Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-01-20

CAsTINE, Jan. 1876.
Mr.. Editor 1t is true am not a member
of the Normal School here, nor have children
who are, but l am citizen OF the State, and
have not only right, but am bound to speak
out, if others will not, when l see one of the
most important public institutions of the state,
prevented from its legitimate object.
Nor can it partly be objected that bring the
charge Of sectsrisnism in the School, before
the Public, through the public press. The
former is a safe tribunal for all parties and an
appropriate function Of the public press is. to
aid in correcting abuses Of public trusts. The
attempt however has been made 10 have the
wrong supposed to exist, corrected in a more
quiet way. 1t has been suggested both TO the
Superintendent and to the Principal, that it
would be better for the school that its teachers
should not be selected exclusively from Il par
ticular religious class. IL was believed that
by mingling together in the corps of teachers.
the different religious elements, the school Will
be more likely TO be kept free from that denom-
national bias and influence, which is alik, for
hidden by the general public sentiment and by
the law OF the state.
1t is satisfactory that the Principal appear,
before the Public and makes his answer to the
. charge. In one respect, at least, he has greatly
the advantage Of me. lie has personal know +
edge Of the main facts involved in this discuss
Sion. while am obliged TO rely very much
upon information derived from Others. That
knowledge however, imposes upon him the
obligation TO deal with the Public, with entire
ingenuouspess. good faith and directnes-
| He intends. presume, that the Public shall
| take his answer, denial that he ha, allowed
! any undue sectarian influence TO operate in his
management OF the School, but there is lacking
! Il dtrectHeSs OF denial. To the assertion that
he introduces his theological ideas into his pub
( lie prayers in the school, he makes no distinct
I denial.
/ t. ia" statement That hr u>"s in The School
4 manual of Devotional exercises. containing
more or less Of sectarIan matter, mark hi, re-
! ply.--fJr the discussion now centre, about the
/ use Of that manual in the Normsl School.
/ had not seen the work until amer my second
/ article was written. 1t is Brooks Manual and
has been use in the school, | am told. for sew
eral years in the opening morning exercise. the
scholars reading and responding from il in
| concert.
/ The assertion il, that this book contains more
or less Of sectarian matter. What is the Prin-
| cipaf, reply He says, ait is composed OF ex-
tracts from the Bible arranged in daily reading
What does he intend the public shall under
stand from this answer: l. II not. that the book
does not contain more or less OF scctarian mat
ter, and that 1t is composed entirely, or almost
| entirely Of extracts from the Bible:
He must intend that, or else he intends most
grossly 10 eyade the charge.
Let the Manual now speak for itself ON
psge p we ind this sddress. GLORIOUS Jcho-
yah, Father Son and Holy Ghost" On page
-. God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
! three persons and one God" On page 30 we
| find the address IN prayer to God. the Faith
er, Son, and Holy Ghost" and further on we
| find. God the Father We adore Thee Is our
Creator and Preserver. God the Son we praise
aud give thsnk. unto Thee as our Redeemer and
Mediator. God the Holy Ghost. we bless Thee
a. our Instructor, Comforter and Sanetiiier
ON page lbs we have creed to be recited
by the teacher and scholars in concert Il be-
lieyr in one God, the Father, Almighty Maker"
&c. and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only
begotten Son Of God. begotten OF his Father
before all worlds; God Of God, Light OF Light.
very God ,of very God, begotten. not made.
being Of one substance with the Father &c"
and Il beieye in the Holy Ghost, the Lord ard
GiNer Of lie. who proceedeth from the Father
and The SON. who with the Father and Son is
wor>hipped and glorified" &c. On page l29,
Blessed Jesus only begotten Son of the living
God, co-eternal, co-equal and consubstantial
with the Father, we adore Thee as our Lord,
&c. On page 23l, ave praise Thee o God the
Father as our Creator &c. We praise Thee q
God the. son, as our Redeemer. We praise Thee
o God the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifer &c. o
Holy and blessed and glorious Trinity, three
persons ard one God &C.
Thus much for the dogma OF the Trinity.
which we find set forth, with much more like
il, in the book "eomposed Of extracts from
the Bible arranged in daily reddiRgs.'
We proceed 10 another dogma. On page 81.
we read give us o Lord that lively faith by
which We shall see in the suffering, and death
of the Son OF God, full satisfaction Of Offend
ed justice" &c. And again Adorable Savior
a our Passover, Thou vast slain for US, and by
| Thy death hath obtained for us freedom from
Satan's yoke, aud deiirerdnce from the stroke
Of coos drengtng slc0rd, DC.
On page 2l9. I'VE bless Thee that while we
lay under the curse of a broke law, exposed
TO eternal condemnation, our Lord Jesus Christ
by hi. sufferngs and death satisfied divine JUS
tice &c.
On page l59-
His blood atones for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace"
Five bleeding wounds he bears,
Received on Calvary"
They prove efiectual prayers,
They strongly plead for me-
MY God is reconciled.
His pardoning voice hear"
On page ST.
And quenched the Fathers flaming sword
In his own vital floOd."-
Thus much for the dogma Of the atonement
from the book, Composed Of extracts from
the Bible arranged in daily readings"
OF another of the doctrines, we have on page
226, the following:
There is dreadful hell,
And everlasting pains,
There sinners must with devils dwell,
In darkness, fire and chains.'
On page 22s,-"while the wicked shall be
turned into hell, and all the nations that forget
God. where their worm dieth not, and the fire
is not quenched."
The doetrinal material TO be found in this
Manual. is not by any means exhausted, but
it is presumed that sufficient has been quoted
to enable the Public to judge as to its true char
acter and whether or not it contains sectarian
instruction, and whether it is fairly described
when it is said to be composed OF extracts
from the Bible arranged in daily readings"
have already occupied so much space that
it would be weariseme if should undertake
to answer in detail the Principals statement,
and abstain from it the more readily as most
of the matter in it, since the discovery of the
real contents of the Manual, has become COM
paratively unimportsnt The discussion now
naturally antrae aronpd that M.nual