Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-12-22
RELIGION AND MORALITY In
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
One of the chief objections &c the
public school ~ stem of this country
is the exclusion tberefrom of re.
hgious instruction. THE fear of
the Lori is the beginning OF wis
DOM" and education that is not
founded in gOdliness is built upon
an inadequate foundation. We be-
iieve this defect is the principal
cause of the opposition to the pub
lie schools that comes from some
portions OF the clergy. o.
That early impressions are the
most permanent is universally con-
eedet. Fhat faith in a Supreme
Being, ana accountability TO Him
Tor ali the acts of life, should be
taught rs soon as the infant mind is
capable Of sensing in any degree
their import nee, will be q gen.
orally admitted by all who are
truly religious. II such sub
jec.s are kept out Of the schools, the
pupils wiz be likely to grow up with
part Of their bsing undevelopei.
The spiritual is as essential a Dor.
ton Of the person As the physical or
the intellectual, and needs culriya-
ton in an equal degree. Education
Is therefore incom 1Iete where re-
iigion does not enter into and form
an important part of it.
Thoss who oppose religion in the
school viii say that parents who be-
iieve in religion can teach their
children At home, and the Sunday
schools Of the churches will answer
every other necessary purpose. To
this we may reply, the argument in
favor Of teaching children anything
IN school instead of or in addition
to instruction at home, applies
just Is much to religion
as to arithmetic, and the
RELOCATION Of religion to the SUNDAY
school would give secular training
at least FIVE days in svery week a.
aSrinst one day for religious train
Ing, thus making the former five
times rs important as the latter.
Oh course where the schools are
open to children whose parents hold
opposite views as TO creed, denomin-
ational teDets must be excluded.
That needs no extended arguments.
The jew 1Oss not want his children
taught the divinity Of Jesus Christ
the Catholic does not want Profess
tantism insiiliei into the minds of
his children, nor does the Protestant,
want raDai ideas inculcated in the
schools. Therefore all forms and
creeds and observances peculiar to
any church or sect must Of neces-
sity be 5anishei from the public
scheolrOoms.
rdepublic school System is estab.
lished. Il is an existing fact. TAKE.
are levied and schools are supported
by taxation. In Utah, as in many
other paris Of the Union. e juc,tion
Is made compulsory by law. S,its
useless, perhaps. TO say much in I
reference to the system itself. un. O
less it be to point out how some U
m 'dihcstions might be made with ,
out doing vioienc- TO any ones feel 0
ings. Il
We think the existence of a Su-
preme Being as the Creator and n
Rulerof the universe, and the pe- e
'essity of reverence for and obe,ii- q
;nee to Hin. might be taught "a
Without entering into the questions d
Il HIS nature or of anything doc d
fina! OF Geuomina:ional. The mum. 81
'er of persons vino really beiiey.
here Is no such crcativoand over oil
uling Power, is 50 Insignificant A. W
D cut scarcely the shadow of q u
igune in the great sum of human se
y therefore x need not enter VI
ato these considerations when we In
lew them in their vast i'm ,ortance. gu
Morality, the difference between uA
gut ana wrong, between honesty A.
nj IL opposite, between truth anu -
isehood, courage and cowardice, r.
and brutality. anu "
-e Cultivation Of III ose qualities ~
hich make up refined and civil ei
81 society, and cause boys ana 10
re TO grew up honorable, srlf-con.
oiled aud moral men and women.
isht ant ought 10 be taught in tn. -
Ihiic schools, and need no. involve ''o
c Introduction OF any tenets or the ~
ciiiar views Of any religious de- %
Gu.
There Is no true religion which
3 no. e.nbrace morality. And SO n
as i goes, true morality is part
religion. a religion that does -.
inclicate. moral action is not -.
serving Of the name. And all
'rai precepts are really religious s
their sfAit and tendencies WV
I morality eau be taught and W
istrated 10 the Juvenile mind ~
thout connecting it with any
ng seclarian. or ceremonial or :. :
dial. u u
t may be said, If you teach , w
rality you viii have to teach re- ae
on, because morality is founded 80.
The Irvine Jaw and is defined as -.
nforml.y TO divine wiIl.v Itis
e that right" as applied to -.N
rails is dehned as conformity to
cons tuition of man and the will IL
ioi." But, as We nave shown, the
ef in Deity can be taught with BARI