Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-03-27

one moment. The suggestion it.oit
cedes the whole argument. " o@a
The opinion further saws ssTbs
mon school is one Of the most ir5;s-''
bic. useful and valuable civil ipsi;t...!!.'
this state has. It Is democratic anil I'm s
to all alike, in perfect equality. wbs-. n
Of the children of our people stand
common platform and may eniovtFa n
etits Of an equal and common edne.t;.
An enemy 10 0tf5' common schools K
eng to our state government II
same hostility that would cause anr Ia: ~
ious denomination that had acouira5 =
ascendency over all others to re-mo3sI ~
constitution ana change our goyprrr.s
and all its institutions, SO ais "a ~ ,
them favorable only to itself and avai1i5
all others from their benefits and pr1,a-
ton
The opinion concludes: The emma.
ton of the church and state corrbn,.
ligion and makes the state despotie
Another branch Of the case was traa4sl
by Justice Cassoday He says "Tbars
no purpose of here indicating tbat ~
Holy Scriptures, considered as w.
and fully comprehended, would egr.g5.
from the premises therein contained e.-
of the human race complying with t6ae,
sential conditions therein prescribed. ..T
since every translation made by man NM.
be more or less imperfect, and since tbes1.
plication of particular passages is liahlst.
be made with partial apprehension mi
biased, or even distorted Judgment II {,
easy to see how texts of scripture f8la9,
which there are differences Of 0siniog'
may be read with such emphasis and tors
as to become excessively sectarian: aB5
while the members Of any particular "a
may be willing to have one of their avn
number read the Bible in the ppbgs
schools, yet they are not always WILLING n
concede the same to a member Of a ~
believing in an opposite faith or doctrine
but the law is impartial, and has given Il
right to any one sect that is not equally
secured to every other
The constitution provides % The rigbt
Of every man to worship Almighty Go3
according to the dictates of his own an.
science shall never be infringed 2 nor
shall any man be compelled to attend
erect or support any place Of worship. or
TO maintain any ministry against his con.
sent; l3) nor shall any control or interior.
ence with the rights Of conscience be Der,
mitted o. any preference be given by law
to any religious establishments or modes
of worship az nor shall any money eb
drawn from the treasury for the benefit
of religious societies or religious or the.
ological seminaries. These clauses pra.
vent the state from infringing upon thes3
individual rights OF persons or the giving
of any preference by law to any religion
sect or mode of worship. But the exercises
of such right cannot be so extended as to
prevent the Legitimate exercise Of the DO.
lice powers of the state in preserving
order, securing good citizenship, the al.
ministration of law and tie Sabbath as
day of rest.
Discussing the question, whether or nat
the reading Of the Bible in school is wor.
ship. the opinion says Certainly the
reading Of the Holy Scriptures as the
eternal word of God, in obedience to tie
often repeated injunction therein contain.
ed, whether by the individual in private
or in the family, or in the public assembly,
is an essential part Of divine worship
Every sermon is based upon some text
of Scripture Most prayers are preceded
10y the reading of some passage Of Scrip
ture. as an intelligent guide to tie
thoughts of the worshipper o. Sorshipper.
The semon ON the Mount contains the
pray Ar taught by the Blessed Lord It is
possible for any genuine believer in the
Christian religion to read that sermon,
and especially that prayer without being
filed with a holy sense of honor, reyer.
ence, alteration and homage to Almighty
God, which is the very essence of worship,
We must hold that the stated reading Of
the Bible in the public schools as text
book may be worship within the meaning
Of the clause Of the constitution under con-
sideratlon
Considering the above, it follow, lag,
cally, that the place where the Blb.els
read is a place of worship and that as
the taxpayers were compelled to erect ana
support the school houses and the children
are under a late law compelled to attend
public or private schools, the constitution,
al clause forbids such use of the school
house.