The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-07-18
Sectarian Schools.

We take pleasure in transferring to our
columns the following extract from the New
York Journal Of Commerce which shows that
its managers have q breadth ofliberality that
might be proftably copied by religious
editors Eot o Thousand miles from Camp
street. We would particularly recommend
our dissenting friends to ponder it, and
then endeavor to initiate its just and sensible
views on this important subject:
A correspondent who signs himself Gan
Ardent Protestant" expresses a fear that. if
the present common school system is broken
up in this city, there will be large Access
sions to the denominational schools. We
have no doubt of it, and we should not so
greatly mourn over that result. The
episcopal Church, the Reformed (recently
Reformed Dutch,) the Roman Catholic, and
we believe several other Christian denomi-
nations, already have thriving parochial
schools which, In all tire essentials of
education, are far in advance of majority
of those under the common establishment.
There are two difficulties which -beset the
latter systenl, for which it seems difficult
to find a remedy. One is the exclusion of
the very poor, for whom such public
! provision is most important. The other
is the exclusion to great extent
of proper moral and religious training.
Both these difficulties would be obviated in
UNCONVENTIONAL schools. ,Ae-kneM-it is
often said the poorest may now attend the
| common schools, and that all sects may
consent to the teaching of sound morals on
common basis of religious obligation.
But the theory is not borne out by the
practice. The style and tone of schools
where pupils are taken on rainy morning
in q family coach, where silks and merinOes
are common wear, and French, singing and
the use of the piano are taught by special
| professors, are too grand for the barefooted
tyoi Crrt sNff lsa 70 nt,I hos.
ments of the city. In respect to- religion,
the simplest truths of the Gospel from Pro
| testant tongue Will have o tone to the Ca
! th0Iic- ear; while nun or lay brother of
the monastery would be suspected of
teaelaiHg EI4alenilish- ahominationSn to prose-
t fyte the -ttnwaFy children of aisseHtefs.- 1t
thus happens that the very effort to educate
the rich and poor, the Protestant and Catho-
| lie alike at one form at the public expense,
defeats iii part the purpose SO fondly
cherished. Ii the fears of our correspond
ent should prove to be we'll founded, we
should gain at least this: the poor would be
taught by themselves, where neither rags
nor squalor should exclude the humblest
and the Gospel would no longer be hid, lest
the schools become sectarian.
1t is plain to us that the fear, latter all, is
chiefly of the Romanists. We do not share
in this prevalent apprehension. While
openly and heartily Protestant in our views,
we see no occasion for alarm in thorough
and systematic education of the masses of
the Catholics 1t is the union of ignorance
and bigotry that is to be feared We glory
in every new Catholic church that is built,
every new asylum founded by the dexotees
of that faith, every new cathedral that is
projected =. We are glad to see choice cites
selected, and grudge not the space, the
situation, nor the expense. Ifthe Catho-
lies prove equal to their trust and their
great opportunity, they will slough off all
the hackneyed superstition and intolerance,
which have made them SO obnoxious TO
those of other branches of the Christian
family, and take high rank in the Chris.
tian nurture of the world. If they fail,
they will still have built far wiser than
they knew for the occupancy of those to
whom they must then give place. AS to
sectarian schools, we would rather see a
child of our own taught the fear of God,
even though it be mixed with what we
believe an unayailing reverence for dead
saints, than to see him under the nominally
negative influence of a cold, infidel,
humanitarianism. If that is heresy, our
correspondent can make the most of it.
A FREE CHuRcH.-The Vicar CaPitular of
the diocese of Bovine, Italy. has been thrown
into prison, and kept in secret confinement, for