Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-01-07

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"ifwe sft maiirnri by .slfcara,isi hfuitrsn
uho run ihoif own rafa. aui give liking unto
nothing bot what be- TRAINED hy ihumroItca and
hnhmcfoi ON ihcir oftil we mHy frH secure
/ supported hYifufh end r.uanionce '.- hiHo Jdmct
hihiel De- hu'feys hia fp pcd.oaiorg,
"lho tumult Of the silyersmiths' ul
still continues. 1t is as unjust Ia
the nineteenth as it was in the FIRST
century. "Yon men, you know that
our gain is by this trade" l2l The
Pagan is more candid than the Chris.
tian, and more consistent, too; for
ST. Luke does not tell MS that Demo.
trius disoboyed his "Goddess." The
race Of great and pariously.gifted men
fis not yet extinct. History says that
Alcibides, Origen and others could
dictate in several languages, TO as
many amanuenses, at the same time
Rev. Mr.. Williams is a modern illustra.
tlon-a dramatist, a jTist, and diuine
lie knows he is a ready and rapid
writer, as his elaborate reply asserts
No amount of learning, no piety, no
powers Of praying, however loud, }
can sustain wrong; hence his ignoble
failures TO disprove my assertions.
What wero theyy
The question at issue is this: is il
according 10 U. S. law to pray or
read Bible in common schools or
institutes / asserted, the 26th of
last November, that this practice was
unconstitutional, and a violation of a
plain command Of their own version
Of the Bible. His learned and polite
reply appeared only December 18th.
will now prove the correctness of
my position, and then review his
statements.
Free-will is Gods Magma Charta
(Great Charter) TO man. If abused
He will punish. The Constitutions
| (U. S. and Pa.,) give every man a
right to worship God as he pleases !;
hence, if he violates no law of the
land, he is accountable TO God alone.
Education, if possible, should be based
on religion -on the true religion.
There is no probability that men will
soon agree on what is true faith I;
hence the wise foresight of the illus
trious men who framed the Constitu-
tions- masterpieces of human legisla-
ton. All legislation, TO be law, must
be in accordance with these excellent
sources Of equality. The laws regard
ing common schools and institutes are
so framed. The County Superintend.
ent must "see that photography, read
ing, writing, English grammar, geog-
raphy and arithmetic be taught in
the common schools, Gas well as such
other branches as the Board of Direct
ors, or Controllers, may require" (9
Directors, or Superintendents, are
confined" (pretty harsh, that sin
their examinations Of candidates for
teachers, TO their fitness as to moral
character, learning and ability" Cg
Nor can any person teach "other
branches than those set forth in such
certificate Of said teachers" t5l The
County Superintendent sis authorized
and required to call and invite the
teachers Of the common schools" &c,
sand organize themselves into a Teach
ers' Institute, devoted TO the Improve
ment of teachers in the science and
art Of teaching" &c A teacher who
"absents himself from the institute of
his county, without a good reason,
may have his want Of professional
spirit and zeal indicated by lower
mark on his certificate in the practice
of teaching, than be otherwise would
have received."t0 lean find nothing
said about any kind Of worship, pray
er, or Bible-reading in the schools or
institutes. IL should be woll-remem-
bercd, in this connection, that the
County Superintendent makes oath
"to perform all his official duties hon.
estly, impartiaily, diligently, and ae-
cording TO law" (0
"To the law and TO the testimony |
have summoned you" they decide in
my favor, that the public school, or
institute, is NEUTRAL GROUND, where
neither Catholic nor Protestant has
any right, from God or man, to wor-
ship, pray, or read any version Of the
Bible As a military colonel has well
said, sour public schools should be free
as air to the rich and poor, Christian
and Mehomedan." t9 No pretentions
TO piety or learning can set aside this
just and peaceable neutrality. "Pre-
diloctions of parents" to be carried
out legally and justly, must be done
on tbeir0irn premises. Where parents
and pastors are the real and entire
owners, they can worship as they
think proper; but H0pbcre else. All
parties have an equal share in the
common school, or institute; of course,
then, no man-no matter how jealous
or pious his conscience is-can usurp
what belongs equally to others.
The Constitutions and School laws
do not say the majority may dictate
TO or dogmatize over the minority.
All the clustering, cloud praying"
must be done, if legally, on your olCn
ground dloHe--in your dwellings and
meoting-ho If this is not the
plain aud obvious meaning Of U. S.
law, freedom of worship would be
impossible. Many persons discard
Catholicism, and "the thousand and
one" phases of Professionalism no law,
divine or human, can ooerce them, as
long as they respect the rights of
others.
The versions Of the Bible are as
conflicting as the creeds. A few ex-
amples will illustrate my meaning
l. In the number of books; what
one says is scripture, another says is
doubtful
3 Discord even about the Lords
Prayer. The Protestant says the
the Catholic subtrdcts; the latter says
the former adds TO the text; and both
versions pronounce a dreadful curse
on the ialsifer of the divine record
3. "But if they cannot contain" &c,
prot version, Cor, c. vii-9;) the
Catholic version saws, "if they do not
contain themselves "Cannot con.
tain n'-canHot be chdNc-a falsehood