The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-01-26
THE BIBLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

THE BIBLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The following catholic and con-
sentative views on 8 subject that is
bei4g tried to be forced into the ap>
preaching Presidential election, are
the expressions of a minister of one
Of the Protestant denominations of
East Tennessee, as noted for his
pulpit fervor as he is loved for hi
moral virtues and his learning. We
commend its perusal to our readers
To the Editor OF the Morristown Gazette:
We are upon the eve of a great
national conflict. All the elements
possible will be brought into the
next Presidential election. Party
leaders will not stop to enquire what
is right, bat the leading question in
their minds will be, "what is ex-
pedient or POPULAR
The honest masses of the people
in America favor two things: liberal
education and freedom in religion.
Politicians, knowing this, are willing
to commit a great wrong in order
that party purposes may be SUBJ
served. Both subjects, the church
and education, are intimately con-
nected, and both are absolutely
necessary to the well being of socie-
ty. No political principle is more
fully established in America than
this. All men shall be left free to
worship God as they please, so long
as this freedom does not interfere
with the rights of others. The great
difficulty in the way is. denomiEa-
ton becomes so earnest in the pro-
pagation Of its peculiar dogma, that
members thereof conclude that every
thing radically opposed to their
views is necessarily wrong. Hence
a disposition for different denomina-
tions to strive for the control OF the
public schools of different grades in
the country. and feeling that their
peculiar views should have weight.
Right here we End q difficulty in
keeping proper distinction between
education by the State and the es-
tablishment of State religion.
The war about the Bible in the
common schools is all wrong. It
ought to be left out of all laws in
reference to public schools. If we
must have law enforcing the read
ing of the Bible in schools, l would
much prefer that we had no public
schools; and most certainly would
l fight with more ear1estness than
anything else an exclusion of the
Word of God from the schools.
To my mind. this whole subject
brings up intermidable difficulties.
President Grant knew how thor
oughly Protestant are the large ma
jority Of the American people. He
also knew the Catholics had, in New
York and other places. secured adj
vantages by manipulating unprinci-
pied Legislators. Hence, he sound
ed that note at Des Moines for
purpose. AS much as / oppose
Catholicism, and would fight against
what honestly regard a most big
gotted and tyrannieal power. would
not engage in that by prescription
and persecution. / would prefer to
see the system of public schools, in
every State, abolished rather than
see on the statute book of a State,
or nation that would favor one de-
nomination of christians or religion
lists above another. All genuine
christianity wants is to be left free
to combat with error. II our public
schools become partisan or sectarian
every denomination becomes weak
ened for good which has anything
to do with them.
Whilst / have said this much, !
would not be understood, as in any
way, casting an imputation upon
the power of christianity. | believe
the christianity of the Bible is about
all the good we have. But let it
stand upon its merits. Our law
makers sometimes act very foolishly. |
They would sometimes labor so as
to separate church and |
State as to become proscriptive. We |
have a constitutional provision in
our own State that proscribes every |
of the gospel. 1t is dis
grace TO our civilization and savors
Of prescription to such an extent
that every intelligent man ought to
be ashamed of it. x.