The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-01-27
For the Democrat.
COMPULSORY BIBLE READING.
THE REPOSITORY SCREAMING.

THE REPOSITORY SCREAMING.
An article entitled FThe British
Argument in last weeks Repository
reminds us strongly of the old proverb
that whom God wishes to destroy he
first makes mad. In its defence of
compulsory Bible reading, this news
paper exhibits as great a degree OF
mental alteration as eyer heraIded
the ruin of any cause. .l
We make no comment upon the
peculiar manner of attack and de-
fence adopted by the RepoSitory-the
pole-cat mode of defence, it might be
called, It's speculations and guesses
as to u identity and circumstances
are altogether irrelevant; and he is a
remarkable public instructor who can
make them tally with his notions of
the dignity of the press. But if the
depository chooses to wallow in the
dirt, we need not object. 1t is the
best judge Of what is consistent with
its own dignity.
The Repository has a theory that
nothing like the 18th rule has ever
been perpetrated. 1t is graveIy of
opinion that "Canton is the first place
disgraced by" &c. How our editor
car have arrived at the years of dis
c%retion, Gf indeed he have reached
that periodO and still continue of this
opinion, we know not. Perhaps it is
owing to that horror of light that
marks people of weak vision. Men
have not grown much older since q
similar rule was introduced into the
schools of New York city; not, how
ever, with permanent effect.
With this accuracy of information
about local matters, it is natural that
the BepOsiory's notions of British
history should be of a vague sort. 1t
processes not to see the analogy be-
tween certain English laws of an o
pressive character, and that custom
which the'17th rule subverts: and it
proceeds in the same sentence to es.
tablish that very analogy.
1.-THE Act of Conformity, the Act of
Uniformity, the Penal Laws, and the
disabilities of British Dissenters, were
not enacted by men favorable to the
prohibition of the Bible from the
schools" Certainly not. That is
just the point we wanted to press
These laws were not made by such
men as favor the new Rule, as the
Repository truly says; but by such
men as want the rule rescinded, and
desire to impose their own views on
all. The Repository may not perceive
the righteousness of fighting in the
dark; but its friends upon whom it
inficts this blow, will. 1t clearly
knows nothing of the enactments it
talks about, else it would notattribute
them to its friends in a tone of i'm
piled approval-for if the above SEN
tence has any meaning at all i timplies
approval Those WHO had the good
fortune to,hear Mr.. Kings able lee
ture on Monday evening know some
thing of the disabilities imposed by
these end kindred measures upon all
who refused to conform" Upon the
Catholic who refuses to conform we
have not the power to impose so heavy
penalties, but the Repository is for en-
forcing such disabilities as we have
the power to impose. 1t would make
conformity the condition of his re-
| Oaiuinn fbof adnoaf;Op TO- -L
has paid the State, and from which
the State must not debar him under
any pretext. The injustice and the
wrong Of such a course must be obvi-
Gus, and even self evident to alto
all but the Repository. For that re
markable journal is armed as with
triple steel against every effort of rea.
son. A theory that a man sticks to,
he knows not why, h epowero of Gods
and men cannot reason out of him.
Our contempora ry's stupidity will be
the salvation of its orthodoxy.
AS to the Queens University and
the National schools, the Repository
is altogether in the dark. We refer.
red to these institutions to show thai
even in Britain, with its established
church and all its other established
shams, the principle of n~on-coercion
Is recognized. No National school
teacher may of his own motion either
compel or permit any child, Catholic
or Protestant, to read the Bible Oh
take part in any religious exercise il
the school. AL religious exercises are
absolutely excluded from every col.
lege of the Queens University. 1t is
not permitted in airy college, or III
any National school, to ,tamper with
the religious views of any one. AnC
the men of whom the Repository
knows nothing, but whose opinions
nevertheless it has the presumption
to talk about, have been all more OF
less conspicuous for their support O.
these institutions, and owe much O.
their fame to that very cause.
We cannot pass over the REPOSITORY,
notions of liberation. 1t claims then
to be original. We admit the claim
and shall not infringe upon the patent
right. We give the passage itali
cized as we find it:
"Prior to the rule there was perfec
tolerance. Teachers could do as they
pleased. They might read verses, o.
not. They might pray, or not. Tha
is what Ue mean by tolerance"
~, 5o-64 Eg..s,1 90 ro .-o-