Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-03-17
The Bible I'm the Public Schools.

II
For the REPUBLICAN.
My name having appeared in 0pposi.
ton to the reading Of the Bible, HI a
religious exercise in the public schools,
it seems needful TO explain somewhat
more 1t large why the settlement OF the
matter appeared to be necessary at this
time.
| Let it first be understood that the
question arose several years ago in
School District, No 20 at Hockessin,
and II was then decided TO be- OK pedient
to enforce the reading. A number of
persons In the Friends Society, AZ we'll
a. others, then opposed it, and still con.
tinue to dose, both as d matter of prin-
ciple, as also of expediency wisely
considering the Bible not a suitable
book to be unfortunately read to
young persons, without comment and
explanation. The policy of maintain
ing peace in the District by RETAINING
from such reading has been since re-
garded until the present winter, when
two Of the Directors (both recent set-
tiers In the DistriCt) took upon them 10
order the regular reading Of the Bible,
without consulting the other Directors
in the matter.
The consequence has been that Catho-
lie families, as we'll as others raised OBJ.
jeCtions to 1t, and an element of conten-
ton and unsettlement has been intro.
duced. Many of tho children have
been Withdrawn from attendance the
school dwindling down from one so
large that two teachers were employed,
to q very small number of sometimes
only two or three pupils and the use
fitness of the school has thereby, for
the time being, been defeated.
The Constitution Of the State Of Della.
ware, Article lst, says "No man shall
or ought to bs compelled to attend any
religious worship, to contribute to the
erection or support OF any place of wor-
ship, OF the maintenance Of any IN inis.
try, against his own free will and con-
sent" etc.
This article, securing liberty of con-
American institutions, and should be
jealousy guarded, in memory of the
aphOrism that "the price OF liberty Is
eternal vigilance"
The citizeEs of the United States of
America want not the shadow Of an
entering wedge for Sacerdotal tyranny
like that reported in the Morning
News" of March 4th, az pre- valent in
the Lutheran church Of Swe ten, which,
as was said, follows a man into all
the circumstances and relations of life,
and leaves him free agent no
where"
IF the Rihla venerated nv Sectarians
of any class, is ordered to be read, as q
religious exercise in the public schools,
supported under the laws of Delaware,
any portion of the taxpayers
are not free to consent thereto, the laws
of the State at once compel such tax
payers to support q place of worship,
against their free will and con.
sent, in contravention of the constitu-
ton.
The matter thus becomes one of radi-
cal interest. dependent upon the princi-
pies OF berty and constitutional law,
not IT,. T. the will of either the majority
DT ',e minority of contendiAg fac
'i0r J. G. JACKSON.
T. ). Since penning the above my
i'trntion has been invited to the letter
i Mr.. Carlisle in the REPUBLICAN Of
he 18th. Please say to him that after
reading the above he will perceive the
simple light in which l view the SUBJ
ect and will excuse me from follow
ng him In discussing what seems to me
his somewhat fine spun and peculiar
views with which he complexities the
question. j. G. j.