The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-31

count, while in others it is Of pre-eminent
Importance.
For example, history of England and
Scotland, however brief for school pur-
poses, would be worthless unless it treats
Of the Reformation, the Church of Eng
land, Puritanism, Presbyterianism, and
allied subjects, involving the whole course
of British government and law No Pres
byterian can expect his children to re-
gard his church as he regards it unless he
is taught history with clear view of the
grandeur of the position Of the Church
Of Scotland in the trying days out of
which it emerged strong and triumphant.
But it cannot be expected that any his
tory except a Presbyterian history will
teach this as he desires and demands.
So very few, if any, Episcopalans would
be content with the history which teaches
that the Church of England is a new
church, born out of the marriage troubles
Of Henry VIII. There are many his
tories of England which no Congrega-
tionalists who think it best for their chill
dren to grow up in the church Of their
fathers can place in the hands of their
children and say, Judge the Church Of
the Puritans by this true history"
In short, it may be said, without fear
of any intelligent denial, that to bring up
a child to be Congregationalst he must
be taught history from Congregations
lists point of view, to be Presbyterian
he must be taught Presbyterian history,
to be an EpiscopaHan he must be taught
Episcopalian history. If all disputed
church subjects are left out of the history
the teaching is not worth having is
worse than worthless, for it must be false.
But there is broader view than this
to be considered. If it is desired by pa
rents to bring up children with any reli-
gion, is'it possible to do this when for
six days they are taught (' educated " is
the word now in all the sciences with
religion excluded? Is it seriously be-
ieved that an hour or two Of Sunday
School will undo the effect of six days of
science without God? Do religious peo-
pie ever as k whether their children learn
in school that the Bible history of the
world is not fully to be believed, that the
world was not created but grew, that
Adam is like Greek hero a myth and
man was developed, not made; that
plants, beasts, human beings, are only so
many marks Of degrees in the progress
sion Of matter governed by innate charac-
teristics and guided by innate principle
Of selection with which no God or super
natural power has any concern?
Our question is not whether the theo-
ries Of this sort of science are true. We
only ask whether New England and New
York Christian people wish their chill
dren to be taught this as truth? If they
do not, then how else can they be taught
the history Of matter = tAnRtory Of
man? If you leave out Of their educa-
ton all religious instruction, what can be
taught except that view of science which
ignores the existence of God?
The complaint is frequently heard that
the influence of modern irre}igious science
seems to be spreading and the church to
be losing its hold on the people. 1t is a
question for those who think religion a
positive good, how much of this wide
spread infdelity is due to what is called
secular education. Are not the minds of
children efectually opened to receive
any and every wide theory of modern
science by an Education which has
sedulously excluded religion? Is it not
possible that empty churches and
public neglect of religious observances are
in some measure the result Of this sort of
instruction Of the late rising generation,
now in adult years?
We do not know any Christian Church
Of any denomination which does not claim
and more or less assert theright and duty
of the church to watch over the religious
education of the children of the church.
In some churches the baptized infant be-
comes by that rite member of the
church, subject to it's discipline. We
once heard an eminent Presbyterian di-
vine teach from his pulpit that when
parents neglected to punish erring chill
dren it was the duty Of the church by its
officers to administer proper discipline
In former times parochial schools were
esteemed as highly important part of a
working church system. Some churches
have such schools Many of the clergy
and laity Of various denominations desire
to establish them. ARoman Catholic pre-
late in Boston has aroused attention to
the subject by recommending the estab-
lishment of such schools, and the asser-
ton of the church's right to educate its
children by requiring parents to send
them to the parochial school. Some ar
dent admirers of common schools have
found fault with him. Such censure is
dangerous He may reply that his,with-
drawal of children into parochial hools
concerns no one out of his churci lnless
those outside claim right to q Smine