St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-25
DENoMIN4TI0N4L INSTRUCTION

MISREPRESENTATION lNS1hCC1ION.
The address delivered by Mgr. Capel at
Madison before the convention of teachers
will be likely to attrlct some at
tention. He did not hesitate adj
tenn had some merits, but he was of the opin-
ion that it has more dement's than features
of value. His main assertion was to the eff
feet that children should have religious In
struction while IN school, and, of course, he
meant by religious instruction the denomin-
ational instruction of his particular form of
faith. He would not be satisfied with a form
of religious instruction which would involve
the cardinal principles of Christianity, such
as the existence of Supreme being, immor-
tally, and the moral teachings of Christ.
That would not be religious instruction as he
understands the matter. His view of what
should be taught in the American public
schools, in order to render them perfect, and
to have them conform with exactness to what
he believes to be religious instruction, would
be the papal succession from Peter, the ex-
istence, deeds, and intercession of the saints
auricular confession, the imacufate concep-
ton, and the actual presence of blood and
flesh in the sacrement of the supper. Now,
the dominant sentiment of this country
neither affirms nor denies the truth of any of
these articles of faith; it simply affirms that
the public education of children has for its
end the acquisition of such elementary know
ledge as will enable them to commence the
practical work of life without being handi-
capped by illiteracy; and that their religious
instruction should be cared for at home, in
the church, and in the Sunday school.
The conditions of the countries of the old
in which the religious and secular educations
Of the youth are united is not one that is cal
culated to invite imitation in the United
States. Fortunately for sectaries, it Is not
compulsory on parents to send their children
to the public schools: they may select their
own schools; and in this respect this is free
country. 1t simply insists that its children
shall have primary education; and in not
designating the class of schools at which this
education shall be obtained, 1t shows itself
far more tolerant than have been many of
countries which are quoted as having systems
superior to that in vogue here.
Nobody wishes to see the youth of this coun-
try grow up without religious instruction, but
it is not believed that religious instruction Is
contained in the incubation of certain de-
nominational dogmas. To tho Presbyterian,
religious instruction would consist in the
''five points," and the worship Of Saint Cal
vim, to the Baptist, in immersion and close
communion; to the Methodist in ''change of
heart" sprinkling, and eternal punishment;
and to each of the other den ominations, In
something else. 1t is rather insolent when
q representative Of any of these various de-
nominations comes before the public and
demands that the public schools shall include
religious instruction, meaning thereby the
particular creed adopted by his sect.
What Capel means Is not that there shall
be a system of teaching which will be accept
Cd by all the sects as religious instruction,
but one which will be acceptable to his de-
nomination. There are several other denom-
nations in this country which are numeri-
cally stronger than his denomination :; but
despite this fact, he would ignore them, and
and proceed to possess the public schools in
the interests of his particular sect, and would
then assert that the public schools are having
religious instruction.
When the Mormons found that they could
not secure the introduction of their form of
faith in the states, they moved somewhere
else. This would be wise example for any
sect in this country which is dissatisfied with
our public school system. The country at
large has found that its benefits are substan-
tial, and the nation is not disposed to yield
it in the alleged interests of any sect what
ever.