except its small
portion of The public schools, in hand. But
in looking to your objections to the nth
rule the Board could not but ask their own
minds: If christianity" is to take charge
of the Religion of the public schools, who
are or is to take under control the 'Policics"
NF vlsr1,1e 10 atr IN mt
the argumentum ad absurdum" il the Pro-
testant Pastors of the city ''may assume to
control the religious instruction" of the
public schools, they may as well assume to
control their politics, their machinery of
society" Up to this point they had antici-
pated that the puzzle might make reason
pause and reconsider before it concluded to
take the public schools into church uses for
religion or religious exercises. But, behold,
you press the issue brayely up to the last
ditch of assault upon the civil, temporal and
independent charActe; of our pubic school,
and you boldly and expressly avow: ''We
hold that Christianity should touch society
at every point; IL should be central and
controlling element in all our systems of
education, in all the machinery of society"
This bravely takes the dilemma by both
hornsl This is candid disclosure of what
you hold, and this is enough to warn the
people of Ohio, whose contributions support
"'all the machinery of society" in the State,
10 'shold" all such aspiring sentiments as
thess in stern rebuke, and in ful' stop check!
Whose Christianity What Which
Yours or minel Catholic or Protestant
Baptist Methodistl Presbyterian German
Lutheran Episcopalianl Dunkardi Who
is to instruct us which ''shan teach society
every point 2" Which ''shaIl be a central
anI controlling element in all our systems
of education, in all the machinery of socie-
ty7" Where shall the center be2 Who shall
work the machine2 This out Popes the
Pope Rome was central. but this is center
and Circumference 1t is the whole and
every point, it is central and elementary
controlling all systems which train the
minds of men and forms their individual
thoughts, and opinions, and wills, and con-
trolling call the machinery of society,"" of
men associated as whole people. This is
the very seeking in more than Caesar like
proportion, and decree the kingdom
of the world" against which Christ
especially warned his Disciples
Is this Christianity2 If it is, it is of the
earth earthly 1t proclaims purpose and
place, and combined purpose which will
call for another and new Reformation, il
Will destroy the peace and love of all reli-
gion. 1t is the livery of heaven in which
to do the works of worldly ambition. The
Kingdom of Christ Is not of this world il
is pure and spiritual and heavenly; it is moi
a Nebuchadnezzar image-part brass and
part clay-Which must break itself in pieces.
His is an everlasting Kingdom; this is 8
political despotism which to rise is to fall
which to attempt to exist Is to perish. II
can't live in this land it has been tried,
and like the Babylonish monster 'found
wanting"
Try it who win, all true Christians vii
crush It in the bud. This Is ant'C Christ
and His Kingdom will prevail over those
who seek earthly power and crowns instead
of ''doing their Masters work"
But what is to be the effect upon tht
public sehools2 This is the question which
concerns the Board in their official business
In this conflict for church power and
hierarchical supremacy, Out-J Jesu
its in politics as well as religion, what is 4
become of education, of learning, of science
of arts, of metaphysics of moral philosophy
mathematics, natural philosophy, mechan
les, of ancient and modern languages P
Shades of Pluto, Socrates, Aristotle Uni
versihes of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh
Luminaries of France and Germany Ss
ges of Academies aud Sayans of all ages
Scholars and Scribes of centuries Father
of thought who have loved truth for ID
sake of youth, and whose thoughts still liy
J and win live immortal Tell us living an
dead thinkers: what would you say of th
scenes which these sentiments portray
public schools composed of jew and Gentle
Of Christian and Infdel, Of Protestant an
. Catholic, of ism and schism, of every cd
and end and rag and tag OF truth and erro
of fair and foul, of holy and corrupt, {
spiritual and temporal, of heavenly an
earthly mixed pell-men together, to be fir
| pulled hlther and thither by sect upon Sc
, Of religions of every hue and type-Oi
teaching you will damned if you do, +" a
other ''you viii be damned if you dom
another, siyou will be damned If you will
and fourth, ''you will be damned if y,
wonitln And, then, when these have
separated into the ''does" and the "don'ts
the ''vyillsn and the ''yson'ts' of religion,
have them jOstled and tossled and pull