Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1876-01-27
From All article in Seribner's Monthly for Feb
ruary, by DR.. J. g. Holland, we extract the fol

DR. Holland ON the school Quettl0ms
From al article in Seribner's Monthly for Feb
ruary, by DR.. J. G. Holland, we extract the fol-
lowing =
Practically, the gnat question which the Pres
ident has presented to the American people con-
Germs the Protestant far more than it does the
Catholic. II such An amendment to the Conatitu.
ton ~ he proposes should be effected in all its
Details the Catholic will gain al that was ever in
his power to gain for his church from constitu.
tionai provision or legislative action, viz, the
exclusion of the Bible from the public schools.
The scheme for division Of the public funds
was never practicAble-was never even possible.
It is not likely to be possible. constitutional
provision which would make 1t impossible in law
would not change the actual status Of the mat
ter, 80 that the provision would leave the Catho-
lie Just exactly where he stands to-day, and
where he will be likely to stand In this country
until the end of time.
And yet it is undoubtedly true that, so long
schools, not only the Catholic, but all unbeliev-
ers in the Bible, will have = reason for COM
planning that the public funds are used to teach
their children religion which they do not be-
lieve in. What shall we do about it 2-we whose
reverence for the Bible was imbibed with the
milk of our Christian mothern-women who
cherished the Book ~ the sweet, wholesome,
veritable Word Of tho Great God2 1t will be
hard for us to say that it must go out Of the
schools. Well, would We be willing to see the Do
nay Bible put in its place? No? why not 2 Are
we willing to force our version upon the Catho-
| lies when we would not submit to have
their version forced upon us? Would we care
to have only 30 much Of the Bible in the schools
as the Jew would accept2 Mop Then what
right have we to force upon the Jew that part
of our Bible which he will ut accept?
For ourselves, We must confess to change OF
| convictions upon this matter. 1t has not been
arrived at hastily. We have been long and
openly upon the other side. In regard to the
desirableness Of the Bible in the public schools,
we have no question now. We never did advo-
cate it's presence there, Save for the divine in
fueuce Of its Christian moralites We never
did suppose that the State should teach religion.
We have no union of church and State in this
country, and we do not believe in it anywhere.
Only as a matter Of wise policy, and on purely
moral grounds, have We ever advocated the
presence OF the Bible in the schools As the
record OF system Of religion which it Was the
policy OF the State to force upon, or even re-
commend to- the children Of the nation, WI
have not believed in Its presence there
That the State would be better with til,
in all the schools, We do not think admits OF |
, question; but that ia not the point 1t issue. Th'
point At issue is whether the Protestant versiol
Of the Bible, ~ the record of the Christian re
!;.ion, shall be forced upon the children Of tn
: 6at. by the State, when the State Is full Of dis
a sentien.s in great variety. We very atrongl
: suspect that we, who have hitherto been the I'd
vocstes Of the Bible in the schools, are weak /
this point, A00 LnRt We euAll Uo OON&0u TO ylol
q it. II We teach our form Of religion in our pull
n lie schools, the Catholic will wish TO teach hi
!. form Of religion In his schools, an
r to do 1t with the public money, th
a same ~ We do. Can we blame him, and @
. we resist his claim 30 long ~ We maintain o,
|. own? II we are going into An sction, 1t il We
!, to clear our decks.
"a But we are not going TO have much Of . stru
# gle on these questions il We settie them now.
h. we do away with the grievance Of the Catholi
" We do away with his claim; and we mark ont I
m Catholic and Protestant alike the path Of pea
" to walk In side by side. 1t seems to that &
II Presidents recopmendationsA are not only wort
NJ of the universal consideration which they are
10 ceiving, but that they arc destined, sooner
r. try. Tho children will be educated by the Sta
I'M the churches will look after their religious ira
ea ing; but neither Christianity nor inhdelity,
"a. any form, will bo inculcated at the expense
ca the State. Tho President has taken brc
ground, and that which seems 70 Us to be emit
defensible. Let N stand BY him.