Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-05-07
HOW SHALL We EDUCA1E.
OUR CITY SCHOOLS.
"Eair Play"

ture of a correspondent of the Press ana
Herald" on Thursday Who writes IN the
interests of the Roman Catholic Churcn;
Used as the words are, they are calculated
to make wrong impression upon unre-
hecting minds, as though lone OF very
Many and they who syndpathlze VITA
him, were disposed to deny to the Roman
Catholics in this city, equal rights ana
privileges with other citizens, when In
truth it is the Roman Catholic Priest and
his friends who are not content to meet
their fellow-citiZens upon a common plat
form as regards free school education,. and
who demand special and exclusive rights
and privileges. /, for one, am thankful to
your correspondent, 'tOneo of Very Many"
for having Drought this subject 10 the at,
tenti on oi Ine pupnc anu am ssa.ls,itu
tnat tne large malorlty Oh the community
VIII pe Win me IN THIS ieehhg. II W we,
rlgnt lhas the people should KNOW tilaC Ine
proJect OF dlverilng pafs!oI the common
scnool Iunus rom tneir proper anu equita-
Die use ana applying IL 10 the IiaIhte ~
ance Oh scnooI unaer tne coht ! anu III III,
rectlon OF the Honan Catnonc ffiess was
under cohsideratloll, Ihat IL nag ies irienas
In the Board OF Aldermen, ana tnat II not
protested against ana resisted, IL mlght
succeed. l am sure that IL is because one
OF Very Many" is an earnest and devoted
friend OF civil and religious liberty, that
he has stepped forward, however retuc-
family because OF the dlsagr eeablenesSo OF the
task, objected to the demand of the Priest
being granted and brought the Whole mat
ter into the light, where the people can see
and decide upon its merits for themselves.
Indeed, the question at issue especially
deserves attention on account of its bear
ings upon civil and religious liberty, and
l beg leave to commend It'll that point of
view to the, thoughtful consideration of
your readers. Now, let it be remembered
that the Roman Catholic Priesthood and
Church hold these tenets, viz: First, That
the true religion is preserved and taught
only in and by that church, and is to be
found only within its fold. ss2a e =
Second. That the education of. children
and vortl1 in flay schools shoIIId he not ONLY
secular. but also positively religious. as' y
Tt follows. therefore. bv an Obvious de-
duction. that SO far as the mind and will
of that church are concerned. there should
be. morally considered. no popuIar educa-
ton which does not include religious in
struction according to its own dogInas and
creed. This conclusion would be COMPARE
lively unimportant and harmless, if the
past history of that church and its spirit
and temDer at this day. as illustrated by it's
practiceiin countries where it dominates
did not show that it is intolerarlt and pro-
scriptive: and that, when it he's the power
it will carry out its exclusive tenets to their
logical conclusions, however bitter and
hurtful those conclusions may be to chris
tan people of other denominations There
lies the rub. We distrust Rome, and zee
haze oood reason to do so. In this country
it is as vet as a young tiger, whose claws
are scarcely formed beneath its velvet
paws; but it is not wise to stand and adj
mire and fondle it, without rejecting upon
its essential nature and aUhdt 1T may do
tUIten it is grOaUn. If it be asked why not
distrust some one or other of the Protestant
christian churches in the same way, reply,
because, as certain learned writer has said,
IA sincere Roman Catholic may be con-
scientiously tolerant, but consistent Ro-
man Catholic never can be So" Yet
Presbyterian or Methodist may be so. In
tolerance is imbedded in the very heart of
the Roman Catholic system. If it ever
finds any place in the workings of Protest
antism, it does so by intrusion, as O foreign
and uncongenial element. Nor, in saying
this, do we intend or convey any injurious
reflections upon persons in or of that church.
No one has any quarrel with its Priest or
people. By no means. We would rather
cultivate and maintain as kindly, neigh
bOrly relations with them as is possible.
No doubt that Church contains many very
good and worthy persons. Instances OF
marked personal piety have been found In
its fold. Many of its people prove to be
useful and praiseworthy citizens. But Its
ecclesiastical system is oppressive, corrupt
ana destructive. The policy 1t adopts and
urges forward is dangerous both TO the IN
dependence of the State and the freedom of
the people, See how its intolerant temper
and attitude work to the denial of the
moral right of the State, city and county
to educate their children, unless, indeed,
they will give them religious instruction
such as Rome approves! 1t is not the work
of education itself which that Church OBJ
the people for that purpose. AS it has
again and again used the secular power to
carry out its plans, so we may be sure 1t
would do in this case, If it had the poaCer.
1t takes the ground that all education in
this country should be religious, and as we