The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-07-10

Oh IdIIu anu pldClICC, Willie OtLClS
believe that the only safe guide to
human thought; opinion and action
is the Illuminating power of the Di-
vine Spirit upon the humble and de-
vout heart" and SO on. We grant
there are these different families of
Christians, and then ask this learned
Judge from whence do these differ
ent sects gain, or profess to gain,
their peculiar doctrines? To what
book does each sect appeal? And
the answer from each is, SHE Bile. +"
This is the book to which each sect
goes for doctrine, and for authority.
How then can the Bible be a Sectar-
ian book when all SectS use it and go
to it for their authority. say all
sects go to the Bible for their au-
thority. The Bible is the Book, to the
Romish. as we'll as to the Protestant
church. True the Romish church
uses different version, but this does
not make it different book. Only
one we'll versed would detect the diff
ference of version in the ordinary
readings. The Bible is the book to
all the different families of the
Christian church, and cannot there
fore be sectarian book, as the word
"Sectarlan" is now used and under
stood. And SO its reading without
note or comment cannot be SectarlaA
instruction. The reading of the con-
stitution of the State, or the reading
of the constitution of the United
States could not be regarded as
party instruction, because all parties
profess loyalty to the constitution Of
State and Nation. In the same way
and for the same reason, the Bible is
not Secta11an book.
The Judge seems to confound the
two words, and the thoughts sug
gested by the two words, viz. relig-
iOuS and Secta11an. When you re-
member the character Of the men
who framed our constitution, you
cannot believe that they meant to ex-
clude all religious instruction from
the public schools Judge Lyon
says of these men: "The early set
tiers Of Wisconsin came chiefly from
New England and the middle States.
They represented the best religious,
intellectual and moral culture, and
the business enterprise and sagacity
of the people of the States from
whence they came. They found here
a territory possessing all the elements
essential to the development Of
great State. They were intensely
DESTROYS that the future state should
be settled and developed as rapidly
as possible. They choose from their
number wise, sagacious, Christian
men, imbued with sentiments COM
mon to all, to frame their constitu-
ton" l ask the Judge, who thus
describes these men-"Christian
men"-men "of the best religious
culture men 'from Ne70 ENGLAND
and the midd2e States," and l ask
you, do you think that sucA men.
when they forbade Sectar1an instruc-
ton, meant to forbid religions instruc-
tion-the reading of the Bible-in
those schools to which they were to
send their 0zon children?
If the trainers of the constitution
had been Roman Catholics -or Ath-
eists, then no doubt the Bible would
have been excluded; but to suppose
that "Ne70 England men, !" ss"rehglous
men" "CHrTStlan men," should have
excluded the Bible from our public
schools, seems to me to be absurd!
According to all eminent jursts of
this and other lands, language must
be interpreted in harmony with the
known and avowed character of the
men who wrote it. This recognized
fact makes the exclusion of the Bible
(the book which these men loved,
and for which they would have died)
from the public schools, impossible.
The Judge seems a little uneasy
in view of the logical differences
which are sure TO follow his decision,
lOI liz ~ SIlONlNI OO ODSCI NCO
that the above views do not Danish
from the district schools such text
books as are founded upon the fun.
damental teachings of the Bible, or
which contain extracts therefrom.
Such teachings and extracts pervade
and ornament our secular literature,
and are important elemeats in its
value and usefulness. Such text
books are in the schools for secular
instruction, and rightly so; and the
constitutional prohibition of sectari-
an instruction does not include them,
even though they may contain pas
sages from which some differences of
sectarian doctrine might be drawn.
** There is much in the Bible
which cannot be justly characterized
as sectarian. = s. 1t may also be
used to inculcate good morals
Note, text books which contain
n