Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-04-28
A %cLERGYMAN,s OPINION.

The Belmont Courier Of the 18th
inst, which came to hand this MORN
Ing. opposes, as we supposed IL would,
a theory that the Office Of State
Superintendent Of Public Instruction
should be held by no y whose time
and talents are, by his NEST sacred
pledge, devoted to tho advancement Of
the interests Of any particular sec
tartan organization; In other words,
by a clergyman whs Is, while holding
this most responsible Office, at the
same time engaged In advocating the
special claims Of any religious dogma.
In our article Of yesterday We gave
some further reasons for the position
which VIC assumed. which We believe
are not only u~nanswerable, but within
the comprsh snsion Of every one. In
conversation with a prominent clergy
man last evening this matter came up.
We were not surprised-knowing the
fairness aud candor Of the gentleman
but were nevertheless pleased to
learn that he coincidsd with osr
theory In every particular. He re-
marked that IL was impossible for .
clergyman to fulfill hls duty to his
God and the church with which he Is
connected, without exercising q sec
tartan influence. Believing the creed
which ho PROCESSES to be the most
nearly In accordance with divine
teachings, he cannot do otherwise than
advocate It's tenets sn all occasions.
Failing to do so he 10 lacking In duty
10 God, to the church and to his own
conscience. Furthermore, that, in-
asmuch a. q clergyman had sslsmnly
devoted his life and services to the
dutie, Of tho ministry, he did not be-
lisvs IL either proper or right fer him
to divide hi. labors, or having thus
c~onsecrated himself to the church 70
follow or engage In any secular pur-
suits.
The Courier plainly has q vague aud
restricted idea Of the duties Of the
Office under consideration. According
to its idea the whole labor OF q Super
iatendent Of Public Instruction Is to
"slmply apportion to the State public
school moneys twice q year, respec-
lively, to the several counties, entirely
Ignorant Of whose child 10 to be bene-
flied - Methodist or Catholic" IL
these are all the duties rcquired Of or
contemplated by the Office, We respect
fully submit that there wa 10 need Of
its establishment, and there IL no pres
ent necessity for Its continuance. Tue
labor OF apportioning the school uon-
eys Il neither ousrous nor complicit-
cd. II Is merely aud essentially cler-
ical. and 4 be performed by q clerk
In tho State Csmptroller's or Treasu-
rsr's Office, with but little additional
expense. But VIZ believe that far
more than this mere equalization OF
school moneys Is required Of the party
who hold, thls-to u mlnd-most
responsible and influential Office.
Those dates will At once suggest them
selves to every practical teacher, and
to every intelligent friend and patron
of our common schools. We do not
expect to convince u friends Of the
Rsreiile or Courier OF the correctness
OF our opinion, Oh either thls last or
the preceding propositions. In fact,
II our view OF the scope Of this office
was n limited as that expressed In the
columns Of the latter journal, Instead
OF Directing to the selection Of cler-
gymen ter itI duties, we should at
once advocate It's abolition.