The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-04-03

CHRISTIANITY AND EDUCATToN.--The Rev. j..
p. Wood leotured lately in st. Joseph's Church,
Philadelphia, on the above subject. After
showing that education meant something more
than the mere acquisition of learning-that
it includes the motives for which the learning
isgained and the ends to whichit is applied
he added:
The paMisans of our present public school
system start from two capital errors. First,
that it is the duty of the state to educate. We
know, however, of no commission to teach
but that which nature gave to parents and
that which Christ conferred on His Church.
The State has no right-no claim to interfere
between the parent and his own flesh and
blood. 1t is the duty and the right of the
Church to teach her children. She has a di-
vine commission to do so-a commission
wide as the world to go and snake disciples
of all nations, teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you,"
commission which admits of no doubt or qnes-
ton; it is anterior to, superior to, and indie
pendent of any human laws. The fact is not
to be disputed that our public schools turn out
men of refined taste, intellectual requirements,
and above all, great power of mental applica-
ton. But as the wise man says " man is in
clined to evil from his youth" and this inclina-
ton requires counteracting influence; hence,
we say that the intellect the heart, the will.
the character are to be formed by the united,
constant and uniform action of Christianity.
We do not ask or expect our religion taught in
the public schools, but we do ask that it shall
not be insulted or tempered with in them.
Tho law in all the States, we believe, forbids
the introduction of sectarianism into tho public
schools, and we have right to insist that this
law shall be rigidly enforced. But textbooks
are used which misrepresent and malign our re-
ligion, and in many cases the Protestant zeal
of the teachers is ardent that they cannot
forego the attempt to Protestantize the Catholic
children under their care.
Another objection, and a valuable and reason
able one, is the religious inequality which is
tolerated in public schools. by introducing,
where there may be hundreds of Catholics
and Hebrews, the Protestant Bible. Is
not such a system calculated to leave
the impression that the Catholic Tes-
lament and the Hebrew Pentateuch are false,
and the Protestant Bible the only true version
of the Scriptures There is, therefore, not re-
ligious equality in this republic. We do not
wish to draw the Bible away from Christian
homes, for onr missal and service are made up
from the Bible. 1t is unjust to say that the
Catholic Church does not recognize the Bible
as ths holy aud sublime Word OF God, over
which her saints have meditated in cells and
her scholars written commentaries of priceless
value. The Catholic Church stand the
light of the nineteenth century-she saw the
beginning of it's isms and is likely to see the
end of them. She has the sacred word of ever
lasting truth pledged for its perpetual stabili-
ty. She Isl as st. Augustine says in his
l37th epistle, the public school, the Alma
Mater of the Christian world.