The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-03-29
To the Editor of THE HERALD:

VIII The HERALD, in that spirit of
fairness which it is believed it seeks to
cultivate, make room in its columns for
a defense of those much berated Gentle
schools? 1t is doubtless no secret to
anyone in Utah that charges are con-
stantly made against the schools which
benevolent men in the east have estab-
lished in this and other Territories. As
for most of these attacks, it is idle to
notice them. A man always clustering
and daring others to fight him is pretty
sure to be coward at heart; and it is
only the small, narrow sects which are
continually atwar, continually proving
themselves to be right and their neigh
bors to be wrong. Acts speak louder
than words. "By their fruits We shall
know them. Christ tells US; and the
Gentle schools are quite content to be
judged by that test But when our
schools are attacked repeatedly in
Mormon pulpits and by journal
which goes into every corner of the
Territory, so that honest, well meaning
men are in danger of being misled, then
it is well to speak, and to the point.
One word, at the outset, by way of ex-
PLANTATION. The writer is not to be
Glassed with anti-Mormons, as the word
is often understood While he is firmly
opposed to much in Mormonism, he is
not foe but friend to the Mormons.
He mas more than once ceen made to
suffer because he defended them from
unjust accusation. He writes now
simply in the interest of Christianity,
education and fair play
The great, oft reiterated charge against
the outside free schools, is that under
the guise of a secular education, they
teach Mormon children a religion which
the children parents do not believe in.
Now, this charge is entirely false. Such
underhand means are as alien to our
plans as they are to truth and justice;
and We challenge proofeof their use. In
the first place, there is no pretense of
giving purely secular education. We
say frankly that these schools are
Christian. The New West Education
Commission prints on its banner, as its
great aim, the words, Ito promote
Christian civilization in Utah and the
adjacent States and Territories. ="
But we do not believe in
teaching sectarianism; we do not
believe in teaching religion so that
1T becomes a matter of aversion or
indifference to the pupils. In the
second place, these schools do not
reach religious ideas which the parents
do not believe. SO far as we know, at
any rate. The little religious teaching
given is of character which every sin
i
heartily in accord with his creed,
have yet to hear of the first word which
has been said against Mormon beliefs
IN these schools. This is the point on
which the whole question turns. We
not only deny the charge but challenge
the proof. You, my Mormon friends,
have abundant opportunities to get it.
if it is TO be had. Bring forward one of
the MANY Mormon children in
our schools who has been
taught a doctrine which his parents
reject. Come yourselves for a day or
twO-the schools are quite open-and
see, then ask the children ii that davis
instruction agrees with the teaching of
other days.
Do you decline to investigate? Then.
remember. you have not the slightest
right TO say anything against Christian
schools " men man continues to re-
peat slanderous charge, which he
knows is denied and which he makes no
no effort to prove, what do you call him /?
Another charge is that our schools
promote rebellion-cauSe discussion
and stir up strife between the priest
hood and the people. have heard that
Sach effects have often followed the es-
sablishment of Christian school in a
Mormon town; but emphatically deny
that the school or the teachers are at
all responsible for them. When. on the
advent of the school, the church leaders
array themselves against it and against
those who patronize it, there is dissen-
sIon and rebellion. quite probably; but
IL it caused by the school in any true
sesse2 By no means; but rather by
those who are pleased to deny to their
brethren one of the comHonest rights
Of an American cltizen-the right to
send his children to what ne thinks the
best school within his reach. Let the
leaders confine themselves to truth and
moderation in their dealings with their
fellow Saints, and they will find the dis
seAsIon disappear immediately, Now
challenge any man to instance any
strife which our teachers or our schools,
themselves, have fomented When