Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-22

superstitions with complacency and
blind faith until they have lost the capacity
for distinguishing between the credible and
the incredible. We assert that the first
duty of the State to its people is to see that
they are given the means of learning to
judge, and that to this end the teaching Of
Science in the public schools ought to be
greatly expanded. And we assert that this
is the true religious scheme of education,
and that DIR. Platt's view is in it's essence
irrelgous. For Of Science it can be said,
as Herbert Spencer has eloquently OBJ
served: at alone can give US true con.
"ceptions of ourselves and our relation to
the mysteries of existence. AT the same
thine that it shows us all which can be
known, it shows us the limits beyond
(which we know nothing. Not by dog
tmatic assertion does 1t teach the impossi-
bility of compromising the ultimate
causes of things; but it leads us to
recognize the impossibility by bringing
Gus in every direction to boundaries we
cannot cross. Ii realizes to us in way
(which nothing else can, the littleness OF
human intelligence in the face of that
(which transcends human intelligence.
g While toward the traditions and authori-
ties of men its attitude may be proud,
before the impenetrable veil which hides
the Absolute its attitude is humble-a
g true pride and true humility. Only
g the sincere man of science can truly
''know how utterly beyond, not only
human knowledge, but human concep-
" ton, is the Universal Power of which
g Nature, and Lie, and Thought are man
''ifestations.
But DR.. Platt would dwarf mems minds,
and put their souls on the Procrustean bed
of superstition and dogmatic theology
Between his position and that of Rome
there is indeed nothing to choose, and
whoever has resisted Roman assaults upon
our public school system must regard this
Protestant attack as equally dangerous
and deadly. 1t is upon the schools that
the future of the country depends. What
ever power controls the schools will mold
the destinies of the nation. The pretense
that morals can only be taught in connec-
ton with religion, is one the fallacy of
which has long since been exposed
Morals are the necessary result of the
growth of society and the experience of
men in their relations with one another.
The influence of religion upon morals has
always been enormously exaggerated. The
most religious ages, or the ages when the
human mind submitted most abiectly to
the Church, have been among the most
hagrantly immoral in history. The truth
is that morality is not only Independent of
religion, but the morality which is taught
independently of religion is higher and
broader than that which is taught in
connection with it. The idea that teaching
children to believe number of statements
which are not only incapable of demonstra-
ton, but the falsity of many of which is sus-
ceptible OF proof, can improve their morals,
is indeed one which could only have oc-
CURED to a mind already hopelessly warped
by the practice of blind credulity. But it
is too late for the successful advancement
of such oarbarous and retrogressive prop
ositions. The world has at last extricated
itself from the strangling clutches of the
priesthood, and the era OF scientific educa-
ton has dawned Henceforth religion must
stand upon a scientific basis, or it must
fall. There can no longer be any tolerance
for the sitting and paralyzing system un-
der which for so many centuries the hui
man mind was coerced into the blind ac-
ceptauce of preposterous dogmas, and pre-
vented from inquiring into the truth
of the things it was compelled to &C
cede to. There is no disposition among
the American people to return to those
methods. Thinking men hold that re-
ligion which cannot stand fair and full
analysis must be a very poor and
worthless affair, and those who are
willing to doom their children to the
degradation of education by faith" as
opposed to education by reason, are
becoming fewer every day. The American
educational creed is broadening continually,
and it is both necessary and well that it
should be so. The Church is free to teach
what it can get people to believe, but it
must not tamper with the schools. There
the children are to learn how to exercise
their judgment how to distinguish be-
tween what is credible and what is not
credible; how to appreciate the mystery
and marvel of the universe how to realize
their relations to their surroundings in all
ways By such training they will be
prepared to choose wisely in regard to re-
ligion, and true religion has everything to
hope, and nothing to fear, from the
ripening of the popular judgment, and the
elevation of the popular standard of belief.
But for such schemes as DR.. Platt's there
is needed a public sentiment such as the
Middle Ages alone could have supplied, and
a patience under priestly arrogance and
priestly contempt for reason which,
thanks to the spirit of civilization and en-
the world has outgrown.
THE POLITICAL FIELD.
Logan has fulfilled his contract, and de-