, 1876-09-25

That thta latter step was not long slncc taken
throughout tho land, u owing to tho fact that
u Is only recently that tho Religious liscrgcnces
Ger thfs aapect of tho school question serious:
For the application Of even the clcarest political
principles is usually gradual, and awaits tho
presentation of practical cases as they i!istosi.
clylf neutrality a. 10 religious faiths and The law
allows the CtlrlstIan church, Tho Jewish syna-
Eoguc, the Chinese tosa-t1onse. and the Ratlon-
ast or HpIrftnallas lccturo'lal TO stand aldo hy
s!de, Wien tho children which Worslip In
the week foi school duties, lilo question ii,
whether exercises OF worship peculiar TO one
class shall DO provided by law fur all classes,
s n s nSss BY tax
stuu1 he rcturnr,l By Intelligent .iner, familiar
with the principles of rcllgious liberty and with
tho genius Of American inst!tutlons IL indeed
surprising, aud cannot bc y plgnolne''ot' oflnng
continuance. after calm dtscuks(0n las been lad
and time has tnHllfctl religious prejudice.
Fur. consider the lctual relation of the read.
lug of the Bible to the various classes which
compose the population Of such rity us This,
llglout belief. Let 1t t!c SUPPOSED that tho
teacher Ii required to rcal pnstion Of tt,e COM
1nonly.reccfycl Englfah versi1n Of ths bl1r as
the opening cxrrcase of worship and religious
variety, German, French, Or native American,
calling limaelf DeIst, HpfrttunlIst. pnsitiv!st,
Matcrlaltst, or whatever you please, yet u tax
paying citizen, steps foF,surd and protests that
children By orlcr Of tho nnarl of Education
as a'l authority in religion In which Us an nl-
thority hg has no faith, however much he may
admire the 1nora1ity OF certain parts and the
objects that the public schools Of tfse statc ore
not the placv to decide stlctl question, which
Is purely religious; and that no Board Of E1u-
s4tloh llas right to use school which
port 70 tcll liz Children ti,at tlch}r h
fsthcr's religious opinions arc erroneous
Next the jew pruscnts himself, urging that hts
children ~, also attend the school, aud that he II
s Sear ebFe s IA. no rs e
purposes u worship and religious instruction,
except that It seems 10 bu beyond thu province
q tic. Statc to attend to that business but
the vDlNtnc actually read has what Is called \
New Testament bound up in'it which teaches
doctrines abllorrent to lliul, and which he DOES
not Wish hs children to hear. Nor Is he willing
tlat they shall join in repeating what is termed
the "Lords i'rayrr," l,ce1luac that Is requiring
them to recognize Jesus, it, author, as 'thc
IIgIous faith.
Then CONES. IN like manner, the Roman Cath.
ole, md makes tl,rccfold objection to tho usc
complains, first. that tho translation was made
under. Protestant auspices; TINT It differs In
some important respects frnIn thu one which is
approved by his Church. and that It's use has
SSSaldisas"hs Sads fsse iact s'aSss sesss ss @ ts ts
srriptual books, called collectively "The
ApSsryKs, ..pa K',, ,, anq yet ~, l. ,., labeled !
thus giving his children false impression, nud
contradlcttng tM teachings Of his Church.
And, oncc more, he urgts that, even II tttTe
Herp not these objections, and II tho text of
hn own version were adopted, there Is still the
4I&n hal try1u
did Tho New England pueitans, ;lsat the Bible
should he cxJ0uudcd, when It is read, tu pre-
vent orrur ny tn it, tneautng and application; !;
a,l that, consequently, hlS DDuaY version con
with the text.
There does not seem to be anything unreason-
ahio IN these protests, from tic poiHt IT virw
of tho respective. persotls. They stand OIL 4
and taxpayers; aud, wl,llc they have no right
to claim That tllcir peculiar religious views shall
be taught IN tue schools they mnv surely claim
that thctr views shall not br cun:ral!etcl a,ml
be impartial, which It cau only ba by ignoring
the wholc subject, rs out oi Its proper PROV
tncc. Should II be proposed by sumo Jealous
christian merchant to open the Hnarl OF Trale,
!sl sa;l, ay With b@os-remtl'ng, @ he would bs met
a!lcgc the excellence OF the Scriptures, In gen
erAl, antt grow eloquent over THAR peculiar
alaptcdness to prptert busuess men aga!ilst
the temptations Of trade. lie would bo rcninl-
cd thut thu board Of Trade was not Church !;
that religion was not Its province; nni that tho
members were Of widely different faiths. Nor
would tile tnrrlts OF tho case bc changcd II II
were question OF dlssonttnutnE Wble-rcad-
fng which hail bren Instituted many years bc-
fore, when tile city wls amall, at1 tic early set
tiers were earnest religious men Of one faith.
WI might rcgrct tho Change which had oc-
Cured, but WI coGth not shut our Eyes To The
FACT or deny the truth Ut tho old adage, "Cir-
rtttOStHfirpA h1ttkr tNAka.H u IT, N.,nl1I ha IN
insult to tho BIblc to offer resolution" that,
III ylew of tho purify. secular objects nf tic
Daarl Of Trade, and thu difference Of religious
opinions which now exist iu the business co,.,-
ing Ut It's sessions should bc discont!n-
ueu. Every Christian mcntrr Of the
Gsar.i might consistently v9t: for i, even
through old associations and his iuyisilua! re-
lett by members OF School Committees In New
England when thoy first voted To discontinue
the teaching Of tho catechIsn In tbs common
tho ptoprlcty Ut tLe MT. Religion can never ho
tho galner by Any infringement Of liberty a,lI
Justice. The result Of that invariably Is TO pro-
voic strife, to. create bitterness, to lca'l ~
Identify religion In the minds Of opposers with
higUtry and oppression. In tic end, the friends
Ut religion will bu compelled to back down from
their lntcnanlo position, and will oscupy thu
unHtsIlAu4o ALtltAut VI EEaHllllE btfElil unuGF
| compilation, what they SHOULD havo conceded
voluntarily In tAo recognition Of tue equal rights
OF others.
Mnny do not seem ablo to resist tho tempta-
tlon to act upon l. dangerous prsnvlple II t!icru-
by they caIu gain an aprarcnt good. In tho e.lsc
bafore US they d. not see the mischief
as,u peril Of admitting that tho ctyll
State may decide which Is the true religion, aud
that BoarI ot E,luratlon lnay determine what
book is inspired OF tind ard IL to ho reau Us Of
dlyIl.e authority. Tie oyil Is ~ real, in cer-
taln View II their .lccsian ly rlsht vi II 1t wsro
wrong, far vicious principle sas been sanctioned,
Which, on another oeyasldn, may bs used tn al-
proys Of error. Nothing Is nsedcI IN tl,us cuss
hut ciange In the iuu,bershtpof the 3.,ar,l to
,uaks direct religious decisions most oonoxs',,s
to Professionals, OF tn nll who call themselves
Christians. The only safu principle Is to tuku
thu wllule subject OF religion out of tue publ.
erho9ls, and remit 1t to tha Church aud tue
family.
''Dlt," some llreply, that .'thematoElty con-
science must rule an!l TUG minority conscience
eyerybosly, this ts the unly republican way OF
settfing .lsfates." THIS Is plausible hut
r.,},Iuf3rn1 ''rlIH ru11 0F fh, h(nr{tp nrnnu