New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-02
THE BIBLE IN CINCINNATI.
CAN THE BOARD or EDUCATION PROHIBIT ITS
UsE IN THE SCHOOLS 2-ABGUMENTs OF CoUN-

Cincinnati Board Of Education could legally ptV""' NV
use OF the Bible IN the commons choo OF thai Guy was
argued before the Superior Court on Monday lno O'u
ba9 been enioe5 by the courts three weeks previously
from enforcing certain resolutions when |'it."u
discontinuauce of the reading Of the BLDG III ''' ~
lie schools OF the city. The courtroom was ts
Throughout she day, and several cicrtS ~ e,,oa' o.
seats inside the bar In their answer 10 tue pe"'o" %
ti,pc,ion mo majority OF the Board do not ueny u'
religions instruction is necessary 10 III 0n"u'o"
for the duties of good etzehShIp' pu' '"'iN
NOT proper give such Instruction " 'e pun
10 bools Of the State The reading OF the common NeI
st ofthe Bible contrary TO the conscience oil large
sfr ,f the citizens who believe in the inspiration OF
The Old Testament only, and OF the Roman Cathohcs
who beye that their Church is the only true interpreter
Of the Bible and the reading OF the book without note
or comment dangerous asleadng TO dOctrnaland prac
teal errors The minority Of the Board also offered an
stating that the resolutions prohDling te so
OF the Bible were passed against tleI uu ~
were not respOhslOle LOT tnC'h n sn In 60
facts" was agreed upon by pOtn Sues so
s sHci by ,'i'S mutual consent The statement
contained abstracts Of school reports IN 1853 ana is
showed the of agitation since the latter date
There had been an effort TO dne Sn
1872 allowing children to be excused from taxing par III
This rule. However has IoEg ceased recognized In
thc report of 1902 notice Is token OF IrSat S
Guhey's Eclectic Readcrs-were also admitted IN eVl-
The admitted evidence having been laid before the
Court, Mr.. William NJ Ramsay opened the argument ior
'"' ARGUMENT AGAINST THE SCHOOL BOARD
No question had been raised by the School Board ne
said as TO the jurisdiction OF the Court Ihele Is hOt
ing to hear in the present case except us own
be shown by the plaintiffs, citizens OF CINCINNATI
Judgment. but that it Illegal either by reason OF
positive prohibition, or the entire absence OF stauiofy
power subject within their proper control the
iSiSrionsy as TO warrant the Court in holding that such
not directed by sense OF duty ana Ihat rs
strong case-the fight must be clear-the threatened
injury great To show themselves entitled 10 the relei
prayed for, the plaintiffs must establish two propositions
FIRST: That religious instruction L. In contemplation OF
Of cdncSfISn Second: That the Board of Education OF
the City Of Cincinnati has not power to prohibit All re
sions will be met, it fairly he ANTICIPATED BY.
A general denial. p The Affirmation that, lrrespectlfe
Of any upon the part OF the School Board, rel
gious instruction is unlawful. .
The common school system of Ohio was organized in
1902 in obedience TO an explicit direction In the Consutu-
ton That direction is contained in the following words,
constituting the concluding Of the Third Section
of lie Bin of Rights: Religion, morality. and knowl.
