The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-31
The BibIe In the Public Schools.
WEST LIBERTY, w. VA.

| Editors of the Register:
Since there is being so mnch said BY
| various writers, both In the secular and
| religious prints, as to the propriety and
advantage of reading or not reading the
Bible in the public schools, have few
words that l should like to say to youl
readers upon this subject
In this paper l shall use the worc
Estate" in the broad sense OF secular
! mower. and the word "Church" in the
sense. of the spiritual or ecclesiastical
| power.
Now. whether the State should under
take To educate the children Thereof
| or not, is a question that i will not now
| argue, for it seems quite well settled gen.
erally in this country, and in Europe
that she should, but l will say that there
| are with many serious doubts upon TINS
subject. If, however, the State has the
RIGHT to educate her children, she has the
right to give them such an education as
will make the best of citizens. But t6
make the best of cities, the children and
youth must be taught morality as well
va the common rudiments of mental drill
Man is composed of soul, body and
spirit, and no State can AFFORD to
overlook the demands OF the moral ma
ture of man. And since principles I'M
planted early in life are more lasting
than those embraced in any other age, 1t
follows. methinks, that in early childhood
pure morality should be so indelioly I'M
pressed upon all persons as to make II
mart of their very nature. The proper
treatment of their fellows in all kind
illness; proper respect for the rignts OF
each other in the family, the school,, the
church and the State; respect for parents
teachers, superiors IN church and State,
persons of age, and all that are In
authority, should be early and constantly
incalcated in the training OF our children
and youth. Promp obedience to parents
and all IN authority, in school, in church
and in State, should be from earies'
childhood enforced, or the person Is very
ant To become lawless citizen and give
trouble to the State Children and youth
sbould therefore, for their own safety and
the general good of society, be com
nailed TO obedience, If it will not
| hs rendered without such compuision
! Rdt for State to enforce these duties
unon her citizens, without using mere
bru,e force, she must have the sanction
| of higher power and higher law. WIN
ont this sanction, no oath, either OF othce
or allegiance to the government Is OF any
nae whatever, There must be then, foi
the good of the State, a recognized 1oo
who rewards or Furnishes men IN the iu'
ture according to their actions. Inns
| f.ct all. even heather nations, recognize,
Children and youth should be early and
etfectuslly taught that there Is doo
who will punish the disobedient' tnt
wicked, the lawless, the trsnsgressor; ane
that those who do right in every respec
shall be blessed.
Now. since this morality and this rec
ocnition OF "A higher power than that o
the State are necessary to the making o
GOOD citizens, the question that l s1om'
to the statesman, the philanthrophist' tn'
pstrio, and the Christian is, How can I'M
State best do this work, if she undertake
the education of the children? Can sh'
accomplish this work better by expeihae
the Bible from the public schools, or o!
having it read there, and its divlpe 'eacn
ing enforced upon the conscience ah'
heart of the rising generation. :,
In this country the Bible is genersll!
recognized as contsiaing the highest an'
purest morality and the most direct ant
positive evidences OF God and ms re..'
butive justice of any other book IN Tn
Eaglis6 tongue, aRd should the State ig
more its claims in this department o
training, she will be compelled, for ne
own protection, to have something .. =.
these important subjects. and hence SUI
will, in rejection Of the Biole.the oes'.
be compelled to accept something else Y