New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-23
crc171.p vs. RELIGIOUS TEACHING.

| SEGULAh VIZ. htllC1Ooo
The question Of the propriety OF ming
ling religious with secular teaching III
common schools, or rather OF dlstrloutlns
the school fund pro rata among such Oh
the sec.s as choose to establish schools IS
living one and growing one, and Will con-
tinue to live and to grow until the Rom'sn
Church militant, which has become Its
champion. shall have learned the limits
of priestly power under free government
Where Church and State are united, as
in the chief nations OF Europe, the State
religion is taught in the public schools as
q matter of course; but in this country,
where the voluntary system prevails IN re-
ligion, and every sect stands on a political
equality with every other, it is, OF course,
impossible to introduce the teaching OF
religion in the schools as at present estab-
lished That system was established by
highly religious people, the citizens OF New
England, among whom there was certainly
no danger of neglect in the religious tram
ing of youth. Family prayers, thanks at
meals, the reading OF the SCRIPTURES,
prayer-meetings for the older and Sunday
schools for the younger members OF the
family, besides the constant atmosphere
of piety exhaled from the example of the
parents, made the introduction Of relg-
ious instruction in the common schools
entirely unnecessary. And this view
seems to be the natural one in strictly
religious community. But, say the de-
tenders of religious teaching in the public
schools, j. is not for the children Of pious
parents that this necessity exists, but for
the little street waits whose parents are
Zoo ignorant or too profane to convey |
such instruction, and who are the more
in need of it. Granted. The chill |
dren Of the ignorant and depraved |
are sadly in need of religious instruc-
ton, but whose business is it to fur
nish such? Was she State estab- |
lished to teach the gospel? Was it to
human governments that the command |
was issued: go, ye, teaching all ma
tions?" No, it was 10 the church that this
sacred charge was intrusted. For this
was it established, and endowed with the
Holy Spirit; thae it might 90 out into
the highways and by-ways, and to the
uttermost parts of the earth, teaching all
The three Rs, the
sciences? No; but the Christian religion.
And that duty still rests on the church.
and the most oneroUs part of it, the get
hing together OF the children and their
into schools, can not be
shifted upon the State; nor can the State
organized for a purely secular
purpose, be properly seized by the church
md misapplied by her. If she did her
iusy in this regard, there would be no
iced OF any other effort ior the
conveyance CT religious instruction.
earnest esaagelists would find access to
he hardest hearts, Free churches which
he poor need not be ashamed nor afraid
attend would be established: their
hlfdren would be sought out, and
ncouraged to attend the Sunday
choo4 and other religious exercises. the
2amHle ef their richer and better-tauobt
would show them that religion
as not an affair OF mere cLurch-coing.
ut chat i was the daily bread of the soul
Is nos by answering questions learned
y rote from eaeechism, with the mind
anderinS, perhaps, coward other and
lore Interesting studies, that religion is
'ugh'; and comparison Of the effects of !
re different systems above mentioned
ILL., al ouS opinion, show that a comnlete
7paratlon OF secular and religious teach.
'g (the latteg being thoroughly attended
IN Its proper time and place.. is pro- :
1ctlSe OF better results than the minelino [
such CasslmlYar studies. The best test, .
o"eses, IN question of this sort is ev- =
7nence Compare New England. for c
stance, with any region of equal evta,+
I'd population III Europe where tba in.
ruetion of youth being wholly in CHARGE ,
Fhe clergy, secular and RELIGIONS +,
aching are mixed, and see which corn
unity Is the more moral, the more trn1v
lglous. by their fruits ye shall know f,
EN-.