The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-09-04
A Proposition Looking to the Union
Of Church and State.

We ask the attention of all liberty-lov-
ing people to an article, taken from the
Southern Christian Advocate, in which
that paper says: "There is sufficient rea-
'son in these facts to warrant u people
Sin demanding of their Representatives
''in our State Legislature, to use our
."n1oncy in such way asthat it wiU not an
'~.tagonize our influence and II interest
"Gs Christian churches"
From this expression it will be seen
that the State, in his opinion, should be
subordinated to the church, and that The
church should be willing to assume the
duty naturally devolving upon the State
to educate the youth of the country.
This idea, in amilder form, has been adj
vocated for some time by other champi-
ons Of UNCONVENTIONAL education, but
nowhere have we seen such an outspo-
ken opinion expressed. We yield TO no
man in goodwill for UNCONVENTIONAL col
leges, but we think when these institu-
tons of learning shall combine and ask
the State to neglect her imperative and
.bounden duty to the people Of the Com
monwealth, because, forsooth the differ
ont churches are discharging their obli-
cations to the children of the members
. of their own religious faith by giving
them a denominational education, there
Isl glaring inconsistency in the act, or
o1oa fHnra ss q foo rf,1 occ,, ~, rt;pp &C roxr-or
It is, beyond caval, the duty Of the State
to see to the education o fher sons, regard
less of their religious bias, and she is I'M
worthy the name if she, under any pre-
text transfers the labor to others, and
slirks that responsibility. While this is
true ofthc State, it is no less the duty of
the church to educate her children than
to instill into their minds and hearts her
own tenets of religious faith.
The assertion that the State, in the dis
charge of her duty, by establishing a Col
lege for the education of all her sons, ir-
respective of their religious faith, is
surely without merit. On the same
sarernd, these same churches, when
~ kI&K VI 0lHtll 10 III |" MIL ll1C
State CaIlege, may with as much pro-
sFxiety eomb to kill out any one OF
fheir ovya number that they may con-
sniutie TO BE in their way, and the remain.
ling nun1ber may again make a similar
oonbfuation against the next victim
and 20 on urtil there shall be only on
ssfs
assert without any fear o
lion, that it matters not how
many dorsominational colleges we may
hive. they furnish no excuse to the STATE
fox dereaction in this most importan
duty. on the other hand, the Stat'
should learn lessons of wisdom from thu
churches which have shown such com
x3eu5able zeal in this important work
sad x6aonble her energies in this partic-
fifny. The establishment of a denomina'
.tional college, for the purpose of teaching
special articles of religious belief, in nc
way excuses the State from doing hel
duty.
It is not to be denied, that the
combined influence Of the officers
of these UNCONVENTIONAL colleges
has influence in controlling the
Legislation Of the State on this ano
kindred subjects. These, gentlemen
seem to have an exceedingly
tender regard for the pocket of the poor
taxpayer, while they express a willing
ness for the University to be opened
provided it doesn't cost anything. They
have colleges Of their own, you see, and
il makes little difference what becomes
of others who do not want q denomlna
tionaI education. They must either be
stuffed with their w particular denom-
national tenets or go out of the State to
be educated.
When compared with other opponents
Of the University, we can but admire the
open and manly course of the Advoeate,
in speaking his mind in plain and une-
ouivocal English, which may not be mis-
understood, while many have assigned