The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-03-27
Bible Ruled Out of School.

The recent decision of the SUI
preme Court of Wisconsin, declaring
the reading of the Bible in the pub
lie schools to be unconstitutional,
will probably create no great sensa-
ton. 1t has not been read in the
public schools in this state to only a
limited extent, probably for the rea-
son the right SO to do has to some
minds been questionable. The case
decided in the Supreme Court last
| week was commenced in the Circuit
Court years ago, and the decision in
that court not being accepted as
final, it was carried to the Supreme
Court, where having been a long
time on the calendar was not
reached until last week. We are
not disposed to question the decision
of the court; it is fair to presume it
was in conformity to the letter of
the constitution: Sectarian teaching
being prohibited in the schools, the
Court assumes that the Bible taken
as whole is a seCtarlan book. 10
show its sectarian character the
Court refers to scriptures (which in
dictate the teaching of the divinity of
Christ and the punishment of the
wicked after death, doctrines not &C
cepted by some religious sects. :"
These scriptures the court regards
sectarian, and the Bible containing
them cannot be read in the schools.
It is asked if this be Christian
nation, what constitutes it such? The
definition of Christian nation, as un-
derstood in the civilized world, is
where the people generally acknowl-
edge the one God and his represen-
tative Christ; from this latter name
"Christian nation" takes its name.
If such then be the elements which
constitute the Christian nations of
Europe and this country, does it not
logically, or at least reasonably fol-
low that such a nation should be al
lowed to impart religious instruction
in it's public schools. The best
minds of the age, present and past,
the most enlightened statesmen from
the days of Washington, have de-
clared the religious element essen
tial to the stability and support of
good government. This decision of
the court involves no change in the
literature of the public schools. 1t
is not out of place to mention here,
as a matter of history, radical
changes in the state common school
literature in the northern states,
many years ago, was brought about by
sectarian prejudice, somewhat kin
dred to the constitutional interfer-
ence in this state The mention of
the Supreme being in books compiled
for children and youth in the com
mon schools was offensive to a class
of people, and no rest was given the
subject until the name Of the Deity
and evangelical passages were ex-
purgated from all books used in the
schools. That school reading book,
the English Reader, once so popu-
lar, compiled by Lindley Murray,
was collection from the best known
English prose and poetry writer's;
the most frequently quoted, and with
which scholarly people regard an &C
complishment to have passages COM
mitted to memory. The school
reading that was substituted for this
more classic literature is compare
lively tame, and no one is probably
ever known to commit passages from
it to memory because of their gran
deur and beauty. 1t would be
pleasure to many persons who de-
light in the compositions of their most
distinguished of writer's, to see the
Murray English school book restored
to the young readers; the classic
beauty of the prose and poetic effu-
sions will never grow old.