Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-04-29
The mule In SCHOOLS.


EditOr Ph@nig As this subject is now
before the community, and as you say in al
lusion to the sermon on Fast Day, that Il is a
subject upon which a diversity Of opinion
prevails, and needs deeper study and more
thorough discussion than il has received from
the public generally, viii you allow me space
to give my opinion2 There are some things
in the Fast-Day sermon that can heartily en-
dorse, while there are others that are not so
clear to my mind. 1 would like 10 know il
the reading of the Bible in the common
schools can be regarded as an act of worship
What is Worship Is Il not addressing God
in prayer, singing or praise2 Is not this
what is generally, in fact always understood
by religious worship? How, then, can the
simple reading Of the Bible be called wor-
shipS If 1t is, then may the lioentious and
profane sometimes be called worshippers.
The preacher says he does not see how the
state can require the Bible to be read in the
public schools for the purpose Of 'oOrship.
Neither do I, and do not know that IL has.
l have lived over three score years and ten,
have been TO school some in four different
states, have been on the school committee or
superintendent, in the aggregate, between
twenty and thirty years, and havo heard
the Bible read a great many times, and
1 never considered it an act of worship nor
regarded II as 'liturgical !" neither did ev-
er regard the Bible there as textbook
neither did ever hear any one who under
stood the meaning of these words assume
that they WERE The Bible has been read in
the schools from their very commencement
and for the seventy years that have been
acquainted with them l have never heard of
any objection being made to them as being
sectarian till within a few years, since ''the
new departure" is becoming popular. And
may say further, that never heard teach
or make a sectarian comment on a passage
read. How any one can pretend that the
Bible in schools fosters sectarianism cannot
understand. have never found the word in
the Bible, nor the word Unitarianism, Calvin
ism, Trinitarianism, Presbyterianism, Metho-
dism, Catholicism or Immersionism; neither
do think any one would be in danger Of
coming out any one of these distinctive char
acters without some teaching outside of the
school room.
Another objection TO the reading of the
Bible in school is, that there are parts of it
not suitable TO be read in school. There are
some parts of the Bible not suitable to read
atfunerels. Shall we therefore discard the
whole book? But what bad influence would
reading the ten commandments have on the
minds of the scholars ? Is it sectarianY Is
it not desirable that every child should early
be taught those commandments yea, neces-
sary, If we would have the rising generation
grow up good, safe and useful citizens, safe
to have in the community !? But it is said
they must be taught these at home. But
suppose they have no one that will teach
them? Suppose the parents violate these
commandments themselves? What then
Shall they grow up heathen? Shall they be
left to the ''cold charities of the world? ?" or
shall the state exercise its prerogative of gath
ering them into schools and teaching them
such things as will prepare them to be good
useful citizens? And will they be if they re-
main ignorant of the ten commandments
How many thousands of children who do not
know that there is such a law, though the
Bible has been read so long in our schools
l once asked boy, nine years old, who made
him He did not know. l asked him IL he
ever heard of God or heaven? He said.
NO" What pity that he had not had
family instruction" or been sent to school
where the ten commandments were read
The Bible sectarian Suppose "Christ's ser
mon ON the Mount" was read every week or
every day in our schools would it do any in
jury? Would it make any sectarians? Is
there anything in the wise sayings of Solo.
mon, or the Psalms of David, that is sectari-
an? think ii will be time enough 10 talk
about the Bible being sectarian when the
Douay Bible or the Baptist version is intro
duced there. Some Of the wsest and best
men that our country has ever produced
have been strenuous advocates for the read
ing of the Bible in our common schools.
And what is il that makes our country more
desirable to live in than most of those coun-
tries from which the hundreds and thousands
are rushing to our shores, than an open Bi-
bleS 1t is the corner stone of our great and
glorious republic, the magma charta of our
liberties. The church and the public schools
are the bulwark of our nation Strike the
Bible from Dur common schools, or put il be-
side the dictionary only, where it would be
like light under bushel. and we NAV ex-
pect that our days are numbered and will
soon be finished. BENJAMIN ODER.