The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-12-25
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN THE
SCHOOLS.

The letter OF Rev. Mr.. Barnes OF Wal
luku, which appeared in last week S
GAZETTE, contained, probably, about as
good a statement OF the arguments in
favor OF specific religluos and denomina-
tional teaching in connection with Gov
eminent schools, as could be put within
the space available for such purposes in
the columns of newspaper. The
views therein advocated are not those OF
this paper, and we are in no wise con-
vinced by what the reverend gentleman
has advanced. We have no intention,
however, OF arguing against his position
at this time. Merely as forcible pre-
sentation of the extreme opposite view,
we print the following extracts from a
sermon on "The Common School Con-
fict," by NJ. ]. Savage OF Boston:
What then ought the public schools to
! seek as their chief end? Three things, it
seems to me.
l. The first aim of the public schools
should be to educate and train every child
so that he can win for himself an indepen-
dent way in the world, and be an indepen-
dent, self-supporting citizen, not dependent
upon public bounty.
.. The next thing it should have in
mind is the cultivation of his intelligence
and the supply of so much information as
is necessary to make q good, intelligent.
earnest citizen. The means should be put
into every child's hands, so that, if he
chooses to avail himself OF them, he may
understand the great problems at issue in
our republic, so that he can cast an intelli-
gent and not an ignorant vote.
3. The teaching of the fundamental and
eternal principles of right and wrong. The
public schools, instead of keeping up the
pretenSe of teaching religion which deals
with the next world, should turn their at
tention to teaching those ethical principles
that concern this world.
Anticipating the objections likely to be
raised against this latter proposition, the
speaker proceeds to explain and defend
his position as follows:
| am aware that the Catholic would say
there can be no ethics, no right morals,
without the teaching of the Catholic reli-
gion; that many evangelicals would say
that, if weoyerthrow their particular theory
about the Bible and salvation, we have
undermined all moral principles as well.
But yet appeal to the general intelligence
and good sense of the world in making the
statement that the ethical principles, the
great principles of right and wrong con-
duct as they touch human affairs in this
world, have been wrought out as the result
of human experience. ~ 1t is the re-
suit of human experience that has taught
the world that it is impossible for people to
live together unless there is to be a measure
of truth, so that people in general can trust
each other; that it is impossible for men to
live together if murder, indiscriminate
killing, is to be allowed; that it is impos-
Sible for people to live together If general
theft is to be permitted. So these great
fundamental principles of right and wrong
are Just as unquestioned as the multiplica-
ton table; and a textbook of ethics could /
be made just as clear, just as definite, just |
as irrefutable as a textbook on mathema-
tics. l believe, instead of quarrelling about |
these things that do not concern US, in our |
public capacity, that we should turn our
attention to the teaching OF the great fun
damental principles of right and wrong |
which come into play perpetuaily
We are not prepared to fully endorse
all of the above, at least not without
some qualification. At the same time
we are confident that the practical con-
clusions arrived at are more logically
consistent, as well as safer to follow than
those of the opposite school of thinkers.
Since the above was written, we have
received letter from Mr.. Knudsen OF
Kauai on another branch OF the school
question, to which we invite the atten-
ton of our readers.