Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-11-25
RELIGION IN THE COMMON

... SCHOOLS. .G I
We hold that education means more
than a knowledge of physical science; and
we believe that the training OF children in
schools where religious teaching is care
tul!y excluded, must result. sooner or
later, in the general decentralization of
the people; but we do not see how the
State can engage in the religious educa-
ton of the young in common schools,
supported at the public expense; and we
think this objection is so insuperable
taat the maintenance OF institutions of
learning. like the establishment and sup.
mort of churches, will at last be RENTED
70 voluntary associations. Our recent
article on this theme has brought us a
yoluminous correspondence, most of it
of a very high character. Notably among
these missives is letter inclosing an ex-
ceedingly interesting report on Christian
education to the nineteenth annual con-
ysntion OF the diocese of New Jersey.
1t has little tone of High Churchism,
bat the prevailing thought and line of
argument are 50 like our editorial, al
though it was prepared before that was
published. that the coincidence is most
remarkable. This. in itself, is most con-
yincing proof that the position we have
taken is sustained by an intelligent OBJ
servation of facts. Among the letters
we have received is one from a college
prssdent who has given the subject
special study. 1t is chiefly valuable as
confirming our opinion that religious
teaching and what are called secular
studies ought not to be separated in the
daily schools, whether We regard the
well.being of the pupil or the safety of
the State. For this purpose We present
il to our readers, although We cannot in
dorse its suggestions of method to
overcome the existing defects in our
common school system: ...
RELIGIOUS TEACHING IN OUR COMMON
SCHOOLS.
EDIroR OF THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE.:
Your article on the present agitation as
to religious instruction in public schools
is timely, and contains, as did your
former suggestions, most important FORE
casts as to the future of this agitation as
we'll us hints for the proper relief. Allow,
since it is question on which all posi-
ble light should be sought, q few state
ments of instructive facts in past and
present European history, with an allu-
sion to the change you propose growing
out of the separation OF Church and
State in our country.
Secular education must have in it NOR
al and religious teaching, or its great aim
is lost. The State, among the ancient
Egyptians and Persians, among the
Greeks and Romans, as truly as in Chris
tian Europe and America, has taken this
view, and Governments have organized
systems OF education for all children,
because that as soon as they reach ma.
iority, for which they are educated, they
belong to the State rather than to the
family. When men of science yield their
assent without consideration to an oppo-
site view, they do it because they are so
absorbed in their special pursuits as not
to be observers of the bearing of educa-
ton on social or civil life.
For no nation has science done SO
much as for France. Her mathemati-
clans, her engineers. her men bredby the
French Academy have, first in the
world $ history, tunneled the Alps with
a railroad, and, first of European Chris.
tan nations, reopened the canal from
the Mediterranean to the Red Sea- II
scientific education alone could make a
great nation. France would lead all
Europe, the world in fact, in her gran
deur as an empire, as monarchy, or as
arepublic. But the experience of 1898,
as we'll as of 1870. shows that Senator
Sumner was right in his statement to
Jules Favre, "What France wants is re-
lgon;' as Napoleon was right in bis
declaratian TO Madame de Stael, "What
France wants is mothers" The fact that
the frenzied leaders OF the Commune,
armed with torch and knife, came from
the faubourg of ilfcgitimate children,
with women, boys and girls swelling
their train, shows that it is the class un-
educated in moral truth and in religious
restraint that is our danger. Whatever
system our common schools adopt, this
class must be reached.
In the history of Greece the Athenian
systems OF common schools. with the in
PRODUCTION now of mathematics, now of
music, now of plastic art are instructive; /;
but far above all these features of Gre
cian common school education is the
reasoning of Plato, of Socrates, of Aris-
totie, and others of her law guardians, on
religious instruction in her schools. 1t
is needless to add that kindred history
runs through Roman and medieval an
mails. All Europe now, France and Eng
iand included, feel that the State must
MAINTAIN universal education, adding
moral and religious instruction. Their
present position on that question, too
long to detail, must be studied by Amer
leans before radical change is attempted
The memoirs of his own time by Guizot,
especially that half volume devoted to the
iour B years when he presided over the
bureau OF Education, is most instructive,
especially his illusions to the American
system. One of the late events of his
NE most interesting to Americans is the
enort to which in his old age he was CIV
ing his attention when the war with
russia broke out. Having the conf
uence OF allpolitical parties, though lie.
glnmist, and admired by all liberal Chris
,ians, though Of the Reformed Church,
ne was leader in an association whose
SooJect was to prepare translation Of the
scriptures as the joint work of Catholic
una Protestant scholars,which should be
acceptable to all religionists as an indis-
pensable textbook in the common
schools of France. In England, where
many years ago it was urged that the
nnahcastrian system, which excluded re-.
Ngious instruction from the public
schools should be established by Parlia-
ment 1t was not bishops of the Episcopal
hor priests OF the Roman Church that
spoke SO as to command universal atten-
uon' but it was the Duke of Wellington,
swho' with emphatic bringing down of
us strong right arm, exclaimed, Take
care what you do! My word for it-shut
out morals and religion from your
schools, and you will be but training up
ageneration of sarewder devils!
May not the suggestion be timely, that
p .he principle suggested in France and in
England by modern discussion may be
Hiaue practical. Cannot all classes OF re-
rralonists among us-Jews. Catholics,
evangelical and free religionists-agree
On selections from the Old and New Tes-
saments which embody moral lessons,
suu nave those read and taught in our
MAJ May not also form Of prayer, needed
perhaps by injudicious tenchers, includ-
;;ng, OF course, the Lords Prayer, unob.
ieeuonable even toJew or Mohammedan,
oe adopted for school purposes? II.