edge being essentially necessary TO good government
and the happiness of mankind schools ana e means OF
instruction shall forever be encourage 9y iegsauVe
provision not Win Ie Hnts Oh
Religion, morality ana knowledge are 10 DC promoted
then by the establishment of schools As 10 the clause
Writers Of the sentence meant to provide that religion
should be taught, in the first clause and to preclude all
Inconsistent with the rights Of conscience must mean
simply that sectaanism must be avoided The various
laws establishing school system, which passed III
accordance this section Of the Constitution do not
prescribe course of study or the textbooks TO be used
lie mode of discipline, qualification of teachers, duration
of pupage anything else relating 10 the prdcuca de
re dso1 of the territory of the Various counties and
townships districts aud subdisrctsi for the cleo
OF Directors and the organization OF the Board OF
Directors; for suitable taxation for the support OF the
schools These laws simply provide for schools They
were to devoted, the in which that purpose
words 1t is hereby declared that common schools shall
be established aud maintained in ONO" The various
ton of the object Of the schools This silence does not
however leave the whole subject III the hands OF the
ord ~ herr "A
10 their discretionary power. This limit Is readily
found They could not choose 10 give give instruction
positive nfdelty immortality Certainly not simply
because these things would defeat, not the declared
object the well understood object, OF the schools
The Court OF EQUITY would interfere WITH such an eIer
as little power prescribe the teaching OF religion and
ngon and immortality. But even if the Constitution
saId nothing about religion and morality, but simply de-
sion would be the The duty OF the Court would
then be TO decide what was meant by the term schools
and morality had been taught uniformly in schools be
fore ae 1sg OF the taSrh 'hSn scbS S9a
established under the Constitution. This would
Here follows long review Of the uageS in the schools
OF ancient aud modern times and IN various countries
showing that the teaching OF religion and morality
necessarily accompanies the term school," as under.
stood by all The schools OF the Greclan phi
losopners were chiefly devoted to the knowledge Of the
gods aud mans spiritual nature In the third century
q educating youth, and in all Catholic countries OF
Europe tins day the Church has exclusive care of tins
interest Or. CALVIN T. stowe made report in 1889 to
The OHIO legislature on Elementary Public Instruction
in GcIi1any' TGe system m Prussia and Wurtemberg
ne says embraces Of eight years During the
two years. for children from TO 8, the teaching
embraces religious instruction and singing Of
10, select Bible narratives" are read and ex.
planned; the third division, from TO 10 IL, Bible
HISTORY taught And In the fourth dyisiOn-same
INSTRUCTION given in the Life and DiscOurses of
Christ" the History Of the Christian Religion aud
DOCTRINES Of Christianity" Horace Aann, ia report
OF the subject how Catholic aud Protestant
mixed schools instructed IN the tenets OF
their respective churches. In SdXOny, under tho laws of
ia
required TO take part in IT, certificate, however, 10
grated al TIE emu o Tue COURSE 10 suen GUY rs eau pass
examination on Ieilglous SUBJECTS Inc system OF Aus
Irl based ike that Of Prussia, religion That OF
France, also, was modelled AFTER the RUSSIAN system,
after care iul eAahluat y cousins IN 1855 IN inc
school cguldOns OF Holland, established 1884, 1t
provided that aeasurcs snail e taken that the scholars
De not left without Instruction ~ the doctfina creed OF
the religious community which they belong" Ia Rus
kia it appears from report made TO the Emperor in
Isi that ia thdt country " is assumed that religions
teaching constitutes the only solid fOunda
lion Of all useful instruction" The Italian
States Portugal. and SPAN, Catholic, and
the schools OF course. religious; England also,
lgiuus is considered essential These
pies are cited show the understanding enlght-
eued Europe upon tile subject OF schools and they
presumed have been in the contemplation OF the
trainers of our Constitution upon the subject
And especially when considered in connection with the
OF the Constitution which clearly cOntemplateS
religious instruction. restricted only by the rights OF
similar those Of ONO In al institutions Of higher
learning religious instruction IS particularly provided
for IA the laws granting charters &e The University OF
Virginia the single exception In the acts establishing
Tic American Western University and the Miami Uni.
ycrsy" Ohio hcrsef has spoken very plainly in the same
manner. These acts stipuate that these Universities
shall he equally 10 all citizens OF ONO, and yet
auire teaching of religion piety, and morality"
The new Constitution OF OhlO Trained IN lo1l provides
religious shall ever have exclusive control Of
part OF the school fund THIS Is intended to prevent
sectranisn IN the schools II there we're to be nothing
but secular teachings fear OF sectaEianisn would have
arisen. Liberty OF conscience and nonseetananism in
way conflict with the general acknowledgment by
our laws Of Christianity and the Bible. The