The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-06
sEcTARiAN TEACHING.
why II Should Not Be Allowed at the
Reform School.

INTO the legislature pr0VlulnB tnaL "cieIsJ-
men Of all religious seets or denominations
shall be admitted to the Maine State Reform
School to instruct the inmates In the faith OF
the inmates, or his parents, and such clergy
men may administer the sacraments OF his
church to such inmates without hindrance or
interference on the part Of any officer Of said
school"
This bill ought to be entitled "an act to
provide for the establishment Of a Roman
Catholic church at the State Reform School,"
That is precisely the purpose Of the bill; and
II the bill be passed, the Roman Catholic
church will be established at that school,
with all Its rites aud ceremonies, mass, con-
fession, penance. fastings, confirmation, the
worship Of the sacred wafer" the bowling
before the ''holy images" ETC., etc. We
cannot believe that this church. powerful as
she is among politicians. can secure the pas
sage Of an act so iniquitous and so contrary
to the spirit Of our American institutions.
In fighting for this bill, the Roman Catho-
lie church is fighting for vital principle.
There is more at stake than simply the teach
ing Of a few boys at the Reform School.
What that principle is and why 1t Is so i'm
PuA taus W lilo OabuOAN OhuhOhs bC oP
parent after a little consideration.
1t is well known that the Catholic church
expects at no very distant day to control the
United States. She already controls many
Of our large cities, and In Presidential elec-
tion comes hear to holding the balance Of
power. The readiness Of politicians to bar
ter away the dearest rights Of American cit
izens for the support Of Catholic priests, the
slowness with which Protestants rise to pro-
test at the encroaehments upon our liberties,
the compact, almost military organization Of
the Catholics and the total lack of organiza-
tion among the rest Of our citizens, the swell
Ing tide of Catholic immigration, all may
well cause thoughtful persons to fear that
the claim OF the Catholics that their church
will one day possess this country Is not an
idle boast. This catastrophe can be prevent
ed only by the American people exercising
that eternal vigilance which Is the price Of
liberty.
The state Reform School Is one Of the
important outposts In Maine. Its cap
ture Is needed as preliminary for future
lies are so active In their efforts to induce
our politicians to surrender the Catholic
boys into their hands.
Let US see what the Catholics desire to OBJ
tain. The boys In the State Reform School
parents, by neglect, Incompetence. or abuse
of parental rights and duties, have forfeited
the care. control and education Of the chill
dren. The state assumes these parental
| rights and duties, and henceforth IL Is her
| duty to educate and train her wards. No
rights are left to the parents; the state as
| sumes them ALL The state must train her
wards In righteousness but not In religious
dogma. She invites teachers Of every Telig:.
ious denomination to come to the school and
teach the boys morality and virtue, but not
st ctarianism.
A parent Is responsible for what he teaches
his child and for what he permits TO be
taught; so Is the state likewise responsible.
The state must therefore decide whether Ro-
manism ought to be taught TO the boys, and
II SO the state may provide the means for
teaching 1t.
Maine shall teach its children Romanism!
Whatever education Is given In the Reform
School must be by the sanction of the State
OF Maine. 1t Is matter Of no great conse-
quence whether the state hires teachers to
teach Romauism, or whether the teachers
give their services. In either case the state
Is responsible for the teaching given; In
either case the state Is teaching ROmanism.
Without now considering the evil influence
Si such teaching upon the boys, the con-
priests and Pope Of Rome simply because
his uame happens to be an Irish or French
name, or because his father or mother or his
grandfather or grandmother happened to be
Catholic; without now considering its evil
ducti0n OF diverse modes Of religious wOr-
ship, the practical establishment of Roman
Catholic church under the auspices OF the
State Of Maine. etc. let us note the effect Of
such a surrender of American principles Of
non-sectarianism in state affairs on the
future action Of the Catholic church.
The granting to the Catholic church Per-
mission to teach their dogmas to the chill
A~A. D.FA GAkA Il.
mission by the state of two things; first, that
certain wards Of the state need instruction
In the dogmas OF Romanism; second. that
the state Is willing to teach these Romish
dogmas to its wards If the church will fur
nish the teachers free Of expense. These
are precisely the admissions the Catholic
church desires. Now what will occur II
these two things are admitted?
1st. Whenever the Catholic church de-
mands pay for Its services In teaching the
boys Catholicism the claim must be allowed
For the state has already admitted the ne
cessity OF such teaching; and II such teach
ing be necessary surely the state Is In duty
bound to furnish 1t. IL such teachers viii
not give their services gratuitously then they
must be paid out OF the state appropriation.
here we would have the state appropriating
money for the propagation Of Catholicism
I'd. When the Catholic church demands
that In order to render Catholic instruction
effective the boys should be under the exclu-
sive care of Catholic teachers and officers,
the state will be unable to make effective op-
position. Having admitted the necessity Of
the teaching, 1t must not shrink from the
task OF making that teaching effective.
Hence the necessity will next arise for a d.
vision Of the State Reform School into two
departments, the Protestant department aud
the Catholic department. Then we would
have practically two institutions under one
roof, reform school for Protestant children,
| under Protestant officers, and reform school
Il for Cath0liQ Qhfl6raU undar Gathn1fa
And the state Of Maine will then be eompell-
ed 10 support by regular appropriations an
ayowedly Catholic Institution.
81. The bearing Of all this upon the school
| question Is evident IL the state can teach
Romish dogmas to It's wards in the State Re-
form School IL can teach R0mish dOgmas to
Its children In the public schools! II Catho-
| lie children need to be under the care OF
| Catholic instructors In the Reform School,
they need to be under the care of Catholit
teachers In the public schools. SO there will
be nothing left but to divide the school fund
and support at public expense both Protest.
ant and Catholic public schools. The bill
Introduced into our legislature yesterday Is
Dut the opening wedge for Catholic control
Of our State Reform School and the division
Oh our school money.
1t Is not necessary to pursue the course OF
| Catholic conquest further. When the state
divides Its funds with the church and per-
mits It's children to grow up In the darkness
| VI AsOluhuisku anu places Tue al hhh ". SO'oAA.
ment In the hands of the servile subjects OF
foreign prince the time Of our deep re-
| pentance will be at hand.
In some things compromises are Impossible.
On this matter no permanent compromise
can be made. Either the Reform Schooi
must be maintained as non-sectarian insti-
tuition where clergymen OF every denomln-
| alton shall be allowed 10 teach righteousness
but not dogma, or the state must sustain
Catholic reform school, managed not py
itself but by the Catholic chnren under tne
| orders Of an Italian Pope. Between these
two axtremes there Is no logical stopping
place. ii the present mode Of conducting
the religious worship at the state Reform
School be wrong nothing but full and COM
piete surrender of the Catholic boys to the
control of the Catholic church can be right
III the people of Maine are not ready to give
their Institutions into the nonds Of the
Roman Catholic church let them stand firm
ly by their American principles and beware
OF the compromises proposed by politicians
who care more for their own political az
1 ,nnf Nhar. 49,. a