Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-08-08
SECTARLiNISM
To be Put out of the Public schools.
I.nrr NIAuVD M - xu., %
church.

70 the bdttur OF the GaHcttc.
Though the law refusing the benefit of
public funds 10 schools in which secta-
rian religion is taught has been on the
statute books OF Texas for some years,
little or nd attention has been paid TO it
by teachers or school officers Two rea-
sons may bc assigned for this manifest
disregard of law by the parties already
mentioned.
The statute did not 80 define the term
"sectarian religion" as to enable the or
binary officers of the law to determine
when the teacher had committed heresy.
The statute made no provision for any
special court or commission to adjudicate
such causes OF conscience. Hence there
has been none that could arraign,
none that could convict, and teach
ers have been far from forward
to "plead guilty to the soft impeachment
Of teaching heresy in the public schools
Ot late, however, the superintendent of
public instruction, n If to test the mat
ter and settle the orthodoxy OF Texas be-
yond question, has published an order
charging county judges with the summa-
ry execution OF the penalty of the statute
upon all teachers who may so far forget
! the orthodox dignity Of their calling as to
inStill heretical doctrines into the minds
OF the public wards with whom they have
to do.
Let no one imagine that this order will
inauguratc The ''holy DquSiton" on
American soil I'm inquisilion is what
the law demands, but there will be moth
Inc holy or Catholic about IL. Texa, has
no state creed by which teach.
er's orthodoxy or hctrodoxy
can be determined. This law,
born as II was of political ignorance and
religious bigotry, and nurscd in the
bosom of the blind harlot >ectarianism, Is
4 "boomeraug' that rebounds ON its pro-
iectors. The atheist has passed sentence
on all religions a. sectarian religions
The jew decides Christianity sectarian.
The Romanist considers Professionalism
the very embodiment of damnablc heresy
The different Protestant bodies recipro-
cally denouncr each other as sectarian.
All the rest regard atheism us the worst
sect of all the ScctS From such a motley
vcnire the Judge will hardly get Jury
that can agree n to what orthodoxy or
hetrodoNy is
There is stiIl another difficulty in the
way of the execution of this orthodox
order respecting this eminently orthodox
law; the constitution of the United States
contains this clause: 'No religious test
shall ever he required as q qualification
TO any office or public trust under the I
United StateS.M This same constitution
also declares itself to he "thc supreme
law of the land, and says; ''Thc Judges /
in every state shall be bound thereby, /
anything in the constitution or laws of /,
any state to the contrary notwithstand- I
ing" This Texas law flies in the face of |
"the supreme law of the land" in that It /
requires "religious test as qualitica-
ton to the office OF public trust" of /
teacher in the public schools of the state. !
But the Judges in every state are bound /
by the supreme law How then can
Judge proceed with his "court of high /
commission To inquire into causes .
of conscience and execute sum
mary Judgment ON the scIismatic that
dares infrlct the Catholic faith of the /
State of Texas by teaching hcresy in the |
common schools?
We hunbly suggest that under the SUI /
premc law of the land the prcrogative of I
each community to select their own
teacher must prevail. If ''Catholc" |
community desire a "Catholic" teacher, /
Methodist community desire Meth .
oulst teacher, ora community of differ |
ent sects prefer teacher of anv one of
the scots, or two or three selected from
Inherent sectN, no county Judge will be .
called ON To come in and dcterm ne
whether or not the choice of the com
munity Is sound enough in the state faith !
to entitle lhm 10 state pay The county
judge and county board of examiners have
already passed upon his qualifications.
The fact that they found him of suitable
literary and scientific attachments, and
having sufficient conscience to establish
"a good moral character does not en-
utleithe Judge Ia take entire supervision
oil that conscience when the teacher sees
III TO exercise II in an effort TO enforce the /
ike good moral character in his pupilS 4
For since the state has required good
moral character as one of the aualitica-
tons of the teacher, she cannot deny
him the privilege of exercising ii i'm the
school And no teacher knows but one
road to good morals, and that is the
road he has travelled himself That road
is paved with his religious convictions.
whatever they may be. Deprive
MN OF these and he can Law
no foundation for good morals.
u the teacher fails to give satisfaction as
TO the means OF moral training which he
"tH'SH W VVaI III the school, the Cnmuu-
nifty that selected him must be the iudge,
oi that matter, and dispose OF him ms
they would should he fail to meet their
wishes onany other point of school man.
agcment
II may be thought that most we have /
said Is not relevant to the subject, from |
the TACT that the law WAS Intended 10
operate especially against "Catholic" /
and other denomiuational schools, in
which the ayowed purpose of the school I
Is 10 foster the faith OF the denomination.
we doubt not such was the chief intent
OF thc law, but such is the nature
:" the case that law could not be made
20 operate cffectually In that direction
without placing an embargo upon thecon-
science of the teacher who desires his
patrons 10 have the benefit of the public
tunds. This the superintendent order
clearly shows, in that IL is leveled ut the
teacher, requiring county Judges to dis
allow his voucher
We have no criticism TO make ON the
snperintendent's order, only that il il In
Keeping with the statute that Ii proposes
70 enforce. The fact that he makes The
order shows that he at least has 4 le,ral
conscience In the ease and dc..s -, ~.