Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-19

Oliver johnson in the Atlantic for June.
There is need of an educational symposium Of
representative men Of all shades of religious
belief and speculation,-Catholic and Protestant
Orthodox and Liberal, Jew and Agnostic,
consider this subject. Sitting down together.
and looking into each others faces with senti.
ments OF mutual esteem; setting aside for the
moment all speculative questions, and fixing
their thoughts upon the one subject of moral
teaching in the schools, they would no doubt
be astonished to find themselves in perfect agree
ment. Upon the abstract question whether the
ultimate basis of morality is to be sought in q
supernatural revelation, or in the nature of man
and the testimony OF experience and OBJ
seryation,, they would of course differ
M,de Sac bat ra as to morality ?" Itself
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 a 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 indispensable to
good citizenship, would be- In substance, that of
the New Testament, which has its grandest
illustration in the teaching and example of
Jesus,-his example In death as well as in lfe
morality to be binding upon men upon super
natural. and others upon purely natural,
grounds, since they heartily agree that it ia
absolutely binding upon all men, and that there
is crying need that it should be taught
IN the schoolsa Does any one doubt the
that the Agrosticlsm of this day, whatever
may be said of that Of earlier times, ia not
seeking to absolve men from moral restraints.
but puts q strong emphasis upon ethics.
1t forms societies for "ethical culture" and on
moral grounds has no occasion to shrink from
criticism. Even Robert Ingersoli, while deny
Ing experimentation In 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, The principles of right living are real
ly connected with the constitution of the uni
verse;" Is there not here platform broad
enough and strong enough for all the friends of
the public schOOls9 Why willthey not all plant
thelr Ieet upon 1t, and stand shoulder to
shoulder as one brotherhood in q common effort
to educate the conscience as well as the intel
lect Of the children and youth of the republic.
and aid them In laying the foundations of that
moral character which is the primary condition
Of good citizenship
supernaturalism must OF course 90 on. am
by no means blind to its importance. But
insist that our public schools. by consent of
parties should be kept out of this fiery vortex.
1t is question not for children, but for grown
men. However much, as q Christian / NAV
liar with doctrines and beliefs to me most preci-
Gus, frankly acknowledge that l have no
claim upon the state to assist me In the attain
ment of this object. As q citizen. 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
VINO think my religion worthless supersti-
zion. ! make no demand upon the government
save Tor protection in the free exercise" of my
religion; and what l ask for myself is what l
willingly accord to others, whatever form Of
Ialth or no faith it may please them to adopt:
Liberty. as thus broadly defined, is the vital
breath Of free government the atmosphere
most me congenial to the growth Of true religion
whoever fears that his religion will not endure
TINS liberty, and therefore seeks to ally it with
the state, evidences suspicion, If not a con-
Soaou saess, that that religion Is fatally weak.