The New York herald., 1873-09-15

tho Public Schools. Objections OF
Catholics sAnswered-p1oral Influence OF
the Bible.
PoUGHKEEPsIE Sept. II, 1873.
For the past few weeks there has been consider
able comment among the people here over the an
nouncement In the High School that the reading OF
the Scriptures would be discontinued. SO much
Importance was attached to the movement that
the Rev A. L. Culver of the Hedding church, in
South Glover street, preached lengthy sermon
upon the subject this evening, which was listened
to by a very large congregation. The reverend
gentleman took his text from Isaiah liv, 1s:-"And
all thy children shall bel taught OF the Lord.
and great shall be the peace OF Thy children"
THE SERMON.
He commenced his sermon by referring at length
to civil society; and, in the course OF his remarks
quoted the words OF priest, who announced that
common law--the basal law Of civil institutions
Is extracted from Gods Word; and said, II tho
Bible Is the fundamental law Of Christian lands, tho
State Is bound to protect 1t. The constitution
says "Reugion, morality and knowledge being
necessary to good government and the happiness
Of mankind. schools and the means OF education
shall forever be encouraged" Washington
said, "PromOte thom as an object OF
primary mportance-institutions for the gen.
eral diffusion OF knowledge. Chief JUS
tice Shaw says the public school was
intended to provide system of moral training.
Our plea Is not for denominational education in
our schools, but with secular education shall be
taught those moral principles which distinguish us
as Christian nation Again, religion and morality
are essential to the best citizenship and the Statk
must furnish them. 1t is asked, What system shall
we teachs There is only one system, a. there u
only
Give our schools the Bible, and they have the
correct and only system. 1t Is as book OF morals
not accept the doctrine OF Christianity as taught
in the word Of Goa have been teppcS pro
ings. Ig Mr. r.p''issn Rankin l writes to the Yer
mont Board Of Education :-"As text book in
ever rival it; and this is conceded by all the intell
gent men OF all Christian denominations. Men
raM hv 20 ch public
Instructors they have ensnrined 1t in the hearts
Of the youth Of our land; as scholars, they have
Seishty topic oi mind" But where i'o; Is the
There It is the foundation Of usefulness.
there are Taught all the principles OF Thrift thrift
Of people in the future OF our state. Friends, l
cannot see any way to rid ourselves OF our obliga-
through the the nations lately expressed wil the
common schools A foe has invaded these long
the garb OF meekness and humility, seeking repOse
in the Elysium OF free Institutions. and we allowed
it to come among US. We heard Its tale Of woe. We
dnds home in our hamlets; and now, strong and
it's snd demands Of us that the
stone OF our national fabric be removed-demands
that the national idea be stricken from the roll or
facts and, with menaclng looks and bolder Claims
f'0' PROGRAMME or IDEAS
which it wants carried totally subversive of every
principle Of popular government. That foe is the
Roman Catholic Church. And what are her de.
stractive OF her economy, she strikes blow at
public schools by demanding that one OF the dearest
mean It the Bible. Then % She asks for nv money
and yours to promote her sectarian schools 1t IS
said that it is an Infringement on 5 the rights Of
tionable features OF our schools But It's objection
able feature is we have not State Church and the
liberation, tnat we ,,, Won! acknowledge the
institutions we cannot be burned as her, Il ;s.
Would you do away with the obJeotionaole
sectarian schools, as indicated BY the recent move
in BROOKLYN: | say. then, that her impoverished
ns nSS sud class s Of
schools, and that, too, without the help Of large
public gifts, for the American people will not sub
gs Of "poorhouse instruction" Aye. and
srssy s them, also our prisss. psn nf
| tentiaries, houses OF corrections That gun
They tell us that t. our school system is nom the
devil. Rome has been very slow, even in finding
| out her blood relation. The T10tet says, "Fr0m our
! past success In getting what we want we know
Ne shall get our proportion Of the school money.
We feel strong enough to carry out our views.''
the Smithheld; that on st. Bartholomew's BUTCH
cred in cold blood the Huguenots; that strewed
e 5ones es The Waenses
that made upwards Of 5o, 600 600 OF martyrs, the
souls of whom tonight CRY from underneath the
Thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on
| the earthr' Poughkeepsie has been drawn into
schools, Jesuit servants are appointed teachers
and our Protestant citizens are without redress.
One reason Tor this strange proceeding is that the
edilces are not sLtfcicnC to accommodate the in
| crease Of scholars, and that necessitated You to
bargain for the parish school OF the Catholic
such magnitude that we could not build.
But, gentlemen OF the Board of Education, would
let that pile Of brick and mortar fallen to the
ground rather than to have had any afnllatlon
ever entered into that she did not in some way
violate or prostitute 1t for her own selfish endse
Besides the public would have suffered no great
loss to have waited year or two. But. again, did
YOU ever think OF those buildings until the Rev.
McSwecney made hts first startling proposition
And indeed, was it not the contemplation of the
Board to build But why the necessity Of taking
away the Bible That does not follow. am an
Department rounded in q statute law. Then from
1885 we nave been living IN the violation Of law.
That does not reflect great credit on the Board OF
THE ABOLITION OF THE BIBLE FROM OUR SCHOOLS
one Of the direct results OF the bargain for the
school edIdce Pray, who Is entitled to be heard
Must We be silcnts Must Christians fold their arms
AMI bow their heads while the Bible goes out and
sombre-robed men ana women come In Shall the
priest be heard and the petition OF sixty Christians
lie unhonored and unnOtced by our officials Mol
by aI that makes the Bible what it is, BY ali that
makes our land what 1t Is, we Will not submit in
silence this invasion Of our rights 1t is asked,
what shall we doY We must SUBJ
will remember this class of men az
the polls. There are times when Justice outraged
and abused l0rgets all law, and in the person OF
righteously indignant people turns upon ner Op
press0rs and grinds them to powder. Let the
American people be offended, but woe unto him by
whom che effence cometh. In the English Parlia-
ment, during heated discussion, fearless English
statesman arose and said :-"The House OF Lords
have no rights which the House OF Commons are
bound TO respect when England is at stake"
Friepds, IL has been asked, over and over again,