The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-22
MONDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1869.
RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR EDUC1-
TTON-- THE BIBLE IN THE
oCIInnT

THERE are many Indications of a revival of
the excitement which has on several occasions
been produced by a discussion of the question
whether the Bible should be read in the pub
lie schools. Newspaper articles on the sub
ject are printed by leading journals; it is be-
coming favorite topic in some pulpits, and
it is reported that, independent of the aglta-
tions fomented in various cities, member OF
Con6ress proposes TO introduce q bill in the
national House of Representatives, which, if
passed, will set the dispute forever at rest, by
prohibiting Bble-reading in all the public
schools of the United States.
Considering the difficulties which educa-
tional systems have encountered in foreign
countries in consequence of prevailing secta-
rian disputes, it is not at all surprising that
America, too should be threatened with SINH
lar embarrassments but here they have for
tunately proved of minor Importance hereto
fore, and we trust they will always continue
to belong to secondary class of controyer-
sizes. The policy of England, in suffering
millions of children to grow up in Ignorance
mainly because wrangling sectarians could
not reconcile or adjust their disputes in regard
to the religious influences that should control
secular education, is to the last degree infa-
NOUS, and it entails just reproach upon
British Christianity as well as British civiliza-
tion. To some extent it has been improved
of late years by the voluntary action of the
leading sects, in combination with the Gov
ernment, but the principle practically adopted
is that at least moderate amount of religious
training must accompany all secular instruc-
ton, and Parliament grants small amount
of aid to all the sectarian schools which OBJ
serve certain general rules it has prescribed.
The real meaning of the renewed attack
upon the prevalent custom of having the
Bible read in the public schools of the United
States appears to be concerted movement
to secure, if possible, the adoption, in this
country, of a system similar to that existing
in England, under which the parochial day
schools attached to various churches would
receive appropriations from our State or local
authorities. The plan appears to be to find
SO much fault with the practice of reading
the Bible in the schools that those who favor
it will finally consent as matter Of compro-
mise, to give to the objectors their proper
tionate share of the school fund.
This policy may have suited England as
9e,n6er resort, but it deserves no favor here,
and it should be sternly resisted at all hazards
and in all contingencies. While entire free
dom is granted to all religions in the United
States, no principle is better established, and
none is more important to our future welfare,
than that there should be total avoidance of
governmental aid, to any sect, as such. If
the Catholics, Episcopalians, Quakers, or any
other denomination wish to establish day
schools in which their doctrines are syste-
matically taught there should be no govern
mental interference on the one hand, nor
pittance of Government aid on the other.
State help to religious schools is but another
ramifcation of the European idea of State
help to Churches and church organizations,
which has been wisely ignored in America;
and it would be as unjust to burden tax
payers with the cost of indoctrinating chill
dren with sectarian ideas as to ask them to
pay the salaries of the preachers who address
adult congregations.
The question of reading the Bible in the
schools should be decided on its own merits,
and we cannot see that any great wrong re-
suits to any sect from the practice. If it be
the wish of majority of the people of Phila-
delphia, for instance, that il should be con-
tinued here, we think that they display no
unfairness in giving all whom it may concern
to understand that the benefits of the school
fund, raised by the taxation of their property,
can only be enjoyed by those who comply with
this condition. Any pointed sectarian dis
cussions would be entirely out of place in a
public school, the whole policy of the
country, as we'll as its customs
and sectarian diversities, warns school
boards and public school teachers to
avoid them; but it requires no small amount
of ingenuity to discover a serious cause of
complaint in the mild form of religious in
struction intermingled with the present
common school system Of this city Still it
is desirable, if possible, that every child in
the community should be educated; and if the
fact should be we'll attested that a large
amount of the absenteeism which is becoming
chronic evil is caused by the prejudices OF
parents against any special book, it is a mat
ter worthy of consideration whether the
school authorities might not provide
special schools free from this objection; bu
they should never for an instant lose sight OF
the leading American idea, that no State aid
ahould be granted to seotarian operations.
JUDGE JOHNSTON, one of the Senators elec
from Virginia, is a sensible man and tru
patriot In acknowledging the receipt OF hi
credentials from Governor Walker, he ha
written letter approving the proposed iii