Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-01-19
Sect8rian Views.

At a meeting of the Philadelphia confer
ence of Baptist ministers, held last Monday,
the subject of ''The State. the School and the
Church-their relation to each other" was
discussed.
Rev. w. R. Mcneil said the public schools
should be Invested of all s~ectarian influence.
He believed the State was bouHd to give her
citizens knowledge sufficient to enable them TO
discharge their duties. A man may perform
the duties required by the State without re-
ligion. He did not see what great harm there
would be in removing the Bible from the pub
lie schools if any one demanded it. If We teach
religion in State institutions. what becomes of
the boosted principle of the complete sever
ance of Church aud State2 He did not be-
lieve the Catholic leaders to-day desired the
Bible removed from the public schools. The
public schools should be made what they are
Intended to Constitution of the State.
Rev. DR.. 6. Dana Boardman said it was d
very serious question, the one under discussion.
lie did not think they should insist upon the
reading of the Bible 10 the public schools
first, because he was a Baptist, and in the next
place because he was a Christian. He believed
they were drifting back to the old idea of
parochial schools.
At a meeting Of the Baptist Pastors Asso-
citation of New York. held. last Monday, the
following resolution was introduced, but was
NOT acted upon definitely:
Resolved. That this Conference insists that
Gospel baptism is a necessary qualification tor
the Supper, aud discards communion at the
81. -, - - ,k, r,op,harc WI r. fhoco mho do
not possess this qualification as being in direct
conflict with the union of aim and action"
among pastors ADD churches defined by its con-
~sttution as the primary object OF this Confer
ence, and is calculated to destroy its harmony
and impair its usefulness.
At a meeting of the Methodist Preachers
Society Of New York, held tho same day, the
following resolutions were introduced, but
pending their discussion the meeting ad-
journed:
|. That the law of May Is, 1875, commonly
known as the Gray Nuns act" is useless
and unnecessary enactment; and that as such,
and for the reasons that it is invidlous, illegal
and mischlevous, it ought to be Immediately
abrogated aud that We respectfully request
the Legislature of the State OF New York to
repeal it during the present session, as soon as
they may find 1t practicable.
2. That the provisions or the CONSTITUTION Vi
the State of New York, and all enactments of
the Legislature of the State of New York, rel
alive to the public schools aud to charitable or
rcformatory institutions sustained by public
moneys or by funds derived from taxation,
should expressly and unequivocally prohibit all
ecclesiastical interference with such public
schools or with such charitable or retormatory
institutions and that they should no less ex
pressly and unequivocally prohibit the appro-
~priation Of public moneys or funds derived
from taxation by the State, or by any county.
city, town or village, to the aid of any scotia
rian institution or of any private undertaking,
10 any Way, shape or manner.
8. That an amendment to the constitution OF
the United States, covering the ground of de-
monstrated necessity, is expedient and de-
sirable.
4. That the Legislature of the State of New
York be respectfully petltloned to so modify
the enactment of April "a, 1875, as to re-es-
tablish the Children's Nursery on Randall's
Island, under conditions that will insure greater
efficiency, and 10 provide against the evils of
in~discriniDstely herding children and adults 10
the county p%oorhouses, in such manner as will
not conflict with the spirit and intent OF the
late constitutional amendment prohibiting Sec
tartan appropriations.