The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-11-25
CONTRADICTION.
LIFE ILLUSTRATIONS. NO. Q.
THE BlBIK IN RnTzOoTa.


Bible 10 schools. q general howl has been
raised by the press all ever the land as well
as by other persons who do not look at that
good book more than once year, If so often.
We reverence the Bible too much to favor
its introduction into public crowds. for the
same reason that clergyman once refused
to open Fourth of July celebration with
prayer. and that another distinguished
Scotch clergyman refused TO say grace at
tavern dinner. as it would only be "castiDg
pearls before swine"
Some people, however. who never read
the Bible and could not stand an examina-
ton on any chapter in It. become 6llsd with
holy horror at its disuse in a common school.
They are contentious merely and not pioUs.
Horace Greeley opens the discussion At
preRrBt aa follows:
There looms upon our near horizon n tenn
rest destinsd 10 rack our fabric of popular
govern ment to its foundations Slavery was .
gigantic evil and peril in it's noon day of pride
ssd power bat religious Antipathy ard sectA-
rian btterr threaten US with strife NOR Q
e< vemoped and jmplacabie than We have yet
known For. profound a. may have beer our
interest rro or con, In the enslaved negroes of
the South, our devotion to our respective creeds
or no Creets is far iDtenser and IT contravened, ;,
may provoke outbreaks more formidable than
was ihe g. uiherE Rebellion.
THE i'm nediate bone of contention, 80 far
this controversy has yet developed itself, IL
the Bible in Schools.
Educated in the common schools of New
England (the seed bed and nursery of all Com
mon Schools), we like the idea of ha wing the
Bible used as a text. book in schools It wss
so used in the schools wherein We we're taught,
and We cannot realize that it ever did any
harm. On the contrary, We believe that such
use of the Good Book not only exerts whole
some moral influence but inparts beneficial
intellectual stimulus. We believe the Scotch
are q more intelligent. more capable, more
thrifty race beceuse of the Bible-reading to
which they generally and eminently addic-
ted from infancy"
The Johnstown Tribune initiates its great
prototype on the subject as follows:
"Ths school directors of Cincinnati have
prohibited the reading of the Bible ia all tho
public schools of that CITY. The majority
which so voted is composed partly of Catho
lies, partly of non believers. and three Protes-
tants. The decision has created intense ex
element in Cincinnati and elsewhere. It is
understood to be part OF a matured plan of the
Catholic Church in this country TO break down
the common school system, or else secure a di
vision of the scoool funds SO that the children
of Catholic parents may receive a Catholic ed
ueation at the expense of the State"
Before proceeding further, we would ask
what is the Bble2 Some Christians discard
the Old Testament almost entirely. One
prominent Protestant poet and divine ga id
that "David was Jew whose mind was too
dark to illuminate Christians of our day -
Others discard portions of the New Testa-
ment. and still others insist on q new version,
arguing that King James translation is not
correct.
To give q more definite idea of the dis
putes about the Bible. We copy the following
article from last weeks New York Weekly
JTibune-the same paper that we first quote
from in this article. It is . criticism, or
rather puff. of Mr.. Remains Life of st.
Paul" If anybody can learn from it what
the Bible ia they can do more than we can.
The TFiAnne SAYS: "The orthodox scholars
accept the book of Acts throughout as genu-
inc and authentic. and reject but one of the
great Episiles ascribed to Paul, namely. the
| EEistle to the Hebrews. The radical school
accepts confidently but four of the Epistle les-
Romans, Galatians. and the two Corinthians
and discards the book of Acts as the labor
| ed composition of a writer whose aim was to
reconcile the conflicting parties in the church,
BY smoothing away the differences Of opinion.
| harmoBizing characters, distributing the parts
equally between the two great Apostles. Peter
and Paul. and by magniiying 3 much as pos
sible the exploits of each. II. Renan adopts
q middle course ; he regards the two Epistles
/
| question apocryphal, more than doubts the
| Epistle to the Ephesians, and by what looks
| like q critical perv ersty holds to the last six
teen chapters of the book of Acts as possessing
solid historical value, while he lays the frsl
half of the same book under suspicion as being
Legendary"
Bsre we find even the orthodox iiseardinq
one of the most beautiful epistles of ST. Pau
namely. the Epistle to the He6reios
Now, suPposing the Bible is read 10 the
COmmod School, what version will be read I
what Epistls2 and what Testament Dare
any one read q psalm Of David, Whose
mind is too dark to illuminate Christians o.
our day I" DaIe any one read from the
| EPistles. and particularly from the Hsbreus
whichever the orthodox discard Or will
the school directors of each district adopt th,
middle course" and reject only about one
half of the New Testament Perhaps .hey
will adopt the new Baptist( immersion) trans
lation. Oh deasi what a picture of piety
/ PHIDIAs.
Editor FTssman-I see by your paper
that the Chairman of the Democratic Coun.
| ty Committes has notified the several mem
bers thereof to meet in Ebensburg on Mon
day. Dec. 9Th. to determine how and when
the question of change in the mode of nom
mating our county tickets shall be submitted
to the Democtacy of the county This is 9
| wise movement for unless ao1ne chanoa /.