The New York herald., 1872-12-09

Deatn mas no punlSnmelt. IL TOOK away the power
OF punishment Men are hung not because they
are hated, but because their longer living Is con-
sidcred dangerous to society. There was no eX-
HORRORS OF HANGING,
the prisoner the priests the reporters taking notes
OF the dying mans agones There was no reason
why the public should know anything about 1t. The
prisoner need not know 1t. Let him be cut OF by
silent deadly drug Let there be no priests about
was the present method OF hanging Such was the
scene enacted on last Friday in brooklyn. Such
was SIMPLY vindictive. And yet he did not adv0-
cate less severe punishment Of crime. lie would
make the penalties even more severe.
THIRD REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Bible I'm the Common Schools
Superintendent Weaver's Decision
Critically Examined by the Rev. ID.
McAnister-A Strong Argument.
Yesterday morning in the Third Presbyterian
church in Twenty third street the Rev. D. Meal
lister preached learned sermon ON the institution
of Sunday in place of the Jewish Sabbath. In the
evening he spoke at length Of the decision OF Su.
perlntendent Weaver regarding the use Of the
Bible In the public schools. and ne made very
powerful argument on his side OF the question.
His text was admirably take from Deuteronomy
W., 6. 7-"These words which command thee this
day shall be In thine heart, and thou shall teach
them diligently to thy children" He said The
ity and a question of right The text, with
other portions of Scripture, enjOins the duty OF
State education In the precepts OF the divine law.
The preceding context gives the moral law OF the
Ten Commandments. The command then follows,
addressed not only to heads Of families but to the
Israelitish nation as nation, ''Teach these words
diligently to thy children" Here is the nations
duty, and as there no duty without its right and
no right without its duty here is the national right
to the use Of the divine word.
SEVERAL SOLUTIONS IN THE WAY OF COMPROMISE
are proposed, such as separate religious instruc
tions, religious instructions and exercises outside
OF regular hours. But the question narrows itself
down at last to is:-Have the Bible and the fun
damental unsectarian principles OF Christianity
any proper place in the common schools. or must
public school education be completely secuarized
In answering this he remarked that. ...--#.~
THE VERY NATURE OF EDUCATION
required the use Of the Bible and religion. Educa-
child. All photographers agree here. :webster's
Dictionary" says "EducatiOn Is properly to draw
forth. and implies not SO much the communication
OF knowledge as the discipline OF the intellect, the
establishment OF the principles and the regulation
Of the heart If the State undertakes this work
that the child has moral and religious nature de-
mands place in common schools for the Bible and
1t is said by many opponents OF the Bible In COM
mon schools, We have no objection to religious In
struction in ITSELF but an objection to such instruc.
children whose moral and religious instruction is
neglected are the very ones that I'LL her reforma-
jaiis and that there are tens Of thousands
OF such whom no private or Sabbath school
doing what alone win meet the requirements Of the
caseY If the State has the right to use the Bible
and the great principles Of The Christian religion in
deny her right to use the same means Tor prevent
SECULAR CONSTRUCTION
practically leads to infdel and athciStic inStruC.
ton; it is not SO meant by many. They seem to
M think there is neutral ground. But there Is not.
teach agriculture, but they not therefore anti.
Agricultural so If they do not use the Bible and
religion they are not therefore hostile to the Bible
and religion. But this Is faacy OF not sufficiently
careful thinking; Agriculture Is an interest spe
pie, and therefore has proper place in common
schools. knowledge OF agriculture is not needed
by the merchant or the mechanic But instruction
In the Bible and religion Is needed by all And II
the State teaches at all she must be for against
State teaches astronomy and takes that branch OF
knowledge out OF its true relations to God Gre
ator and Upholder of the world; II 1t tells its
scholars of suns and systems, and dare not tell
who made them, 1t is hostile in its instructions to
the Bible and Christianity. SO II in the simplest
reading lesson It defines words such as wrong
'Just, "rght," 1t must have some ethical stand
ard II 1t takes Webster, he defines fright" to be
"accordng to the win OF God" His Dictionary is
whoever favors the expulsion Of the Bible on the
ground that State education must be made purely
webster's Dictionary. Every word OF ethical mean
Ing is defined according to the standard Of the
And now as to the legality OF the Bible In our
schools r M weaver ams that there
system OF the State. Let US see
LITTLE or HISTORY.
In 1906 was passed the law OF Incorporation Of
the Free School Society OF the city Of New York.
The success OF this Of the strongest incen-
tiyes TO the Legislature to make provision for free
schools were desired for all the children OF the
Commonwealth. In the first address to the public
primary object would be the inculcation OF the
sublime truths Of morality and religion contained
10 the Holy Scriptures while there would be moth
Lewis. IN 1901. and ompkns M @ in sSsnU isio ali
the inculcation OF correct principles aud
habits o!.,dn Of morality ya and religion. In , lsii,
ys VERGE gnt auUaStsd
by the Legislature to report system for the Or
ganization OF common schools. After stating their
the best plan that can be devised to eliminate re.
ligi0n and learning throughout the country" II
need not be added that their plan found place for
FOR SIXTY YEARS
the Bible has been legally used. What Is the rea-
1t is maintained by many that the theory OF gov
ernment to be carried out is government has
must be tqown oa o o oq re pDnc
schools But, as has been seen, II government
teaches at all; II 1t nstructs children In astron-
omy, definitions OF words, and particularly In hts
tory, II must touch religion. Government has to
do with religion in many ways, as mat
ter OF fact. II has Sabbath laws, Christian
chaplains Tor Congress, State Legislatures, the
army navy and militia, and for prisons and asyums,
public days OF fasting and Thanksgiving But 1t Is
urged again, oil these, together with the Bible in
tue schools aia inGvas,,-;e eis VIII; the written
constitution OF the United states, the supreme
compact by which we agree to govern ourselves as
a nation. The Bible must go out OF the schools,
and everything In which government Is connected
with religion must be obliterated 80 rs to make
actual life as nation conform to the constitution.
But true patriotism and genuine craftsmanship
ask, was the nation made Tor the constitution or
the constitution for the nation2 The constitution
Is made for the nation as the Sabbath was made
for man. And n the issue comes as come II Reema