Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1875-12-03
: miscellaneous. q
,Erom t be New York Times
,TSECTARIAN SCHOOLS.

rom tQe New Ork hines - b.
+, ,SECTARI4N SCHOOLS.
There was one element in our recent DO
.fitical contest which has not been much
conn1en ented upon, bat which influenced, in
saens way, great numbers of voters
The Democratic Convention said nothing
of 'sectaffan sehools,'' while the Republ-
cans had spoken out boldly against any in
jury TO be done TO the public schools By ad-
mitting Church schools among their num-
Der, or giving them share in the common
school fund. Though the subject was very
little discussed in the public canvass. the
|averaga'-yoter throughout the State felt
that one party was strongly pledged against
any Interference with the conl5non School
SYSTEM, while the other was trffiisg with
the question, if nothing worse. 1t was re-
nembered at the polls that it was a-Demo-
cratic House which had nearly placed the
Church schools of ST. Vincent de Paul
amopg the common schools, ,, and passed
the aet rashoriziag the ''Gray Nuns to be
public school teachers. 1t is true that his
party found it necessary to force Senator
Herman to throw out an anchor TO wind
ward in his Brooklyn speech, by denying
any purpose among Democrats to interfere
with the common schools. 1t is quite pos
sible "that these are the honest views of the
Senator. who is reported 70 be-of that class
so strongly rebuked by the Holy Father
a.'Liberal Catholic His views, however,
have been anything oilt acceptable to the
Catholic organs, who have abused him
roundly for them and we doubt, if his
name were up for any Office among the Ro-
man Catholic voters of the State, wtether
he would poll strong vote now. Nor did
his disclaimers much influence the thou
sands of independent voters who trans
ferred tEeir ballots this year from the
Democratic to the Republican ticket.
The truth Is, the majority of the Demo-
cratic party of this State is largely made
up Of Roman Catholic voters. The iguor-
ant among these are under the exclusive
control of their priests. These as class
cannot endure Liberal Catholics and
they hold logical position on the school
question, diredtS opposed to the liberal
view. They claim that the salvation of
mans soul is the first interest of all; that
there is salvation EXTRA ecclesidnl that
school without the Catholic religion is
goddess and therefore dangerous to the
soul, and that consequently the first duty
of the Catholic is 20 opposs all education in
common schools where no Religions taught.
1t is not because the Bible is read in our
blfc'schools, or the Lsd's Prayer said
by layman, that they object, but because
the schools are goddess being destitute of
the Catholic religion.
With this view there is man ifestly no
truce or compromise possible on the part
of American citizens. 1t is the doctrine
,of priestcraft. fhe object is to get possess
sion By the priests OF popular education, as
they did once in Italy. The schools, the
!shulxark-of liberty, would -bec1he no
longer common schools, training each
chilli for his duties as a citizen, but Church
schools, so educating him as to make him
subservient to creed and "a hierarchy.
Modern science and modern improvements
in teaching would soon fare here, as they
10 under the direct influence Of the Pope.
The Syllabus would speedily weed out most
of the studies pursued in our schools and
uOrmal'colieoes. we stro1sii- have educa-
tion as it is now in French rural parishes,
or under the eyes Of the Holy Father.
There would he a blank uniformity-his-
tory With Professionalism left out, science
from the standpoint of the Papal Syllabus,
meptal awakening as priests desire it, and
rep1bHcanism as guided by a foreign
priestly ruler, with the habit everywhere
tanght of implicit obedience to the priest
and the Pope OF Rome. Such an educa-
tion is the last thing which the American
people desire introduced into their political
system.
Fortunately, however much the Irish
Catholics may be under the thumb of
priest and bishop, the German Catholics
are much more independent. They viii
stand with the American Protestants on
this question. And it only needs vigilance
during every session of the Legislature
and at every election to prevent any vic
tory of reaction, and to preserve. intact
that best inheritance from Dutch Protest.
| ants-our common scheol system.