, 1875-10-04

lstloa tl.t proper respect 10. t,o,o convictions
"ould have :. ,da worry different courso On
ths part Of y d. In my Judgment one of
fno,d ino coy ~ ~. open open to the
Tho ~ !: ,loag been associated ws,h or
systen Of = .ion. 1t ia tho book which,
rhosherr or wrongly, l,aa iargay nodded
nl| our in : ans. II ii held BY vast ,uajor,-
t. Of the to be tho Word af Col. sud 'rs sra-
postant {: = csor in all right education. Wa
do not t--'S should 10 read a. part nf Tho
opening :: :lsea Of the sccuole hut before wa
take - = upon question which involvos no
many -'> .ta OF conscience and religion, 70
will q the question to thoaa whoae servants
ne are."
Or, II tho Board was snxsous 10 sssarne The
entire responsibility in tho matter, aud sum-
mhrilY To eject tho l}lbto Without giving suy OPP
porsunity for Tho expresaion Of public optnion.
tiae.l Ut Tho very least + Aecenk regard for tho
opinions Of their constituents should havo COM
relisd them 10 pive reHaon for their action.
VIZ are not now saving their action mas lnde-
fenabo. 1lut bv . bold vote to roae!nd tue ru'a
recurring the Biblo 10 bo read-to touch
thus a question which, II that Board has
xra'n of common tntelhRence, ii
Religious probema Of tho iaJ-v,ihout 10 much
a. a. pretending TO give. tho grounds on which
they mako the change, h either An insmlt 10 the
Intelligence Of the consmuuity or a vety sorcro
reflection Oh Their osn,
Iu tho ahsence Of anv ressons ve arc at lbertq
1os ouEsei'ea to aeek thb rcanonB which it may
10 pre1utnsd determined their course Thus it
may have been hns:i'isy to thc D:bie and to tho
desuuea del. o. ~ f'n,,a'y w., 'nls may hare bsen
and moro lnadmls.lbs e1acsions which,
would seen'aENo our cnurso OF oducatlou
by taking all acknowledgment. Of God
from our textbooks, together with
al confessions Of tho in'1nrnco Of Christian
literature and tho power Of Christian mn,nl.. 1t
may be construed AZ tho beginning Of m at-
tetnRs to make onf public schools stheistc. not
envy neEat'yely hut pontivey, substituting by
tho thorough r"yinion ot nit tc1t-hooks thu ro.
hglon Of Coute for the religion Of God II this
was rs anssnsts, tha lam! Ut Eancasion hsyo
counted Wlonply il they dean Of popular sup
ii ,aiideiisy i ths sririt of tho action
swistly repudioted still fnslLor. Their
action NAV TO Designed a. tic
thpso wAo believe no.hing 10 eu. all onr
national history loose from ita glorious
pass, In wbich it acknowledged M a
prime patriotic duty the instruction in religion
goddess future 10 do sl,y by first taking The
Bible from the schools. then God from tho
conreo OF education and ail mention in til o text
books, and then the name Of God from all
public docaments, The oath 10 li,s name
from our Btatuto.books, tho Sabbath from
our civil code, aud generally TO inaugusste en-
American roll the 1sccking experiment Of
FEonch eucyc!o}sed,sss,- ,--th4a is . roBesbto OK
planatlon Of tue anifnus OF the Bonrd Of Etiuca-
tion in throwing tho Bible from tho schools
Without notice and without reaaon. Church mud
State should rudecd bo forever kept apart In
this country. scctaranihm should receivo no
favor from GoTerument. No form OF xo1ahtp
should be prescribed or supported By the State.
Freedom Of couArience should forever ho guat-
anteed. But tho history of this land an it stands
related 10 religion can never be dlAcVned. Tho
principles OF tegon hare per1neatel al our inHt-
tutions. and they can never be taken away. Their
light is scasterod through all our systeus Of
education. nud they can never be obecured.
