Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-12

ne sound and to produce beneficial re-
LUIS must dcvelope what Il best In
''' anu make him not only clever but
800. true civilization requires tina, not
~! 'he lbysical and intellectual. but also
.ne MORAL ana religious well.beny OF
rope should be promoted, and at least
WIN equa' care. Take away religion from
we pope and morality will soon follow.
Morality gone. even their pbyslcaI copii-
lion VIII ere long degenerate into
corruption which breed. decrcpitude,
while their Intellectual attainment. would
only serve rs light to guide them to
Deeper depths q vice and rum, Thi, has
been so often demonstrated I'm the history
Of The past. and IL, in fact. so seIi.eyidenl
that one IL amazed 10 find any differ
erce of opinion about IL. A clyiIiza-
Ton without religion would be civilizl-
lion OF 'fhe struggle for exIstence and
The survival OF the fitte>t.' IN which cum
ning and strength would become stib.ti-
tut"s for principle, virtue, conscience, aud
duiy. As matter Of fact there never mas
been q civilization worthy Of the name
without religion, ard from the facts OF hi
tory The laws OF human nature can easily
he offered. Hence cducitI0n, in order
20 foster CIV iliZi,ion. must foster religion.
Now. the three great educaiIonai agencies
are The homo, anl the Church, ana the
school. These mould men aud shape Sc
ciety. therefore each OF them. to do / ; part
Wei. must iOstCr religion. But many,
unfortunately. while ayowing that religion
should be the light and the atmosphere of
home and Church are content to see 4
excluded from the school. and even
advocate as the best school system that
which nece s-arly excludes religion. Few
surely will deny that childhood and youth
are the periods Of life when the character
ought especially TO be subjected to reiigi lus
influences. Nor can We ignore the palDl-
bic fact that the school Il an important fac
tor in the forming Of childhood and
yOutb-s0 important that it, inilIPnca vftin
outweiehs that OF home and Church II
cannot, therefore. be desirable and adyant1.
geous that RELIGION should be- TX .luded fr0m
the school ON the contrary, It ought there
Ia be one 81 the chief agencies for mould
ing the young life 10 all that il trie. virtu-
Gus. ana boiy. TO shut religion on: OF the
school. and keep it for home ana Cnurch,
Is logically TO train up generation thar
will consider religion good for home and
the Church, hut not for the practical bu.i.
ness Of real life. But a more false
ana IeInlclouS notion cOn'd not De
imagined. Religion. in order to ele-
yate people, should inspire their whole
life and rule their relations with one an
other. 4 life Is not dwarfcd bnt ennobled
bv being lived in the presence II God.
Therefore,, school which principally gives
knowledge fitting for practical life ought
Pre- cmincntly be under the holy influence
Of religion"
The letter saws that all denominations OF
Christians are now awakening to this grcIt
truth, and the cry Tor Christian education
is going up from all religious bodies
throughout the land. and this J. no mr..
rOwnCss or >cctarlaniSm"; neither /. il
antagOnlsm TO the state. ON the contrary,
IL is an honest endeavor 70 give
TO the State better citizens by making
them better Christians. Friends OF Chris
tian education do not condemn the State
for not lmpartlng religious instructions in
the schools a. they are now organized, be-
cause they well know that i does not lie
within the province OF the State 10 teach
religion. They simply follow their con-
science by sending their children TO dcnom-
national schools. where religion can have
Ms rightful place and influence.