The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-06-09
RELIGION AND COMMON
SCHOOLS.

-
ssch tAeer e,sS-rls u,se tAs eAiAarva- az1 sAAli
taik Il thsua wA=z tAeu sissess Ia nv Ascse. ssa
wAea sAea ua-Ssss y - way. AID Se-a tAea
Esss 3s-- and wAs1 tAsa rissst Up aad tase sAa-s
Nd sb,rI A. ..- ursla ~ hss1 ar.f sAsy al,
l. - frcrti-es hetuexn thise ewes and tooe sAkt
w-i,e sAe ErOs tAs PestS u tAy seGse, and N ny
gzc-s
These words were addressed not 70 the
ossefal REPRESENTATIVES,. the ecclesiastical
leaders q Israel, bar % the whole body
of the peopls. They srjota on every pa
rsus q head Of household. the duty Of
teaching k,S Children the commandments
az tod. And this teaching Is 70 Be DIS
tire.iTe. positive, GibSsHt, earnest, OF
repsaiei. CONSTANT Very many directions
Of similar import are 10 De found through
ont the Old Tsstzneat-veappeariag also
il the New-whsre parents are required
70 bring up their children IN the nurture
and simonition Of the Lord
! have chosen this subject for the present.
occzSioz. not only because Of its intrinsic
importance. bot for the sake Of explaining
is true rels-ious TO our system Of common
school education
There l. SyStsm, IN our community.
established by law. maintained by genera
tSxztioD. the object Of which is 10 provide
=. the public expense. for al children, free
OF cost 10 themselves. the rudlusntS AZ
leas. u good education This system
Is based upon theeonvlctiOa that ignorance
i incompatible with freedom ard sell
government Education. 70 5 certain de-
gre. Is fundamental TO the existence OF
our repabhe-
l. -, - tS,,,., .bs- s,-s-a--, ~ p,hris.
Schools hSs grown into great power.
whether we consider the amount Of money
which It disburses, the number Of persons
it includes and reaches or the general
Influence which is welded BY lis officers
Ii seems, therefore, inevitable that this
system should be watched With great jea[
ousy By politicians and ecclssiSStieS- Many
attempts. accordingly. have been made, 81
different times, and for different preisXts,
70 modify this system. especially with
reference 70 religious preferences and scru-
PIES. When We reject that our system Of
schools embraces children Of al eeeleSi-
aStieal denominations. Jews and GentileS.
PspAl and Protestant. II was unavoidable
that at some time the question would arise
a 70 the relations OF this form Of p1blie
education TO the whole subject Of positive
religious Instruction At first this was
easily disposed OF. because Of the pre-
pondsrance Of overwhelming msjoritisS
who were Of one way Of thinking upon
religion Evidently, such matter could
not, and should not, be left 10 the coutin-
gsucy Of changing uunbers-acci6enta
uajorities and minorities- There should
be i principle governing the whole subject.
well founded and vel understood. As the
subject Is now again before the pablo. in
the form OF s proposed amendment CT legis-
lati0n having an ecclesiastical bearing. the
present may Be fitting time for exhibit
ing what. in my bes, judgment. Is the only
true principle pertaining TO this most in
portAnt matter.
You viii observe the single point 10
which ny words vii be addressed. l an
rot 70 speak Of the public advantage OF
common schools in bringing together the
children Of different natioualties. and
frsing them into one American life Nor
have anything 10 say. IN this place and
az this time, in reference 70 the mode in
which the present school system is admin
istered Or 70 express sny opinion con-
esEuing the desirableness Of modifying the
Arrangement Of is officers as these are
matters Of which the pulpit may not be
expected TO take special e0guizanee-
That al children should be instructed
in the doctrines and precepts of religion.
and this after the manner prescribed in
the text, Is self-sTidert to al Christian
citizens The practical question, and the
only practical question Is b. r-loa1 shall
such instruction be gwen Is it the
province Of the common school, or Of pa
rents and deuOuIuational teachers! fit
Is the prer0gatiye of the public schools to
educate al the children who resort TO
them. in positive religi0Cs belief and prac-
tiee, then you must decide what that be-
lief and practice shall be. whether it is
Papal or Protestant, whether It incline TO
this or that oct Of any number of diverse
ecclesiastical systems the result Of which
method would De. TO place the whole weight
and influence Of the common schools IN "a
vUC Of some particular form Of religion. l
suppose no one believes that such sys-
ten could De maintained or tolerated for
any tine as fair and Just. IN any community
Of heterogeneous population, on the prin-
eipls Of general taxation
The modification Of the present school
system. which hzs been proposed, Is essen
TALLY the sane thing, though eouched in =
very sdroit and plausible form It amounts
to this : that when there Is 8 well-ascer-
tanned majority IN any district Of one
uatiouzl Or deHouinational class. they shall
be allowed TO draw from the public fund.
without regard to the quota which they
have contributed to IL be It great, or little,
oc nothing, a certain proportion. and e1-
pend the same for the support Of 3 school
giving distinctive sectarian instruction /
That this / an entire subversiOu Of the |
present system, and the substitution of /
another system IN It's place. viii be IN |
stzntly apparent TO all What / intend /
and hope. IN the present discourse, Is 70 /
magnify the necessity Of definite, positive. /
Christian instruction; at the same time to /
show that TO give such instruction { not 4
the province Of the common school st all. 1
but Of parents and Of churches. after =
method which ( az present bot little IN
derstOOd, and very partially felt
The reasoning Of men Eho advocate
definite religions instruction in public
what Is meant by the phrase.
viii appear In the sequel-is very plausible
Nor ( II strange that many excellent
citizens nay be perplexed By IL admitting
that they can not easily evzde II or answer
t. That reasoning Is on this wise = Re
igiou L Of paramount Importance 1t Is
vastly more important than mathematics,
or languages, OF the knowledge Of trade
We do not wish to give our children a