Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-02-21

y
social Smith in the Legislature, to
withdraw the Bible from all the pub
lie schools and normal schools, and
to prohibit the offering of prayer by
clcrgymen of any denomination in
such schools. or acting in the capacity
of Principals in any public school
whatever, has awakened a feeling
which will not be easily put down.
The re-establishment of the old Con-
necticut blue laws, in Wisconsin,
would be just as consistent as to at
tempt to take away the liberty of
thought, the freedom of speech and
free worship of God-privile3es we
have enjoyed in the west always. A
meeting to protest against such usur-
patton was held at the Sixth street
Congregational church, in Milwaukee,
last week, at which earnest and elo-
quent speeches were made-speeches
with fire in them. We append the
remarks of Mr.. A. V. H. Carpenter,
the Gent Passenger Agt. of the G.
NJ. & St. Paul Railroad which we
take from the Milwaukee Sentinel:
Mr.. A. T.H CARPENTER,
made moving appeal in behalf of the
Bible as it is now used He said:
Il am neither afraid nor ashamed
to call any man friend, because of his
being friendly to my fellow men. So
| address you, one and all, as friends,
and do this the more readily and
heartily because of my earnest sym
pathy with the avowed object of this
meeting. [ come before you as an
American citizen, to discuss this mat
ter on the basis of platform broad
enough and firm enough to uphold
every man, woman and child with an
American heart, and inspired by the
genius of American institutions =
moved by no local interest. sectional
or seetarian feeling, or temporary i'm
pulses.
| think that the state can, with per-
feet safety, have the Bible taught in
the educational nstitutions-more so
than to have taught how to cast in
terGst at twenty-five per cent. on tax
certificates, and how much per cent
more is made in such speculation than
IN loaning money at seven or ten per
cent. l think that it is we'll for our
youth to learn that there is a God and
that this life is not all that there is Of
time; that they are accountable to a
higher law than the statutes of the
state. [ think it we'll fer them to
learn to hate shams as Christ hated
them, and to get true idea Of the best
kind of capital to secure for invest
ment in the celestial sphere, To those
who do not reverence God | have to
say that God can stand it if they can:
but do not believe there is an intel
ligent and sane man in the world who
is devoid of belief in the existence
of supreme being. If there are any
in the state mentioned they are to be
pitied The belief is very nearly uni
versal that
There's Divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough new them as we will"
| therefore claim this outlook toward
a supreme being and the yearning for
higher sphere Of existence essential
and distinguishing qualities raising
man above the brute. l am glad of
the opportunity to appear here in be-
half of the book which underlies all of
our greatness as republic. 1t is hu-
initiating, however, to be obliged to
call meeting in this generation and
at this stage American history to pro-
test against the Punishment of the
Bible from the public institutions of
the nation, and not only that, but to
appeal against the attempt to ostracise
the ministers of this gospel; TO pracsi-
cally disfranchlse them. As an Amer
lean citizen l protest against this act
and the spirit of it. The Bible, which
they are now attempting to iegislate,
has been an important factor in the
progress of the world since the dawn
Of the Christian era. This spirit is
not an American one. 1t was not Gre
ated on American soil. Every presid-
ent from Washington to Hayes, has
taken the oath Of his Office upon this