St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-11


which it polishes is two-edged sword-an
instrument for good or an instrument Tor
EVIL. 1t were fatal TO polish it without the
assurance that in all likelihood 1t shall be
an instrument for good
/ am not questioning how far we may lay
at the door of the non-religiOus school the
breaking up of Christian creeds, the growth
of agnosticism and unbelief, the weakening
of public and private morals aid the almost
complete enlargement OF the poor ana
working classes from the church organlza
tons. But do submit that these dreaded
evils of our day should awaken us from our
lethargy and compel us to bestow more than
the ordinary care upon the religious 1nstruc-
ton of the children of the land, that they
may have the strength to Withstand the fierce
temptations surrounding them, and not,
rather. by their precipitation into the maei-
strom, intensity the evils.
Do not say that the state school teaches
morals. Christians demand religion. Morals
without the positive principles OF religion,
giving to them root and sap. do not exist.
What seem to be morals without religion
are the poisoning of fortunate and kindly
disposed natures, or habits fashioned from
Christian traditions that grow weaker as the
traditions become remote.
To the American people at large-religious-
minded and God-fearing as | know them to
bel put the question: Ought we not to have
In connection with the school religious in
struction? That there are serious difficulties
in the way confess. But are we to stop at
difficulties when it is incumbent upon us to
reach the goal? do not mlstrust the reply.
Secularists and unbelievers will interpose
their rights. 1 allow them their rights.
will not impose upon them my religion.
which is Christianity. But
Let Them Not Impose
upon me and my fellow Christians their re-
ligion, which is secularism. Secularism is a
religion of its kind, and usually very loud
spoken and intoleranr religion, and when
non-sectarianism is intended the secularist
sect must not claim for itself the field which
it refuses to others. am taking my stand
upon our common American citizenship.
The liberty / claim, that grant.
come to the chief difficulty in the prem
Uses. The American people at large. are
Christians, but they are divided among them
selves Yes. they are divided. Not to speak
of other differences, there is a radical and
vital one between Professionalism of all forms
and Catholicism. l am not arguing. l am
relating facts. Well-meaning and well-de-
serving men have proposed as q remedy In
this instance that there be taught in connec-
ton with the schools common Christianity.
This will not do. Catholics in fidelity to
their principles cannot accept common
Christianity. What comes to them not bear
ing on its face the stamp OF Cathollc1ty is
Protestant in form and in implication. even
If it be Catholic in substance. This being the
settled fact, American Catholics will not, OF
course, inflict Catholicism upon non-Cath-
olic or Protestant children, and with similar
fair mindedness American ProtestantS do not
infiict Professionalism upon Catholic children.
Some compromise becomes necessary. is IL
not ten thousand times better that we make
the compromise rather than allow
secularism TO triumph and own the
country? I turn to all Americans-secular
lists as we'll as Christian believers, and ad-
dress them in the name of American citizen
ship. We are practical people, and when
we find facts before US, whether we ike or
A. 6nn n
to the general good. Dissatisfaction will ex-
list with the state school. because of its ex-
clusion of religion. The dissatisfaction Will
exist so long as no change is made. 1t is
founded on conscience.
Is not the fact of this dissatisfaction SUI
ficient that Americans set to earnestly and
with good will to remove this cause? The
welfare of the country demands peace and
harmony among citizens. Let us put an end
to the constant murmurings and, bitter re-
the air. Since we are proud OF our state
school and prize its advantages let us make
an effort that all the children of the people
enjoy these advantages. II there be pubic
institution, as the state school, supported by
all the people, avowedly for the benefit OF all
the people, let it be such that all may use 1t.
Be there no
Taxation without Representation
in the enjoyment of the benefits thereof.
Let us most studiously avoid raising barriers
to the use of those benefits, and, in a most
especial manner, those barriers that the
opposition TO them comes in the name OF
conscience. invoke the spirit of American
liberty and American institutions. Our
views, perhaps differ dramatically from
those of others of our fellow citizens; we
may deem their views utterly wrong. Still,
is not the dutysof Americans that of peace
| and concession, SO that others be as I'M
disturbed in their conscience as we are In
hof m no
| in the majority? Brute numerical force may
be legal it is not justice, it is not the spirit
of America. Minorities have rights, and as
speedily as it is possible with the public
| veal should the majority recognize
them. 1t is no honor to America that ten
millions or more be required by law to pay
| taxes for the support of schools to which
| their conscience forbids access, and to be.
science, compelled by their zeal for the in
struction of their children to build school
| houses of their own and pay their own
| teachers. 1t Is no honor for the remaining
| fifty millions to profit for themselves of the
taxes paid by the ten millions. The cry that
the state schools are open to them if they ST.
| lence their consciences is not defense that
| will hold before the bar of justice. The as
| pect of the case is the more serious when we
| consider that those ten millions are largely
and they are sincerely and Loyalty
DESTROYS to obtain the benefits OF the
| state school, if only the obstacles be
| removed. 1t is no honor to the American
| republic that she be more than any other
| nation foremost in efforts to divorce religion
| from the schools. No country goes In this
| direction as far as ours. We have entered
| upon terrible experiment.; the very life OF
our civilization and OF our country Is at
| stade. know not how to account for this
condition of things, passing strange IN
| Americ a Neither the genius of our country
nor its history gives countenance to it. The
| American people are naturally reEerent and
| religious Their laws and public obServanceS
breath forth the perfume of religion. The
| American school, as it first reared its long
walls amid the villages of New England. was
| religious through and through. The present
favor to non-religious school is, verify be-
lieve, the thought lessness OF moment
and it will not last.
Solve the Difficulty
by submitting 1t to the calm judgment of the
country. No question is insoluble to Ameri-
cans, which truth and Justice press home to
them. Other countries whose civilization
we do not despise, have found solution.
instance but England and Prussia. We are
| not inferior to them in practical Legislation
and the spirit Of peaceful compromise. Sug
gestions of mine must he necessarily crude
| in form. and local and temporary in applica
tion will, however, speak them. would
| permeate the regular state school with the
religion of the majority of the children of thu
| land, be 1t as Protestant as PrOtestanlSm cal
be, and would. as they do in England, pa.
for the secular instruction given in demon
national schools according to results-tha
is, each pupil passing the examination before
state officials and in full accordance with tn,
state programme would secure to his school
the cost of the tuition Of pupil in the stat
school. This is not paying for the re
ligious instruction given to the pupil
but for the secular instructions demande'
by the state, and given to the pupil as thor
| oughly as he could have received in the stat
school. Another plan: I would do as Pro
testants and Catholics in Poughkeepsie, an
other places in our country, have agreed t
do. to the great satisfaction of oil citizen
and the great advancement of Quotations
interests. In Poughkeepsie the city schoo
board rents the buildings formerly useo q
parish schools. and from the hour of a. m
to that of p. m. the school is in every pal
ticular state school-teachers engaged an
, paid by the board, teachers and pupils ez
| amined, state books used, the door alway
open to superintendent and members OF tn
| board. There is simply the tacit understand
I ng that so long as the teachers in thos
| chools, Catholic in faith pass their examin
| atoms and do their work as cleverly and 10!
ally as other teachers under the control of th
board. teachers Of another faith shall not /