The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-06-11

one ground upon which we crn cons.s,-
ently oppose the demands Of the Ca;ho.
Iic Church upon the school fund. sDl
that IL that education is and should be
strictly secular. and that religion should
not in any point be dependent upon or
subject to the interference of the STATE
To make that fight as Protestanis or a.
sectarians j. weak and illogical. To
attack the Catholic church. a. Mr.. No
ble's resolutions do, by savage charges
and derogatory epilhets. would be ludi-
lcrous II il were not 50 mischevous.
Not content with protest AGAINST ec-
Iclesiastical encroachments upon the free
school system, these rssolutlona de-
nounce the Roman Catholic methods or
obstruction as substituting dogmas sud
traditions for the commandments OF
God IL this discussion were dornes-
tic one, among brethren of one profcs-
sion, II would not come within our pro-
vince TO criticise it. But it is
srREAD ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
by the Associated Press, and If adopted
will be taken more or less as an express.
ion of .he advocates of secular efrra-
Ition. We think the ground taken is a.,-
solutely untenable. The law has no
right 10 inquire how Catholic or PgS.-
esrant instructors manage their own
lprivate or denominational schools. T.
is poisoning the discussion useless to
inquire which creed is right and ',h
wrong. General assemblies of Protest
ants ought TO consider that the advo-
Gates OF secular education are not f. ht-
ling their battle. Catholics ought to be
icatholic enough TO admit that we are not
opposing or even questioning their faith
when We protest against the interfer-
ence of any church with the public
schools. or the interference of anv leg
islation with the subject OF religion or
religious instruction. The public
schools should not be the arena OF anv
Theological discussion whatever. They
should not be the nurseries Of Protest
antism any more than Of Catholicism.
Ii is true that the only aggression thus
far dreaded is from the direction OF the
Catholic Church. There Is snly ona
wav OF meeting it succesefully-b So
strong and unanimous protest on the
part Of the great majority that poliii-
clans will not dare TO curry favor bv
proposing or sustaining the movement
lagainst the public schools. No Protest
Iant sect is strong enough to accomplish
.lthis no combination OF them can effect
il, if il is made TO appear
\ MOVEMENT MERELY AGAINST CATHOLICS.
.lOf all the American ideas whose career
of hundred years we are beginning 10
celebrate, the most clearly successful and
Triumphant is that of the complete ser-
POLARIZATION Of government and eInanrl- :
lpation o. religion. IL has proved wise
land beneiicent in relation TO civil al i.
ministrstion. and il has proved equal,
wise and bencficent in relation 10 reli-
lgion. There j. not cabinet in karo, o
but enyies our government IN iiS free
dom from eccle ,iasiical EN- nbarfassmcni,.
There is not an established church in The.
world but envies The independence its
lbreibren enjoy in America. OF all
churches, the Catholic owes most to ihi ,
! freedom from legislative eniangiements.
! (which has given it tranquility here.
+, when every where else IL Is in conflict
and turmoil. A firm and unsectarian
Opposition 10 any ecclesiastical raid up
on the school fund would doubtless pe
+ eilectual 10 warn the sagacious leaders
of that church to dcsist from plan
which might lead to great disasicrs.
But nothing will be gained BY ssssiins
their creed or their worship with Bit
tcrness and intolerance. All Protestant
bodies should remember that the qur~
tion is not between Catholics AMI Pto,-
estantS but between the advocates ..
secular and ecclesiastical education.