The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-07-23
A Bombshell from the Pulpit.
Milwaukee sunday telegraph.

One OF the soMndest and most re-
markable discourses delivered in the
state for many years was that Of Rev.
G. S. Lester, Of Saint Pauls church,
on last Sunday. This admirable and
eloquent sermon was on Our Public
Schools" and was extremely timely,
right in the midst OF the graduating
and commencement exercises all
over the land. The learned divine
Is not in favor Of private and church
schools, us he thinks the splendid
public schools OF America are the
best, and that church schools are
wholly uncalled for, which outsiders
have always thought. Speaking
about church schools advertising to
impart christian education, the
reverend gentleman hits that idea
square between the eyes, in this par.
agraph:
IF the church is not doing its
work, it is pity, but the school can.
not usurp the work of the church
without neglecting some OF its own
proper functions. Nor can the name
christian be properly applied to ed
ucation when the proper work of the
schoo! only is meant, for there is no
such thing as u christian alphabet.
The alphabet is entirely pagan. We
teach them Arabic algebra, Greek
geometry and Latin grammar. These
things are all entirely pagan, and by
no possibility could we christianizc
them. The only suggestion ever
made towards Il outstanding or ed
ucation was that the boys in the high
schools should read the bad Latin
and Greek of the church fathers in
stead Of the good Latin and Greek
OF the pagan orators and poets, but
it was only d suggestion. The chris
tianizing process has not gone SC
far. In view OF the facts, the term
christian education, as it is nsed Iii
religious newspapers and conventions
becomes an absurdity. But it is not
only christian institutions, as such
which bid for the support Of the
country. Every church and every
denomination is multiplying schools
OF its own and recommending its
own superior form OF christian ed.
ucation. One would think there
ought to be a special Baptist arith.
metic, a superior Roman Catholic
geography, Il Presbyterian history, q
Protestant Episcopal chemistry. The
perfect folly OF all this is apparent
on the face OF it, Therefore. why
must go many millions uf dollars be
spent to establish these sectarian
schools aslivals to the public schools
OF the land? When we examine into
it We find the ZEAL object 10 be tina,
children may be drilled into u Ger
tain ritual, or taught some special
form Of dogmatic theology. These
schools. therefore, are established
with the avQHed purpose Of widen
ing and strengthening the differences
between christians, OF prcjudicinn
growing minds, Of intensifying bigot-
~; and this narrowing OF the intel.
lect is called christian education"
The whole sermon glitters Will
diamonds and should be read by al
pupils OF our public schools. Her.
is another extract;
Look at the magnificent schools
that crowd every city OF the northern
states-schnols the very best thai
money and experience can provide
Does the cause OF education ianguish
that churches must 60 frantic ovel
it? No, it is not education that thes.
people are interested in. What the,
want is IN opportunity to mold til.
plastic minds OF the children in /;
certain way. which is All act OF in
tellectual injustice to the children
The public schools are called goddess
| OF course they are, and ought to II.
The church is the institution who's,
duty it is to remind the children o
their Heavenly Father, and it is
confession OF weakness IL the churcl
claims to invade the. precincts o
the school. The alphabet, the mul
tiplication tuhie. geography, spelling
are all secular things with which
religion has nothing to do; aud III
for history, 1t Is SO easy to color II
to suppress part OF 1t, under the spe
cious pretcXt Of the glory OF God
that no church in christendom may
be safely trusted to teach 1t.
"keeR the children under the infin.
cnces of home Az. church, and give
them the advantages Of the publ.
| schools for their own sakes and fol
the sake Of the future Of this land
and they will find their best equip
ment as citizens Of America and chill.
dren Of God"