The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-10
PRICE THREE CENTS
torce them to adopt the falth Of thelr parents

force them to adopt the faith of their parents
or guardians.
Surely the State has no right to grant
special privileges to any denomination or
tSeet: Set: as It now is, Presbyterian, Unitarian,
Roman Catholic, Congregationalist, Method
ISL, episcopal, Baptist and all the various
ACCOMMODATIONS are placed upon precisely the
same 1.otlng. No one of them can have a
cnaplain OF sectarian teacher to give sec
taIlan lhStrnetlon to the boys of the Reform
School. But If the Catholics be allowed TO
celebrate mass and to teach the dogmas of
Catholicism, why should not the Baptist
hold speclal services 10 teach the necessity
of immersion? why should not the Method
ist have Communion services? why should
not the Presbyterian teach the Westminster
confession? why should not the Episcopal
clergyman dressed in the robes Of his office
conduct services according to the ritual of
his church, and teach the boys the Thirty
nine Articles of the Nicene Greed and the
Apostolic succession?
Clearly, the institution must allow all de-
nominations and sects to enter the lnstltu-
tiGn at will and to teach any sectarian doc
trines they may choose, or else all SectarlanlSm
must be excluded and all the religious
teaching made to conform to those funda-
mental truths of Christianity which are
generally admitted by all the sects.
The principle of religious classification in
reformatory institutions under State con-
troll is wholly wrong and ought never to be
allowed to obtain foOthOld. Any claSslhca-
tl0n OF the inmates on religious grounds by
authority OF the State is contrary to the
spirit OF our government, and 1t would lead
TO bitter sectarlan strife. 1t would be in
furious to the management and discipline Of
the Reform School, as it would take from the
trustees the supreme control of the institu-
tlon and subject them to the whims of in
mates or the dictation of religious teachers.
II would be subversiVe of good government
because 1t would at stated periods remove in
mates from the oversight and control OF the
superintendent, who is by law made their
proper custodian, aud place them for the
time being completely under the control and
aatnorlty OF ecclesiastical institutions from
without.
conclusion letlme say that it is a singular
spectacle to see the followers of the church
which never errs nor changes, which has
proclaimed to all the world through its "In-
fallible Head" at Rome that the opinion that
"liberty of conscience and worship Is each
mans personal right" is an erroneous 0pin-
ion, delirium, a heresy, and crime, that
freedom of education and worship are con-
trary to the laws of God, posing in the State
of Maine as the champions CT religious free
dom. and approyingly, quoting. Judge Story's
enunciatiOn of ''the absolute inviolability Of
the sacred rights of conscience" 1t is in
deed singular spectacle, and a suggestive
one.
/ cannot close without expressing the hope
that Mr.. O'DOnOghue's un-American plan OF
imparting religious instruction to inmates of
the Reform School will not be approved by
all of his Roman Catholic brethren. In 9th
er states liberal American Roman Catholics
have not been wanting, who, while fully de-
voted to their ancient faith do not hesitate to
oppose ecclesiastical intermeddling with
civil government. We trust it may be so in
Maine-and that all good citizens Of whatev-
or church or nationality will with one voice
say to those who would thrust the church in
to the State institutions-"H off"
Non SECTARIAN.
PORTLAND, March 9, 1886.