Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1889-07-12
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.

rs it Expcdient in the Pu bic schoolss
What Should be It's Character and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. From the Pa
pers ofCardinal Gibbons, Dr.Thomas
Hill and Others-Dr. Hill Argues
Against the Catholic Parochial
schools.
WASHINGTON, July 11.-Public Opinion,
the eclectic journal of Washington, will to-
morrow publish papers from the pens of
Cardinal Gibbons, Rev. DR.. Thomas Hill, ex-
president of Harvard university, Rev. DIR.
Minot j. Savage of Boston and Prof. w. T.
Philosophy, on the question: els religious
instruction in the public schools expedients
If 80 what should be It's character and Iimita-
tionsa'
Below are given extracts from these pa
pers:
Cardinal Gibbons says that an education
that improves the mind and memory to the
neglect of moral and religious training is at
best, but an imperfect and defective system.
By secular education we improve the mind;
by religious training we direct the heart
The religious and secular education of our
children cannot be divorced from each other
without infioting fatal wound upon the
soul. They must go hand in hand, other
wise their education is shallow and
fragmentary-a curse, instead of blessing.
The cateohetical instructions given once a
week in our Sunday schools are insufficient
to supply the religious wants of our chill
dren. It is important that they should
breathe every day healthy religious atmos-
phere in schools, in which not only is the
mind enlightened, bat the seeds of Christian
faith and sound morality are nourished and
invigorated. The combination of religious
and secular education is easily accomplished
in UNCONVENTIONAL schools To what extent
religion may be brought in the public
schools without infringing the rights and
wounding the conscience Of the pupils is a
grave poblem beset with difficulties and very
hard to be solved, inasmuch as those schools
are usually attended by children belonging to
the various Christian denominations, by
Jews also, and even by those who profess
no religion whatever.
The Rev. DR.. Thomas Hill says that public
schools with compulsory attendance are an
essential adjunct of republican government
and that the republican is bound to superin-
tend with care the education of the children.
And, whatever may be the theoretical rela-
ton of religion and morals, it is practically
true that children can be kept pure, truthful
and honorable in no way 30 efectually as by
the cultivatipg their natural reverent sense
Of religious sanctions. He concludes, there
fore, that religious instruction is more than
expedient; it is demanded es a political
necessity. DR.. Hill believes that the States
should not admit that education In
the parochial schools of denomina-
ton is political equivalent for public
education. Last of all is a Catholic
parochial school capable of fulfilling the po-
litical ends of good education, since in
them is not only that partial and distorted
view of history but limitation of the right
of private Judgment which must partially I'M
ft the pupil for considering questions of pub
lie policy with an unbiased mind. Catholic
education is favorable to the development of
diplomatists and political managers, but it
tends to unfit man for frank and honest
public discussion. The aim Of every lover of
our country and it's liberties should therefore
be to render the public schools 80 manifest
~ superior, morally and intellectually to pri-
vate schools as to draw all the children into
them.
DR.. Savage argues as follows Gin the case
of those who believe that the salvation Of
their ohildren's souls ia at stake there can not
be more odious tyranny than to compel
them to submit to q teaching that to their
minds entails such horrible consequences.
And in the case of those who do not believe
that the endless welfare of their children is
at stake, compelling them to submit to the
teaching of a religion they do not believe is q
waste Of time and subjects them to the inf1u-
ence Of what is regarded as hurtful supersti-
tons which hinder true learning, impsrt false
theories of life and duty and SO interfere Sc
riously with the happiness and progress of
this world If not of the next. In either case
then 1t is q tyranny"
Prof. w. T. Harris thinks that If the State
undertakes to regulate religious matters con-
fusion occurs. In parochial schools the in
fuencs of the dogmatic tone oreeps into the
secular Rotations and drives out q desirable
critical alertness and investigating spirit and
stiles Independent thinking.
Mr.. Harris cites the ''infdelity" in Ger
many as an argument against religion in the
schools.