, 1876-09-25
THE BIBLE.
Shall the Sacred Volume Be
Used in the Public
Schools
An Able Argument in the Negative
by the Rev. W. W. Pat
ton, D. D.
Compulsory Religion Clearly in
Violation Of the Constitu-
tion and the Law.
AL Crcet1s Have an Equal In
tcrest In Our Common
School System.
And No Dogma Should Be En-
forced for the Benefit OF One
Exclusive Sect.
Historical, Legal, Political, and Relig.
tous Reasons for School SEQ.
ularization.

The Affirmative Once More Urged by
the Rev. Jauez Maolaugh1a1,.
There vas large attendance ut Farwclt Hall
yesterday TO listen to the address Of tho Rev.
W. ". Patton, D. D., on tho subject OF tho
"Diblo IN tho schoo1s." There wcre at least
1000 people present, and, during the discourse,
tly applause was frequent and hearty.
Tho Doctor took Tor Ills text tllu "Blble In
the sclloole,' aud spoke Us fo1lows:
l. Is not surprising TINT thore should be
fna,;. nnyersal Interest," and ut t!rnes, an inense
lgious exercises In the public schools On tho
one hand, there las always becn in this country
2 strong popular sentiment IN fasor Of tto
Christsan Protestant religion, while during our
carly history there was a union Ut Church aud
State. The custom therefore naturally obtained
Of providing for the religious instruction Of
adults mud Of youth at public expense; and thus
exercises Of worslip were introduced into the
has continued in ma1,y parts Of tho l4nd to
the present time; and an attempt to ct,ango
It intcrferes ut onco with conserva-
tive tendencies and With :, religious
hand, VIC lave NOW been living for . century
under National Constitution forGidding any
"rcltcfous test y for office, as also tho "estali-
llssinent Of rel1Eton;h and to this provision tho
se,, several STATE const'tut!ons h9vs, in nearly
thesa fundamental laws OF tho land Is mention
made VI Professionalism or Of Christianity. Mcan-
while tho population, once nearly homogeneous
in t1uc aud III religious faitls, has heconlc, ~
Immigration anu BY changes Of opinion, widely
heterogeneous. THIS occasions difference Of
Judgment aud q collision Of conscientious con-
yiesions as to tho use Of religious exercises In
schools which are supported in common BY those
!at, Christian, JcwIah ind Rat!onalistfe.
1t Is difficult to sccuru calm, Wise, md un-
prciuulccd discussion Of question which In
wolves religious element Of dispute. And this
Ia for no reason dlsllanoruh!e to rnligion. It is
because religion Ia Of transccndent importance
tllnt men cherish cNrnestly md defend stotitly
tlicr convictions With respect to It, md watch
with graycsusplciosl whateEcr appears to 1nlltato
against It's interests i feel, therefore, gem
hearted Protestant Christians who hayo been
seriously disturbed by changes, accomplished or
proposed, which rule cut religious exercises
IRON, thy public schools, Including the reading
at this day, indefenstble; hut their zeal ts
natural md honorable, their motives arc psnIse-
worthy, and tlsclr lndlgIatlon is comprehensive,
II nut quite 1ustila1le. There Is reason also tu
aud tile facts and tho underlying PRINCIPLES
sliall be nude manifest, they viii eventually be
satisfied that eccular schools should alo1lo DO
supported BY tho State, aud tint by such an mr.
rai5eil'ent t, no tussit Is implied, and no harm
That WI u,ay approach tbs subject with minds
cleared uf the confusion In which many seem to
be involved, let US notre sumo things which are
often supposed to be at tssuo in this contro-
yrrsy, but which really arc not SO:
L. Let II t'o understood tfiat tllls Is not Qucs-
tion as 10 TIC religious value md inspiration. Ut
the Bible. 'flcte arc good 1euplc who inaaginc
tllat nh unfayorubte opinion IL to bu cxprcssell,
or ut least Implied, and damaging decision
question wlscthur thu Bible IL indeed tho Word
0f Gul. No such Issue IL Involved. Many OF
those who ndyoeatu purely SECULAR schools are
firm believers IN thy divine authority Of tho
board Ut Education Which should reflect In my
manner upon the character af the Dible. But
they see with regtct, that thrlr own taitl IN tic
Diblu is nut stased by al' who arv compelled by
It DOES nut belong to Hoarsl of Education to
decide this question, ono way Or the other; TINT
1t ia no function Of tho civl State to determine
which Ia tho tro religion, nnI what profcsscdly
decide officially Tor the Billie, by ordering It
into tho schools as Gods Word, thcy would hive
thu equal official right, on smil4r oceason, to
publish to tho pcUple q declaration that
+ was saa h"n, b. sssesed W -, rs tar Sas oin %9
llehcs, It Is pTotoeed ttMt tho Bible shall sim
ply ,e left unused a. Religious authority In the
sglnnls; nu official action befhi, thus had u.s.
sorting u implying ui1y op!n!uu as to its char
aster. To withdraw II, not o1i thu ground tllat
it Is uniEsptrct, hut ber:s'lse 1t ia out Of The
PROVINCE u ylyii government to decide whether
IL Ii ~ nr not, ulEers III insult to tic Bible II
nnIy Insists III preserving the distinction be-
tween tle province Of Church and state, aud un
not allowing the State 10 deci1u clearly rrlig-
ious question. To represent this Official oct as
MI insult to the Bible, berauBe tho private mo-
tiyes OF individuals inay In somo c,.acs be u1l-
friendly to Christianity, Is untrue md unwlse. II
il utruc, because II fils to state the real prinet-
plvlnyu!yc; 1t is most unwtsc because It Eratui-
tonsly manufactures IN Insult, and insists on
giving It c.lrrelcy, through, sermons and news.
t,n,.Ts. tn tlln injury M the rnuutation 1T rr-