Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-05-10
HOW SHALL WE EDUCATE.
OUR CITY SCHOOLS.
"Fair Play"

! 10
Used as the words are they are calculated
| TO make q wrong impression upon unre-
! fiecting minds, as though cone of Very
Many and they who sympathize with
him, were disposed to deny to the Roman
catholics in this city, equal rights and
| privileges with other citizens, when in
truth il is the Roman Catholic Priest and
ms friends who are not content to meet
! their fellow-citiZens upon common plat
! form as regards free school education, and
! who demand special and exclusive rights
| ana privileges. !, for one, am thankful to
! your correspondent, zone of Very Many"
| for having brought this subject TO the at
tention of the public, and l am satisfied
that the large majority of the community
| VIII be with me in this feeling 1t was
right that the people should know that the
| project of diverting part of the common
school funds from their proper and equita-
Die use and applying it to the mainten-
ance of school under the control and di-
rection of the Roman Catholic Priest was
under consideration, that it had its friends
| IN the Board of Aldermen, and that if not
| protested against and resisted, it might
| succeed. | am sure that it is because zone
of Very Many is an earnest and devoted
| friend of civil and religious liberty, that
he has stepped forward, however reluc-
family because of the disagreeableness 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 in that point of
view to the thoughtful consideration of
your readers. Now, let it be remem bered
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.
Second, That the education of children
and youth in day schools should be not only
secular, but also positively religious.
1t follows, therefore, by an obvious de-
duction, that so far as the mind and will
OF that church are concerned, there should
be, morally considered, no popular educa-
ton which does not include religious in
structlon according to its own dogmas and
creed. This conclusion would be compare
lively unimportant and harmless, if the
past history of that church and its spirit
and temper at this day, as illustrated by its
practice in countries where il dominates
did not show that it is intolerant and pro-
scriptive and that when it has the power,
it will carry out its exclusive teuets to their
logical conclusions, however bitter and
hurtful those conclusions may be to chris
tan people of other denominations. There
lies the rub. We dstrust Rome, and ne
hdCe good reason to do so. In this country
1t is as yet as 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 Uhdt ii may do
tOhe1l ii is groom. If it he asked why not
dlstrust some one or other of the Protestant
christian churches in the same way, reply,
because, as a certain learned writer has said
"a sincere Roman Catholic may be con-
col t,I, l,,,t -.
man Catholic never can be SOL 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
antlsm, 1t does so by intrusion, as a 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
and destructive. The policy it adopts and |
urges forward is dangerous both to the in |
dependence of the State and the freedom of |
tne 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
jects to, nor is it the raising of taxes from
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 il
would do in this case, il ii had The pOUer.
10 takes the ground that all education in
this country should be religious, and as we
know, 1t allows no true religion to exist
outside OF Its own fold, the logical infer
ence with IT Is that there should be no ed
ucatlon OF children except under the con-
troll and direction of the Roman Catholic
Church. Shall we bear ourselves in this
matter so as to admit that inference? Shall
we allow an opening wedge under false
pretences of " fair play' to few religious
sectarians to be thrust into the work of
common school education by the city. the
county and the State, when we may see at
I glance that the real and ultimate purpose
s to overthrow it, and upon the plea that
Ill education should be religious draw it
INTO the hands Of the Roman Catholic
Priesthood as the representative of the Ouyy
rue religion! Every one who will NAV
perceive that the Roman Catholic Church
5 working might and main in this coun-
ry To use politicians for its own ends, and
o make secular power in States and cities
to its exclusive "demands'i
ma TO It's desire to rule over this people;
ma unfortunately it is meeting with such I
"a aI,f,l. loo q ..