Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1883-05-26
Morality in the Public Schools.
rRu OIfuar lehman in the lima Atlanta

There is need of an educational sympos-
ium of representative men of all shades of
religious belief and speculation, Catholic
and Protestant, Orthodox and Liberal, Jew
and Agnostic,-to consider this subject. Sit
ting down together, and looking into each
others faces with sentiments of mutual es
TEEN; setting aside for the moment all spec.
| ulative questions, and fixing their thoughts
upon the one subject of moral teaching in
the schools, they would no doubt be aston
ished to find themselves in perfect agree
ment Upon the abstract question whether
the ultimate basis of morality is to be sought
in supernatural revelation or in the nature
of man and the testimony of experience and
observation, they would of course differ
sidely but as TO morality itself, in its prac-
tioal relations to the education of the young,
they would speak with one voice. Travelling
by different roads, they would find that they
had arrived at one and the same place, and
were all seeking common end. And the
morality which they would all commend as
essential to the purity of society and the
safety of the republic and therefore indis-
pensable to good citizenship, would be- in
substance, that of the New Testament, which
has its grandest illustration in the teaching
and example of Jesus,-h1s example in death
as well as in life. What matters it that some
of them hold this morality to be binding
upon men upon supernatural, and others up
on purely natural, grounds, since they heart
lily agree that it is absolutely binding upon
all men, and that there is crying need that
it should be taught in the schools Does any
one doubt the reality of this agreement? Let
him remember that the Agnosticism of this
day, whatever may be said of that of earlier
times, is not seeking to absolve men from
moral restraints, but puts strong emphasis
upon ethics. It forms societies for ''ethical
culture" and on moral grounds has no occa-
sion to shrink from criticism. Even Robert
every form, is careful to say that he accepts
the morality of the Gospels as to him the law
of life. Mr.. John Fiske speaks for all the
scientific skeptics of the time when he says,
1.-THE principles of right living are really con
nected with the constitution of the universe" p"
Is there not here a platform broad enough
and strong enough for all the friends of the
public schools? Why will they not all plant
their feet upon it, and stand shoulder to
shoulder as one brotherhood in a common ef-
fort to educate the conscience as well as the
intellect of the children and youth of the re-
public, and aid them in laying the founda-
tions of that moral character which is the
primary condition of good citizen.
ship?
The controversy between naturalism and
supernaturalism must of course go on. am
by no means blind to its Importance. But I
insist that our public schools, by consent of
parties, should be kept out of this fiery vor-
tex. 1t is question not for children, but
for grown men However much, as Chris
tian, may long to make all the children of
the land familiar with doctrines and beliefs
to me most precious. frankly acknowledge
that have NO claim upon the State to assist
me in the attainment of this object. As cit
izen, am content to stand, in everything
pertaining to religion, upon the same ground
with those whose views differ most widely
from my own,-even those who think my
reIieion a worthless sunerstition make no
demand upon the government save for pro-
lection in the free exercise of my religion !;
and what ask for myself is what willingly
accord to others, whatever form of faith or
no faith it may please them to adopt. Iber-
ty, as thus broadly defined, is the vital breath
of free government, ths atmosphere most
congenial to the growth of true religion.
Whoever fears that his religion will not en-
dure this liberty, and therefore seeks to ally
it with the State, evidences suspicion, if not
consciousness that that religion is fatally
weak.