St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-18
RELIGION AND SCHOOL.
DIR. Simmons Says Let No Creed
Be Taught in Public Schools.

DR.. Simmons Says Let No Creed
Be Taught in Public Schools.
DR.. 81. NJ. Simmons preached yester-.
day morning at the First Unitarian
church on the theme, "The Best Relig-
ion for Public Schools" The following
is an abstract of his sermon: ITO the
question whether religion should be
taught in the public schools, we have
to reply with another and ask, Which
religiOn?' To say nothing of the minor
divisions, shall it be Protestant or
Catholic? To make it the Catholic would
of course be unjust to the Professionals.
To make it the Protestant would be no
less unjust to nine or ten millions OF
Catholics. Even if both could be taught
it would still be unjust to many mill
lions; and the school which attempted
it would be like the storied one that adj
vertlsed to teach pupils that the earth
was round or fiat, as the parents might
prefer. A choiW would have to be
made, and whatever the choice, it
would be unjust to nearly half
the nation. What, then, would be
just? Two methods only. One is
to divide the school money, and
let each denomination use its share in
its own way. But this would break up
our school system. 1t would also end
that association of children of diverse
sects and nations in common interest,
which is one of the best things in our
school system. DenominatiOnal schools
all tend to weaken that bond of unity
which is SD necessary to a nation. The
other methOd-and the only one that
will save our school system and this
sentiment of national unity-is to omit
UNCONVENTIONAL teachings altogether.
Let our public schools say nothing
about these disputed and dividing
points: let them not by teaching or
reading or any exercise, show the least
partiality for or against Catholic, Prot
estant, Jew or unbeliever, but keep to
those mental and moral truths which
are common to all these classes.
This method would lay the solid
foundations of good citizenship, and
still leave to parents the liberty to add
such theological training as they shall
prefer and pay for. Nor would it at
all endanger public morality, as so
many may fear. Religious schools
were tried for a thousand years
with hardly any help to morality;
but the growth of secular schools has
been attended with such moral progress
that Christians are ashamed of what
their very priests and p0peS used to
teach as right. The common assertion
that the lack of religious training leads
to crime is utterly false; and of the 2l4
prisoners received at Saltwater last
year only four were without religion
and only one was Jew. while all the
other 209 were Professionals and Catho-
lies. If secular schools do not make SO
good saints they make better citizens,
and if they do not save souls they save So
ciety. Nor does their lack of theologi-
cal teaching mean any lack Of real re-
ligion. The public schools are all al
lowed and asked to teach that righteous
ness and love which are the aim of true
religion, and that golden rule which
Jesus Himself said was the sum of the
law and the prophets. This is reiig-
ion in which Catholics, Protestants,
Jews, heretics and all honest men
agree. 1t can be taught everywhere
with offense to none and with accept
ance to all-and is the best religion for
our public schools and for all schools.