Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-08-12
A Catholic Bishop in Wheeling
on the Rampage-Public Shoots
Denounced.

|
At the dedication of the st. Alphon
sus School Building, by the Catholic
fraternity in Wheeling, last week
among the ceremonies was an address
by Bishop Kain, extracts from which
may satisfy some of our readers that
the "public school question" is being
pressed very close to home. From the
LatelLgencer of Monday, we clip the
| following portions of the speech:
1t isfor the purpose of conforming
virtue with science that the Catholic
Church is to-day ready to make any
sacrifice to have their children taught
as they desire. 1t is impossible to sep
arate the one from the other. Those
who will make the attempt to cause
such a separation as this will do what
will rejoice the hearts of all the inf
dels in the country. 1 care not what
the newspapers may say. The cry that
has been raised that the Catholics are
warning against the public schools has
been raised in the interests of infideli-
ty. Point me to one single instance
where person has come from a Secu-
lar school better or purer man or
woman. 1t cannot be true thai the
public schools are purely secular insti-
tutions. 1t is not true. You will find
constant illusions in their books which
will
INSULT A CATHOLIC.
Take up their dictionary-the words it
contains would insult even child by
their illusions. Each one OF their
books contains insults to any Catholic.
We are not going to send our children
to such schools. All the religious in
fluences in the public schools tend to-
ward Professionalism, although it may
be in its lowest and most despicable
forms. l have not word 10 say abou t
the Bible in the public schools. God
knows they have little enough religion
now. Let them retain it and try and
instill some little religion into the
minds of their pupils. But we have
yet to learn that the State has the care
of our souls. The public officers have
no business to put in our hands books
which will lead to infidelity, skepti-
cism and paganism. We cannot and
will not allow these men to teach our
children. If the PrOtestants still tax
us to teach their children we will have
to submit, although we are in the ma
jority. Like the people who were per-
secuted in ancient times, we are COM
PEELED to suffer for our conscience sake.
Yet do not be discouraged; we look
ahead for bright and more glorious
future, when our littlo ones may have
an equal chance with the children of
Protestants, and be taught the chris
tian doctrine according to the princi
piles of their parents. Let them 60 on,
but il we have any influence let us
make the public schools something
more than mere
PAGAN INSTITUTIONS.
Let US build such establishments as
these, which are proud monuments of
Catholic faith and Catholic generosity.
You are obliged TO pay taxes to teach
the Protestant children on every dollar
you own, on every piece Of property
you pay revenue. Yet we have to
build our own school houses and are
thus doubly taxed.
Father Stenger, another of the speak
ers, said, the people had been brought
together for the purpose of dedicating
a school building, but what need was
there for it? Therea are palaces for the
education Of children in every ward in
this city. Are you not paying taxes
to build these ward schools, anu pay
the salaries of regiments of teachers?
What need was there for this building
when these palaces were open to your
children? Rather than send our chill
dren to schools where religion is oaly
conducted by the unintelligible reading
ofs
MUTILATED BIBLE,
rather than that the State should be al
lowed to control the minds of our chill
dren-we erect our own costly edifices.
He concluded his remarks by saying
that the
CATHOLICS WOULD FIGHT
for the souls Of their children-those
dear little children which God had
committed to their care. For this rea-
son the new school house had been
erected.