The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-24
TIE BIBLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Opinion of Catholic Priests OH
the subject.


AT the Irish benevolent societies con-
vcntion at ST. Louis on the l7th, the follow
ing resolution among others was intro
duced:
Resolred, That the present system OF
public schools ignoring all supernatural
authority and making God, the first knowl-
edge, the last thing to be learned, is
curse to our country AMI a hoOd-gate OF
atheism and sensuaity, and of civil, social
and national corruption.
A long, spirited and somewhat acrimoni-
GUS debate cnsued on the resolution.
Mr.. Kelly of Virginia thought the reso-
luton should be recommittcd TO the com
mittee with instruction to modify it. lie
was by virtue of his office as mayor of Rich
mond, president of the board of public
schools. lie had been elected mayor by
! constituency which was about eighty per
cent. Protestant The bible was not read
in the schools in Richmond, and he had the
assurance of the board that no religious in
struction was taught in them. lie was not
in sympathy with the resolution nor could
he vote for it without stultifying himself,
which he did not propose 10 do.
Father Phcan of St. Louis defended the
/ resolution and said
We have nothing to do with Richmond or
| its schools. If religious instruction was
excluded from them, as Mr.. Kelly says,
they were the most Objectionable of all
schools. The public men of America were
educated in public schools and were exhibit
lions of the system, and they were the most
corrupt and dishonest of any country in the
world. Men can steal in this country with
impunity, provided the amount is large
enough. That the children of the country
90 heels over head to the devil must be at
tributcd to the education they receive in the
public schools, which does not fit them for
the temptations of the world. In these
schools men of science are honOrcd and
Culugizcd, but the name of Jesus Christ is
not allowed to be mentioned with rev erence.
These children turn cut to be learned horse
thieves, scholastic counterfcitcrs, and well
posted in all schemes of deviltry.
Mr. Harley said that the Catholics had
gained great vic.ory in driving the bible
from the public schools.
Father Graham, intcrrupting, said that
the church did not drive the bible out OF
schools. The purpose was to put in them
the Catholic catechism.
Mr.. IIarlcy-Exactly. Now, | ask you,
is it just or right that we should introduce
our Catholic catcchism among Protestants
when we will not allow Protestants, who
are in the majority, to use the bible in pub
lie schools?
Mr. Chance of Delaware thought this was
fling in the wrong direction. They might
favor Catholics, but they should not de-
nouncc Protestant schools.
Father Phcan frankly confessed that the
Catholics stood before tho country as the
enemies of the public schools, and the rea-
sons therefor should he stated. He con
sidercd those reasons were embodied in the
resolutions. They must say they would as
soon send their children into n pcst-hOusc
or bury them, as let them go to public
schools. They were assured they woult
lose the faith. They were afraid the chile
who left home in the morning would como
back with something in its heart as black as
hell.
Father Maugin said the public schoo
system is nuisance. The words in thu
resolution are not too strong.
Mr. Chance moved to recommit the re
solutions with instructions to report ont
favoling Catholic schools, which was car
ried by about two-thirds vote.
The committee finally presented the fol
lowing resolution as substitute for TIN
last one of series reported by the commit
tee:
ReSolted, That the system of state edu
cation now established in most states, by it
failure to provide proper religious instruc
ton for the young, and its enlightening thu
head to the entire neglect of heart culture
meets with our unqualified Reproduction
that it uniustly taxes large class Of gu
people who cannot without danger to tn
, iaith and morality of their offspring avail
themselves of its advantages.
This resolution was unanimously adop
ted