Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-02-23

sisted in tho treatment Of tho school
The reading Of the Bible in
the Public Schools was declared 10 be-
a asubject which is crowdlng itself upon
tho attention of tho people, and the,
consideration Of which could not be-
evadcd. II must be met, said the lee
turer, and that, too, at an carly day.
The matter for oil persons to deter
mine was, how shall this question be
decided? In the opinion Of Professor
Reid the issue must be determined in
one Of three ways--as follows
1. Compel oil citizens and persons Of
all religions, Protestant, Catholic and
jew, TO pay taxes for the support of
common schools, and continue the read
ing of the Bible therein.
10 this tho lecturer was unqualified
ly opposed, for the following reasons
1t would be violative Of tho spirit Of
our Republican institutions, under
which all religions are equally protect
cd, and those protesting one ought not
be compelled to pay taxes for the sup
port of another--it would be trying a
portion of the people who maintain
their own schools, because n version Of
the Bible, to which they cannot con
scientiously assent, is used in the pub
lie schools-and II would be compelling
one class OF citizens to violate their rc
ligious convictions, because a greater
number declared It should be so. In
no country, said the lecturer, in which
Church and State, could such stat,
Of things exist.
2 Divide the school fund and ap
prcPriate to each and every religious
sect due proportion.
And here again the avowed opposi
ton ofsprof. Reid was unequivocal, al
such a project would tear up by tb,
roots every vestlgc of our glorious
Common School system. No othel
plan for its destruction could be mort
effective than this.
3. Discontinue the reading of the
Biblc'in the schools.
Here, the lecturer believed, was tho
true solution OF the problem--upor
this proposition all might consistently
and conscientiously unite. Our schoo
system is, and was designed to be, sec
ular in its character, neither Protest
ant or Catholic, neither Jew or Greek
1t is system of literary and scientific
and physical education, acceptable t
persons of all religious beliefs, and yeI
indissolubly connected with the mora
culture which is incidental to our form
of government. 10 discontinue tn,
routine and unimpressible reading o
the Bible in the schools, as II is won
to be practised, can inhict no injury
upon professionalism or true evangelical
christianity. II there be n superiority
in professionalism and protestant educa
ton, over all other forms of religion
and systems Of education, as the speak
cr most firmly believed there was, thcr
would it not be the wiser and the NOR,
effective plan to remove the "bone o
contention, probably at best imagina
ry on both sides, and let all the chill
dren of the land both jew and Gen
tile, "Scythian, bond and free" higl
and low, rich and poor, be brought 10
gethcr to receive instruction under on,
grand, universal system, and thus be
come equal partakersofits enlighteninl
and moralizing advantages. On thi
proposition the arguments Of Prof
Reid were very forcible, and We thinl
the conclusion of the syllogism had I
telling effect upon not a few Of hi
hearers. We, as Americans, by ever,
acknowledged principle of civil gov
crnment, may enforce the maintenance
Of scculor school system, but w
may not dare attempt the enforcement
Of one religion upon the conscienccs o
others. The home circle, the Sabbatl
school and the church are the propc
places for imparting religious instruc
ton TO children.