It is sad that tho Catholics object to reading
OF tho Bible In the schools, and that this action
ia tn conciato their support. Lat uy e1amne
this rcason. Is this Hiuce:e and honest ground :?
Is tho RoutAh objection to tho public nchooia
the fact that the Bible ia read, and will tho
abandoning OF tho oPaun9 exercises coucillato
their hearty snpport2 4 few years ago very
severe battle was fought over this question in
tue City Of Clneinnati; fought Arst n tho Board
Of Edncston and &u tho press sud tie CON-
1nun!ty. and aftor WAS III the courts.
tret ebrtEact was then given o! the prog
rees OF tho movement Ia Cincinnati. tho pubi-
cation. on the subject in Catholic jouroais aud
BY CAsho'o writer's and OF ths more recent do
tnands Of tho rapal Suncio upon the Spanish
Government. Tie speaker continued:
Now. putting ttosa statements al together will
anybody say that the reading OF the DtbIo in tue
achoois ~ really tho Catholic objection to those
schools? Or that tho attack On the Blhte in the
schools Ia their ultimate object On tho cnp-
trary. 80 far a. Romnuihts object. this objection
only covers movement on an Interior roIut. 1t
in only masking the battery which Ia aimed at
tho life OF the public school systeu,.
The ground Of the CATHOLIC opposition 10 tho
public schools ID deeper. and will remain after
tue Dbe IL taken n:t. The hope that the action
at the Board will heartily unto Catholics with
Prote>tautd in the SUBJ ort OF tho schools is
therefore utterly baaecss. and. II for auch a
fpIrt nnn ~
cd into snare.
l come now to consider the action OF tho
Board iu the only light iu which. to ny mind, it
has shadow OF VALIDITY.
It Ia claimed hy those opposed to tho reading
| Of the Dsb!e in the schools that 1t interfereH
With the night OF conscience IN two WayB.
First-1t compo1s the children Of nomaulstB
to hear thu rradlng Of King James verHioo. and
Tic Jews TO boar the reading Of tho New Tcsta-
| ment. which they do not boliove to 10 the Word
| Of God. Thst is' 1t con,rels the children OF
| Nonan.sts and Jews 10 engage In form OF
worship 10 which they do not hellave.
Ncond-Thcv are taxed for the support Of 4
foem Of worship in which they do not boieye.
and to which they are cou.eens,ously opposed.
| These arc grave matters It ID the glory ot tuis
land that It Eespects tho riehta OF conscience, 1t
IL tho glory Of 1Totostanism that tho consclcnrs
the h1ghost.
Tho speaker referred briefly to tho 1it.eron.
| light in which Db!e.realing was considered BY
Catholics And Ir0tcstauts, tho QUO thinking 1t a
sectarian book. aaa tho other claiming it nj Tho
founlatloa OF all moral law. uo theu proceeded
10 ask:
| II will DO said: "put no Professionals Ars
conscientious too. and wo arc - nix to Que In
tho majority. Which conscience aro .un gong
| to respect. tho majority OF the minority p
| Must tho riRhts Of mlnoritos alouo be con-
| sllteu7 We replY in the tlrst place, not to read
tho 1i!bie to tho children Of tisoau who love tho
Nplo Ia not violation of cuDscsence iu thu
seuso that taxation for thu support Of Il form of
| Worship tllat il not believed IL q violation
| If conscience. protertan.s have right
! "a read and study the uib!e 81 thes reaas. 10
deny that would be to violate cunscionco. but
it cannot be Justly c1anod 4 wrong II conscience
thAs the State does not give Protestaata any
privileges Or Creforence4 in that regard.
| In tho second place, this cannot ho made
question ct pAjoEit,cs or n,suor1los, That kind
| OF argument wonId justify tho Spanish lnqutsi-
ttou. Tbs rsehta af consesase, II they
mean anything, arc mslo to protect
thu .uiuorits, howayer lustguiticant aud
| feeble Indeed to inHtBk on thu