The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-01-21
EDUCATTOE-No. 2.
THE Duty or LEE cHURcn.


popular education, that we approach
with due DIFFERENCE we trust, to til,
superior wisdom OF those whom, a
a public Journalist, we assume to ad
vice in the premises. But the Christ
ian church is an organic part of ev
cry community. It's influence is, anC
ought to be, very great. Its interes
in the proper training Of the young
and in everything that pertains t.
their welfare, both temporal anc
eternal, is, and must be, lively in thu
extreme. Nothing that affects the
happiness of /" the lambs Of the fold >
nothing that proposes a larger meas
ure of educational facilities. certain
ly, can be viewed with indifference
or fail Of the sympathy of the
Churches, as such, in the State; we
commend this question to them,
therefore, with the earnest hope that
it may be thought no departure from
that neutrality which as Christian
bodies they have so properly and
studiously maintained in regard to
politics, for them to take an active
part in question that SO vitality
concerns them-the public or State
provision for the education of the
youth Of the State.
And if it shall not be deemed adj
visable for the various Churches to
act in their separate capacity, or
unitedly, in this matter, surely there
can be no objection to the ministers
Of the gospel in their intercourse
with their people, and lectures for
their instruction, bringing this sub
ject more generally before them.
To our mind, it is evidently the
first concern, to aohet the psebzic appe-
tite for a more thorough and advanc-
ed system of public instruction IN
our State. The pIGn soW come, we
have no question, aohe,a the people are
reused and ready for it. In our arti-
Gle last week we appealed to their
State pride we alluded, without
entering into particulars, to the fact,
that Tennessee was behind-u7ld tta1'
bebiad-some of her sister States nj
the matter Of educational means and
facilities. We reminded them how
ready they were, in former times, to
the action of their Legisla-
tive assembly in voting millions Of
money and State credit for internal
purposes = needed
then, perhaps-but not more needed
then, or n0t0, than are better school
facilities needed, and funds for the
purpose Of inaugurating a better
system. And now we would COM
mend the subject to them, not as
merely, but as professedIy
Christian men. We would commend
it to the Church as equally interest
ed, to say the least of it, with the
State in the matter of the moral and
training and schooling
Of the young. Ignorance is the
parent of vice." has passed into a
Droverb-therefor the Christian man
and the Christian teacher, especial !
", ought to feel a great deal of in |
5erest in the subject Of popular edu-
cation. But it is not enough to feel !
active cooperation in the work is
necessary, in order to secure the es-
of such a system of !
public schools, and the supply of |
means by general tax as shall meet !
the demands of this liberal and en- |
ightened age.
The Church of this commonwealth, |
Of every name and denomination, is !
called to come forward, we think, !
and help to arouse the people every |
where to the Importance of provid-
ing for a more thorough system of |
popular education. The Church has
It's duty toperformi in the premises.
and we do not think that the fear of |
being misunderstood, or charged !
with mingIing in secular affairs,
should deter it from speaking out, /
where the interests involved are so
great. and the good of the Church
itself is to be so directly and large !
- ,DrO11nFo1