, 1876-01-16

| EUUta4xucs.
On Monday last we published an essay b
the Rev. S. ". DuFF1E1D, pastor of til
Eighth Presbyterian Church in this city
entitled " Christianity in Educaion." Ih
main point Of 3lr. DuFr1E1D's address va
that the reading'of the King JAMES versio,
Of the Bible in, the public schools should b.
| required and enforced by law in this country
3ir. DuFFHLD Is one Of those positive aut
logical preachers who neither shrink from
the necessary conclusions Of their thesis no1
seek to slur them over with equivocal phrases.
Ee is, to that extent, entitled to the respect
Of adversaries as well as adhercnts, and we
award him ours before we proceed to ex-
anime the somewhat startling climax with
which he brings his essay to close.
There are two principal versions of the
Bible in use in this country. They ara
known cs the King JAMES md the Dousy
translate ons, the former used by nearly all
the Protestant sects and the inter by all the
Roman Catholics. There is still another
version nsed by the Jews, which excludes the
New Testament md embraces some books
not esteemed canonical by Christians. There
is o fourth version brought out at considern-
bic labor and expense By the Baptist denomi-
nation, which has not yet come into general
use even among Baptists. There is still an
other version in course Of preparation by
some learned divines Of the Church of En-
gland, assisted by American and German
theologians, which, it is anticipated, will event.
ua1ly supersede the King JAMES version. It
is fair to presume that the Rev, 1Ir. DurF1ELD
has no objection to any Protestant version of
the Bible now existing, or that may hereafter
be produced. His point liesagainst the Cath
olic Bible, the jewish Bible. and the no-Bib!e
class of the community. The Catholics, on
the other hand, insist not merely that the
Douay Bible shall be read in the education of
Catholic children, but that it shall be ex-
pounded bJ IN authorized instructor, who has
received irvestitura in the due course of
apostolic succession. The Jews are satisfied
o give their children the necessary religious |
raining at home, but they object to train |
ng provided at public expense, which
S contrary to their ideas Of truth. A
arge portion Of the community, embracing
'ersons of no religious bias, together with
many Protestants and some Catholics; hold
mt it is better to disconnect religious teach I
ng from the public-school sys TEN altogether
han to leopard the schools by division OF
be funds collected for their support, or by
liter and prolonged controversy over the
ubject; also. that such plan is more in har-
'ony with our system of government
Mr. DUrFE1D enters the lists against heavy
dds, having for his opponents not merely all
ae Catholics, Jews, and " inidels," but
rge number Of Protestants, including many
of eminence. After stating his
'gument, he 1ecites six conclusions, all of
hich, however, find their concise and def
tie expression in the following:
Rom=nism, intldelity, et:, bsing enemies of civil
stion, should be put down and KEEP: down, and the
n who allows them the rights with truth holds
1sh very cheapls. ,
1t is quite safe to say that this sentiment is I
It likely to become dangerously popular. It t
doctrine commonly attributed to the .
'pe OF Rome and the Jesuit confraternity,
i'll the slight change OF the word Protest r
'us1n Tor the word Romanism in the text. t
IS doctrine which could not be enforced r
thus country without bloodshed and every i
ecies Of social anarchy. The first traus- n
'of ot the Bible iato the English language L