The New York herald., 1870-03-28
TO Gods nearness to rs BY our spiritual communion
with Him we were in heaven.
SECOND AVENUE METHODIST CHURCH.


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Exclusion Of the Bible from Public Schools
Sermon by Rev. w. G. Steel.
At the Second avenue Methodist Episcopal church,
corner OF 10Th street and Second avenue, the FORE
most Methodist church In Harlem, and attached
TO whose congregation are some OF the leading men
OF wealth and high social position residing IN this
portion OF the city Rev. W. q. Steel, the pastor,
preached sermon last evening on the "Excusion
OF the Bible from Public Schoolsn The same sermon
was delivered two weeks ago ana reported by
the HERALD, but unfortunately was crowded out,
and thus lost the widespread publicity it merits not
alone on account or the absorbing interest felt at
present In the subject ITSELF but the clear able ana
forcibe manner in which the topic ls treated. The
repetition was in response TO letter soliciting its
redelivefy, which letter. signed by numerous leading
and influential citizens OF different party ana re.
ligious aflaons was read previous to the delivery
OF the discourse.
The text as the basis Of the discourse was John
xvii, 17-"Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy
word IL truth;n and John viii, 32-"And ye shall
know the truth and the truth shall make you freen
lie began with declaring that
TRUTH WAS THE OBJECT
OF the understanding well as the strength OF the
affections. When Jesus Christ tabernacled In the
flesh truth lived and breathed among men, for he
said, ~ the TRUTH" It's primal fountain and only
source The Bible, and that only, contains the mind
Of Christ Truth to be effective must be implanted
early IN life else the Father OF Lies viii pre-. occupy
the mind. American citizens, he proceeded TO show.
could not yield TO the demand for the exclusion OF
the Bible from the schools His first argument was
that our institutions are founded on Gods Word.
The predominant idea OF the American States was
'FREEDoM AND EQUALITY"
and this idea was purely scriptural. Our fathers
quarred 1t out OF the divine book. "Call no man
master; all We are brethren" and ole hath made OF
blood all nations OF men" formed the foundation
on which they built. HIS second argument was that
purely secular education cannot make good clti-
zens. He urged that we are moral beings and can
not have good subjects OF government
based the Bible unless the moral nature was
taught and trained by that holy book The regulation
OF that nature makes us good subjects OF God ana
good citizens. Moreover, under our form OF govern
ment all great questions were submitted directly 10
the people, and inasinuch a5 those questions are
purely moral, without an
EDUCATION BASED on THE BIBLE,
they could not properly decide them. His third
point was that the arguments OF those who array
themselves against our common school system are
not sound. he urged upon tins point that
THE "PRoTEsrANr BIBLE is sECrARIAN BOOK"
and offers have been made substitute the Douay
its place and refused Itwas also said by their Oh.
poCents that there was so little religious instruction
In the schools that 1t effected notAing II so why
make the objection TO its use? Indeed, Rev. Mr..
Preston SAID at the Cooper Institute. "As TO the
reading OF the Bible he did not care which version
''THE STATE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIGION"
In reply to this he insisted that every state has
some religion Ihis bold assertion however had been
denied in an editorial In recent issue OF the Tablet
In which 1t was said that lhe emancipation Of the
state from the law OF God can be consistently
asserted by no one" II every nation has religion
what Is OursY 1t is not Pagan las our Romish
friends call the schoosl Tor there laws uphold
ing the sanctity OF the sabbath 1t was not athe-
istical, for God Is acknowledged by chapalns OF
Congress, thanksgiving and fast days. 1t was not
Romish for u commenced on Protestantlsm The
fret Conn w w a Qypr
and Its Presidents aud legislators are sworn on q
Protestant Bible. While 1t IS not sectarian, as
sect, 1t Is Protestant In the highest sense,
| by giving liberty to every man TO worship God
serted in the Tablet OF March II that "the State
cannot lexsate against either the Catholic or Pro-
| testant conscience. Did not the state lezisate
THE MORMON CONSCIENCE;
| against the Quaker consciencef And did 1t not
battle against the couscicnceS OF 900 900 In the
south, Notwithstanding their cry Of "Let US aloneg'
1t would not satisfy their opponents II they yielded
was. SHE he insisted mere pretsxt Nontaxason Vld o.
the ciVtsioAof the school moneys was their demand
Hee scSoos and free Speech as damnaoe here
| Sizes" and they say they must have reigiou
n vas as hSDsd SSx ,as that @
| mencement OF the effort to subvert our liber
MSmns es Usually ia ~, vote ss aG nn nv Nearly
| our State money was voted TO their schools and
churches by hundreds Of thousands, and we really
| have
l STATE CHURCH IN THIS CITY.
Bishop OCOnn0r, or PlttsDurg, declared that ire
ligious berty only endured until the opposite can
be carried into effect" The Archbishop OF ST. Louis
asserted 'that religious freedom tins country VIII
surely be at an END If the Catholics ever gain the
majority which they certainly will" Father Hecker
| says-"We number seven millions, and IN fifteen
years Will take tins country and build our nsti-
tutions en- the grave OF Protestanusmn An
| Italian Romish priest had said, 1--WE can
afford TO let Garibadi have the rags
OF Italy since we are taking tAe United states OF
American England and the South tried to "take''
these estates, y but found II rather dnculr. While
the Pope speaks OF
| THE "DELIRIUM OF TOLERATION''
and the Syllabus condemns the separation OF Church
ana State Il cannot be doubted that Papal govern
ment Is intended TO be established here II 1t can
| be accomplished. II their hopes are realized
| farewell to Dlood-b0ught liberties. on,
| ye martyrs OF freedom, ye blcd in vain.
| But American citizens only need to be warned.
They should be glad tnat their opponents had been
so frank. IL was their duty to "up and at them. -
not as their Church has done, with faggot and
sword, but with firmly uttered rafeWen rs party
ties. Thrty.three millions or Proesants viii out.
| vote 100000 OF Kopanlsts. Don't touch that
boOk,n as "don't touch that nago was said on a
memorable occasion during the war, which incident
he told IN closing with thrilling effect.