New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-14
THE TRUE ISSUE IN THE SCHOOL QUESTION
LETTER FROM CATHOLIC.

LETTER FROM A CATHOLIC.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: recent issue of your paper contained
an extensive consideration OF the school question: being
partly letter from gentleman whom you courteously
style "an eminent Catholic layman of Louisiana and
partly your own editorial comments thereon. have
read Mr "B L. Lynchs" letter with much cares shall
try to do injustice. have not the honor OF Mr.
"B L. Lynch's" acquaintance, but presume he Is an
estimabe gentleman take word for it that he is
an eminent Catholic layman, and beg to add that his
emlnepcc consisted in his being layInan, not I'm his
| being IA Catholic. On the contrary you. an avowed
Protestant are better Catholic ayman than he for you
know the Catholic side OF the school question: and your
| head is clear upon it. His ia not.
With sad lack OF genteness OF mind and cearness Of
thought YOU Louisiana correspondent claims that the
of the Bible in the public schools Is the otec-
ton OF the Catholic aty sending their children to be
taught in them. He charactezes those who think the
Bible should be read the schools. Goddess pack OF
kpayes and fOols" The presence OF the Bible In the
scboos he asserts opened the schools to the devil OF
religious intolerance, against which they should be
Theoretically sealed" 1t Is decidedly tin-Catholc to
pronounce Goddess knayes and fools any body OF men
who think the preceps OF the Bible should be instled
into a chd's mind both In school and out OF IL. The
people OF this Republic who adhere faithfully to the
Bible be the version St. James Douay. much less
| Goddess than those who pronounce them knayes and
fools Your correspondent, when he wrote the words
made an infdel not a Catholic assertion His statement
that the OF the Bible IN the schools prevented
them from being arke, Theoretically sealed against
the devil of religious intolerance is equally
aud logically more absurd The absence OF tne Blpe
from the schools the expulsion OF the last SHADOW OF
Christianity that exists In them. would leaye them ano
OF religious intolerance Inc favOfte her-
metca seal of your correspondent would DO Aeh prae-
tically realized. r,, 4, 4, .
| schoolsi Certainly. am not an eminent CATHOLIC.
only humble one and being Catholic hoid tnsi .no
Your spOnden not, indirectly. state the
Catholic objection TO the public school system as IL W.
present exists. He is apparently more engrossed win
the irritating circumstance that the hon ana tbe une9t
grace 90 the titlepage of the St. James Bible than with
the much greater fact that the present public school sys
TEN is violation OF the rights or conscience 10 free
that you viii not pass them with light reading. Inc
Bible itself will prove this Thus, ~ III the Bibe-ether
taxed for their support as at present they become
oppression OF conscience upon jews lnndels, spiritual
version OF the Bible employed. Aud ), If the Bible be
excluded they become an Oppression OF conscience upon
all Catholics who hold that religious instruction Is as
necessary to child as grammatical or geographical in
oppression Of portion OF the ctzeus OF this
republic in matter of religion This cannot be sue
This real issue this Has not father the right under
laws TO teach his enid his own faith and 40 not the
this right Now let us apply TINS 10 the Catholic father
viii expel the Bible II there be religious instruction
formally in the schools, the Catholic fath cannot i've
payer is taxed drive his faith from his chids heart
rathoicy holds prime principle that religion Is
essential TO education citizen OF THIS republic Is not
obliged 10 prove the divinity Of his religious belief or
ony ono OF t dogma IN order Il demand protection IgI
that faith as the law guarantees II Is enough Tor the
Catholic TO say a public school WITH Professionalism
taught IN il IL a violation Of my conscience pubic
school with ndelity taught In 1t IA an equal violation
school in which my faith s taught Il just as much
OF violation hold In conscience that Is rs neces
sary TO have CabOlcity taught positively 10 my child az
that he shall moi be taught Professionalism positively or
in6delty negatively" That If Just the odlhohc oeeoh
| 10 The present public school system. . ,,
4 nuu
were expelled the vast majority OF the Catholics can
make use Of the system with safety 10 their faith Ihe
latter clause Of this proposition Is Impossible we may
admit tine former clause because ID the majority OF tue
CtOlics of the United States, being O foreign brth ana
nrinciuny Irish have been deprived Of the beneht ana
nf free education In their own land ana grasp IL
with delight In the United States without waiting 10 ci
anime liz clararacter. Just as starved man VIII snatch
r.cdiv at any KIND OF food though II DO nokous "neh
dcyoued: 90 because many oil them 90 not hno" no
chararter of the schools and 90 because many othor
Cnholics like your Louisiana correspondents Az nun
tcreut fo their FAITH and fOOisly thlnk hhIihonr
,s,n of religion one day of the week VIII bo as thcc'
live AZ 1--WE hours teaching i've days OF the week III seeu
lar science Your correspondent II he cares AT III Ior
The nerpetuatton OF his ay0wed religious ptlncIp1s,
ought 10 know that millions OF Cath0hc chiuIen III uo
limited sateA have grown up indlnefcnts,s Ju''
of MS plan Of fee charlottesville hhour vi ihsouo
ncccs ON Sunday rs hours of secular science duIls tho
| week . =. ,..,,., ~, % .,,i,o,, .,
Bnt what remedy do ofcri Not being an einihtnl
Catholic nor authorized 10 speak Tor louI'h'hs vi
my Catholic fcllOw.iucn presume 10 Suggest no pam
wIo,s adoption wall guarantee. Va docs Your Louisi