Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-08-05

or's diploma does she allow the medication
of any isms. The State Is Christian but
not sectariah She employs Baptist, Meth
odist, Romanist &C., indifferently, to in
struct in the arts and sciences, but forbids
them to introduce the dogmas on which they
differ. These higher and lower schools
however, are supplemented by middle
class more or less under denominational
control. Nearly every sect in Vermont
can point to its special school or schools of
academic grade. They arc supported by
denominational funds, oflicered by trus-
tees and instructors of special type OF
theological thinking, and appeal TO the
members Of special communion for pa
tronagc. Their distinguishing aim, the
great motive of existence, seems TO be to
train up Baptists, Congregationalists, Epis-
copalians, &c, in other words, to keep the
children in the faith Of their parents.
This policy seems to us to argue lack Of
confidence in the truth which each sect
processes 10 hold. one would imagine that
church services, Sunday schools, denomin-
ational hooks and papers, and the silent
yet all powerful inhud Iistian
family. should be enough to bias any young
mind towards the SPECIAL faith and practices
so constantly set before it.
We suppose the staple topics and meth
DDS OF instruction are pretty much the
sa me in all these schools. The most "or-
thodox" scholars accept Worcester as an
orthographical standard, and Websterian
spelling is no guaranty against rational
ism" Even the disputers about the trini-
ty are unable to carry their arithmetical
differences into fractions and the rule of
three. Latin may be taught without any
bias for orsagainst Romanisn, and even
hydrostatcs may be thoroughly treated
without touching the vexed subject of bap-
tism. Neither physics nor chemistry ne
cessitate discussion of the doctrine of the
real presence. If Methodists and Unitari-
ans have any disagreement as to the mat
ter and methods of instruction in geogra-
ply, or rhetoric, or book keeping, we have
yet to learn the points of the quarrel.
Most Of these denominational schools are
patron ICED to some extent by people of
different faith and none of them, so far as
We know, push their distinctive tenets in
to an offensive prominence. What sufii-
cent reason exists for thus sectarianizng
these schools of art and literature, we fail
to see. Were it their special function to fit
young men for the ministry, we could find
in that fact some justification Of their eX-
clusiveness. Were not their patrons al
most without exception advocates of an un-
| denominational State system of public in
struction, we should cease to wonder at the
| money and effort expended in this direc-
| ton. As things are, there is Inconsistency
somewhere. These little sectarian emf
nenccs rise from broad unsectarian base.
which Is supported by the true theory
Which is most in harmony with the genius
OF our Institutions? We open q religious
newspaper, and find a vigorous defense o
the American Common School agalns
those who say that the church alone ha'
the right to educate. We turn the shee
and find an earnest appeal to all the is
friends Of education to contribute boil
funds and students to college or "in
si!ttito' under the control Of tho is
church. As ii tho project urged IN the lat
ter case did not stand on just the same foot
ing as hao been denounced in the former
rs OF no great service to fight for tn
common schools with one hand. while tn
o'ner Is busy organizing rival institutions
now this policy divides the friends of ou
9'a'e system Of schools; how it impair
'1o oiuciehcy of those schools by Withdraw
al oI Doth sympathies and pupils; an
Nh0I cncouragement it affords to those " h
r say thnt 1t Is the junction, not of the State
but OF the church to educate these ar
topics which we purpose to treat at som
future time.