Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-05-26
Reading the BibIe in Public school

5
AS this question is daily becoming
more and more vital one, not to re-
ligionists merely, but to all interested in
primary schools, we have thought it might
be useful to present to our readers the
views Of the Catholic church on this ques-
ton, as well as Of the opposite party. And
first of the Catholic view The Roman
Catholic church holds that there is no text
in divine revelation which makes the
reading of the scripture obligatory for the
mass of the people. The passage in John
5, 80, "Search the Scriptures for in them
ye think we have had eternal life,
and they are they which testify Of
me-" they say is not a general direction
to Christians, but that it was addressed to
the Jews, and of the Jews to Scribes and
Priests. They were told to search the
Scriptures in regard to specific point,
viz the prophecies testifying of Christ.
Ut will be remembered that the Scrip
turss" at the time of this utterance of
Christ were fhe books of the old Tesla
ment, for the New had not yet been writ
ten.)
The Scriptures rather point to the
teaching of the priesthood as the appoint
ed means for distributing divine truth.
At least such was evidently the mode
practiced in the early days of the Jewish
Church. The priests whose life was
to keep knowledge and at whose mouth
the people were to seek the law" were
those to read and expound the law. A
like office is indicated for the priesthood,
Deut. xvii, s &C. The Redeemer seems
to mention this way of teaching the laity,
Matthew xiii. "Then Jesus spoke to the
multitude and his diciples, saying: The
Scribes and the Pharisees have sitten in
the chair of Moses. All things, therefore,
whatsoever they shall say unto you, OBJ
serve and do y or, as the Protestart YER
sion has it, Gall therefore whatsoever they
bid you observe, that observe and do
| The Siniatic and Vatican codices render
this, GAIL whatsoever they bid you, that
observe and do" The fact that until the
time when printing was Invented, the
cost and scarcity of manuscripts, to say
nothing OF the fact that reading was not
the common requirement of the multitude
would render the reading of the Scrip,
lures impracticable for the lower orders
of the people. Oral instruction was es-
pecially provided; for King Jossphat sent
out his princes and priests, and they
taught the people in Juda, having with
them the book of the Law of the Lord
and they went about all the cities of Juda
and instructed the people" Origen, st.
Jerome, st. Gregory Nsziarzen say that
the Synagogue did not allow young per-
sons to read the beginning of Genesis, the
beginning and the end of Ezechiel, and
the Canticlo of Canticles. The substance
of the Catholic argument may be stated
thus The custom of the church approved
by Christ, was for the priesthood to study
the Scriptures, and to read in their religi
Gus services portions of them to the PEG.
pie ; that there is no direction given BY
Christ for the Scriptures to be read BY
common people that such instruction
could not have been given except to the
priesthood and the learned classes, fol
in Christ's time the people did not know
how to read, and that if they had known
how to read, the cost of copies of thu
Scriptures, being all in manuscript
would have rendered compliance with
such direction Impossible.
The Catholic Church holds now tina
none but Catholic versions should be used
nor should Catholic version be used
"unless accompanied with explanatory
notes taken from the fathers or approved
Catholic commentators ;" and that thu
reading of such approved versions should
be forbidden to the unlearned, and ST.
those likely to indulge in their own Gu
rious speculations" The objection to thu
indiscriminate perusal of the Bible i
founded in part upon what Paul says t.
the Corinthians, to the effect that he die
not teach them the whole truth; for Their
was some part Of the truth which they
were not then fitted to receive "And ]
brethren, could not speak unto you a
unto spiritual. but as unto carnal, even a
unto babes i'll Christ. l have fed yor
with milk and not with meat; for hither
, to We were not able to bear it, neither We
now are ye able" iii: 1, 2.
AS Paul thought it best, in wise dis
, erection, to preach to the Corinthians onl,
that which they could appreciate, and tt
withhold from them that which they coult
must exercise like discretion, and thai
such discretion is not practiced if tn
Scriptures are put into the hands Of thos
;. not spiritually fitted to receive them, TO
in so doing they would feed the babe
with meat rs we'll as milk. Now Paul, il
; exhorting the Corinthians to be his fol
lowers, does not tell them to read his epis
tie but "for this cause" or according t.
the Siniatic and Vatican manuscripts
"For this same cause have sent unto yol
t Timotheus, who is my beloved son, ant
l faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you
t into remembrance of my ways, which b.
5 in Christ, as teach everywhere in ever,
8 church"
1t will be seen that in the Catholi
: view, the Bible should not be put into tn
hands of children, for they are not in thu
spiritual" state to receive its teachings
, I'VE suppose that with a priest for inter
prefer there would be no objection.) Be
> sides, the Catholic has that reverence TO
the Bible which condemns s'the putting
of the sacred book into the hands of ever.
bawling schoolmistress, and of thought
less children, no be torn and trample'
upon, and made the early object of thei
aversion, by being their most tedious taa.
> and their punishment