The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-13
ghe 99ailg Argns.
CONFINED from second page.

books, and small facilities for
enlightening the masses Of the people.
there is no good to reason to wonder that
its working force Of truth was unable to
evolve the Reformation before Luther
day. But the Catholic church has to bear
that old burden no longer, It's evolving
periods will and must follow each other at
diminishing spaces between them. 1t is
formation in what is called The Old
Catholic Movement which aims at as
great 4 result to the religious world as
l.uther's programme, The force that
produces these revolutions moves slowly
at first, but each one it effects gives it new
power and impulse. The Old Catholic
Movement will not be the last. a century
hence, even, a new DR.. Dollinger may
arise to carry forward the whole Catholic
church to a new stage of progress aud
transformation. Now, with all our strong
convictions as Protestants, Is it indiscreet
and unsafe 10 concede to the Catholic
church this elt-contained, evolving force?
Does not history prove its existence and
working?
Perhaps have now gone as far as the
most liberal Protestant who follows. me
may think that either should venture.
But should not the concessions already
made prepare us to accept a situation
which we cannot reject or prevent? Is it
not the fact that there are to-day more
Catholic bishops, priests and churches in
these two Americas than there were In the
whole world in Luthers day? Does any
one doubt this, then let him consult the
statistical record We cannot abolish the
| fact by closing cur eyes to it. Then must
we not accept the situation, present and to
come? Must We not admit that the Cath
Ole church is here, and to be here with
every legal ability of growth which our
government allows to the Protestant
church that it is not here as a sect but as
a dirisiOn, and that as such we have to
deal with it? Now, as 90 common school
teachers in 100 in all these northern states
are Protestants, as the literature of all our
reading books, and the very atmosphere
Of our schools, and even their outdoor
sports, are Protestant in their influence,
would 1t not be judicious as well as liberal
to remove all religious bars to the admis
sion Of Catholic children? We ask and re.
qulre them to Yield some of their scruples
10 sending their children to schools which
are effectively Protestant, and which they
have considerable reason to expect will in
huence their young minds. Then we may
wellland justly make some concessions of the
same kind to them. If the Scriptures art
to be read at all in our schools, what harm
would accrue to our Protestant children il
selections from the Douai bible, or frou
both bibles we're adopted for the exer
lcises?
But | will not enter upon the education
al question proper. My only object ha
been to show that the term sectatian can
not be properly applied to it in the sens,
generally adopted. ELIHU BURRITT.
New Britain, Conn.,, Sept, %, 1875.
THE ARGUS publishes Mr.. Burritt's let
ter because Of his large and liberal views
and his fame as a scholar, but does no
agree with him in the idea of using selec
tons from either the Catholic the Protes
tant, the Mormon or any other bible. i
public schools. If our public school sys
tenn is to be preserved it must be purge
of all books having reference to party re
ligion or party politics; and must ais
teach only the common branches of a
English education. No forced taxatio
upon the property or people for anythn
beyond this.