The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-04-03
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
sHW ORLEANS. snNDHT 1PRn, ,s1o
Bible in the Public Schools.

h >.
y The Rev. DR.. CAM, of the-Dntch Reformed
Church, lately published an article in the Or
gan of that denomination, which, as coming
sfrom a Protestant, has great pertinence and
fofce. We subjoin q portion of his argument:
The trouble plainly lies with us Protestants.
We want the Bible in school, and yet do not
want IT.: We want it as a book, but do not
s.ant it in it's positive teaching, in its ednca-
tional sense and power. in it's doctrine. With
ont this last who is Wiling to fight for the
tf.sti Do we not here virtually give up the
DO thisf Is it not because of the divisions into
(which, as Protestant world, we are organized'
Ought we not frankly to confess our fault here,
ssroubIe lies not in the schools primarily, but
ain the Church, which, by its divided and con-
.ficting condition, prevents the schools from
attempting, at least, to teach Christianity in g.
But even suppose this difficulty to be out of the
way, would the question then be relieved of all
its perplexitieef very superficial reflection
10 sufficient to show us that this would not be
the case. STILL would the question remain
should the State teach religion No less
manageable would be the difficulties environ
are few who would be Willing to take the posi-
ton that the State is the proper agency to con-
duet the positive religious education of chill
dren. In what sense is it competent TO teach
theologyf What parents understanding the
value of the Bible in the educational develop
ment of the young and having proper sense
Of their responsibility in relation to tho Chris
ing to have them taught religiously, in a posi-
tive way, in the Common Schools as it nov
stands The State, as such, is not q Christian
body at all, nor have the interests of Christi
anity ever been SO committed to its keeping as
to mako it either . competent or safe teach
or. This duty, clearly, as acknowledged on oil
hands, belongs to the family and the Church
The State could have no right to assume it and
if it should attempt to do this in an arbitrary
way, and by authority, it is not difficult to see
subject would be increased thousand fold.
Education, to be true, must, as we all own, be
positively Christian but this positive-Chris-
tian character is not to be given to it by the
State.
Now, in the two facts above stated, we have
briefly tho e.oTents tina enter into and consti-
tute what may be called the school problem /;
that give it peculiar complication and make
it exceedingly difficult to solve. The first fact
is, that the Bible, owing to the religious divi
sions of our society, cannot be positively taught
in the school and the second is, that, if it
could the State, such, could not be the proper
agent to teach it. These troublesome facts
not put into the question by the arbitrary will
of those who are discussing it. and trying it
to some satisfactory solution; they are i'll it by
its own intrinsic nature, and it is not possible to
ignore them, or in any true way treat the sub
iect if they did not exist. If by the discus
sion we could condition, mould or remove these
facts, the way might soon be opened for clear
sailing.
general question for this country, in a practical
way, remains yet to be seen. One thing, how
ever, is becoming very clear, and it is this, that
1t will be exceedingly difficult to continue to
keep the Bible in the school simply a dead
letter, sealed book, or as dumb oracle.
1T will be impossible to generate and sustain
sufficient zeal for the question under this nn-
, meaning form, to bear it forward long in tri-
umphant way for the feeling is already wide
spread, that if the Bible cannot be used in the
school in q more real way and with more posi-
Five effect, than It now Isl it might as well not
be there at all. Such feeling as this, is not OPP
position to the Bible, but to the absence of it
t-not to its real use in the public schools, but
b its sham or pretended use.
No doubt, when the conditions of the ques-
on shall become fully understood, We shall all
Se that the main trouble lies, first, in the di-
k1ed condition Of the Church, and second, in
3 abstract separation of the Church from the
shte; for it is very clear that, If it is the mis-
sion of the State to educate the children, and
if that education, to be true, must be Christian,
which the Church only can give, then there
ought to be some real bond of union and CO.
operation between the State and the Church
If such union is not to be, then it follows,
either that the education of the child, conducted
by the State, must be wholly Goddess, or that
the work of education does not belong to the
State and should be left in the hands entirely
of the family, given over in full to the
Church. Some, in attempting to escape the
perplexities of the problem, have chosen the
last position, and would take the whole inter
est OF the eCucaClOn out OF the uanuS Oh Une
State entirely. This, however, by many is re-
garded as an extreme, involving a wrong
against the State. The only other position that
can be taken is, first, n union of the Church
with itself, to open the way for a united
positive teaching of the Bible, and second,
such q union of the Church with the State as
will enable the first to act in and with the last
in the School.
To this extent we would give our voice de-
cidedly in favor of the union of Church and
State. The particular form of such union is
not matter of inquiry. This can be ques-
ton of intelligent interest only when it's essen
tial condition is at hand, namely, the proper
agreement among Christians themselves as ex-
pressed and symbolized in the true outward
unity of the Christian Church.
Until some such result in the good provi-
dence of God, shall be brought about, it is
clear that the problem which now seems to be
perplexing all minds, to greater or less ex-
tent, view it in what light yon may, will not
be solved, and that in the meantime the Chris
tan mind generally can have but little conf
dence in the enterprise of Common, Schools,
either with or without the Billie. The only in
ternediate safeguard that scan be thought of
in the circumstances is the Parochial School
Outside of this aud the family there is no room
for positive Christian education.
THE NATURALIZATION QUEsTIoN.-The Journal
of Commerce, discussing the proposed (RadicaD
amendment of the Naturalization Laws, thinks