The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-06-05
NV ORLEANS. SUNDAY. JUNE S. 1870.

law, 20 rateable share of the school fund
olnce'ai! pay alike in proportion to the a
portion to their educational wants. AS n
scase now stands, there is NO Justice in !
The State, which ought to deal IMPARTIAL
with her citizens, has her favorites. Sb
gives to the majority, in defiance of hon
esty, right, justice, and in despite Of tn
Constitution itself, a large amount of fund
from the school treasury, which, of right
belongs to large minority of her fait6fS
citizens and defenders. Shall the majority
on tins point, continue in the ascendant
VINO gave the majority any right or powe
to control the educational fund, or disburs,
1T only in aid of say ree-quarters of al
taxable citizens. You can say the Stat.
did it. The State cannot delegate a powe,
which 1t does not enjoy itself The State
under the Constitution, has no more riohi
to interfere with education than it has with
religion, for one is just as much of con-
science as the other. The State, therefore.
exercises an authority to which she has no
claim, and, consequently, may be regarded
In the light of an usurper.
Only suppose for one moment that the
Catholics In the United States were in the
majority, what then, think you, would be
the lssues Would the Protestant minority
submit as the Catholic minority are now
compelled to do to such injustice Oh.
no. The cry of oppression would be-
heard all over the Continent. Our Protest.
ant brother would appeal to the wise and
liberal example of Prussia, Austria, Spain
and france 1t is not only unwise but un-
just, therefore, to make the minorities taste
the bitterness of oppression. 1t is we'll to
remember that minorities oftentimes change
sides, and very rapidly, too. The strong
r OF one generation may be the weak party
y OF the next. We see this recurring with
political parties within the brief span of
Presidential terms. And this oscillation
OF politics forms strong argument in ia
vOr of moderation and justice in political |
and religious majorities.
Turn, now, to the more serious because
directly religious aspect of the educational
question. You know that between the
creed of the Catholic Church and all other
creeds there is essentially the widest and
most irreconcilable differences there is a
gulf which cannot be bridged in time only
after much self-denial and universal adj
mission of truth-a gulf which man not if
soe tooatd be bridged in eternity for this
is the gulf, that abyss, that separated long
ago Dives and Lazarus. 1t would, there's
fore, be impossible to adopt any system of
would not offend the Catholic conscience.
Yes, the Protestant conscience. In our a
public schools no such system, as a general q
rule, is attempted. The Bible, it is true, .
is introduced, and the teacher required to f
read a portion of it each day without note -
Or comment This, however, is time lost. Il
and worse than useless exercise from a E,
Protestant standpoint. 1t does no good
and much harm. In the first place, the v
younger children do not understand it, a,
TO them the exercise is productive of no -,
good. In the second place, such reading :"
IS provocative of much harm, aye, great
Evils to the older, and more intelligent
pupils. 1t is not only an Infringement on
heir conscientious opinions, but opens out ~
! war between parent and parent, and pu- ~ ~,
'il and pupil-a religious war; which of all u. III
others is the most relentless. Now permit :.
ne to explain myself. =.
Some fine Monday morning the school W
bell rings, the pupils assemble, the teacher VI VI
pens the exercise by reading Il selection, M
ay from the gospel of St. John, 9th chap, ~,
Och verse. How reads the words 90 The W. ",
father and are one," the very text of the ~
Unitarian minister the Sunday before! On e. +,
tuesday, morning the good teacher reads ssi
ne words: 1.-THE Father is greater than wi
which are quoted in favor of the WI
doctrine. Here you have the ha
lembers OF two churches at dead lock with 80
ach other-the Unitarians on one side and 9 91
re- Trinitarians on the other. Their -.
'iigious opinions are insulted, and the cnI
gifts of conscience violated by the school o u.
acher in the reading of the Bible. Again sSl
le teacher reads: " Unless a man he horn chS
yain of water and the holy Ghost he cam aaS
1t enter the Kingdom of God" Herewe S 10.
we the Baptists, pseudo aptists, Quakers v";
I'd host of of other denominations no'
tied against each other on the subject of Pc Pc
aptism, its necessity, matter and mode ,,,a
being administered. If the sects were , me
gical and consistent they would oppose haI
ore pressinglA than the Catholic Church, tba
as much SO at least the use of the Bible III,
the schools as text book. ann
But does the Catholic Church oppose the nra =
loEc school system as now Organized ma
ms Is the question on and about which so ind
ach is is said said and written. We think we mel mel
uare answer on that point. We will as,l
deavor to do so.' The Church is mot on s saa,
sed IT,, to the public school system, nor e eGl,
Ems to meet the wants, or Mt least tho d
avs, OF 80 many of our Protestant fellow The
liens. Catholics are ready and willing gi q,
concede to others what thew dasirss. S Io'
lers to coDcede to them. If the maioritv pre- pre-
IL organize such schools, and DGv fen go r;;i
M they are certainly free so to do, with ,n,
IT own money or their own portion of ino
es, but not at the expense of their 10y s
gh6ors, the minority. We hope, then. adm
TING that ,hssrss S wS are understood as jour
10 hOt OPPOseoj Tor as q