The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-10

he will fail to get 1T, and deserVedly
fail, because science is not there to
win anybody's bread, nor yet to fur
nish short and easy roads to even the
noblest .callings. But If the teacher
wants aid from the scientific spirit,
there stands ready to his hand such
assistance as, above all, psychology
may offer, and such assistance as
ethics may suggest to the man who is
strong enough to grappte with deeper
problems. Josiah Royce, IN Education
oil ReUietU, NeW York, for February.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND RELIGIOUS EDU-
CATION.
This subject is of growing impOr-
lance. It's practical difficulties are
constantly increasing as the pOpula-
ton becomes more heterogeneous. Diff
~ferences of opinion about it seems to
threaten the very existence of the
school system. Any discussion of the
subject, even among PrOteStants,
brings out conflicting and confused
views concerning the function of the
schools in respect to religious educa-
ton.
That the schools do not, as a matter
of fact. provide a sufficient religious
education, is acknowledged by all those
who think that children should be
taught mrthe Christian religion. But
it is also true that the schools would
not afford adequate religious instruc-
ton, even if they should attempt the
utmost that comes within their reason
able right in this respect. If the
strongest advocates of religious teach
ing should define the extent to which
it is permissible in public schools,
specifying subjects and methods, they
would have to admit that the children,
even then, would not be thoroughly or
even adequately instructed. There is
a vague notion, that although the
schools do not, yet they can, Or should,
OF will teach religion, and therefore
there is little systematic effort to that
end, beyond the rather desultOry teach
ing of the Sunday-school.
Now, in the first place, there need
be no question about the right of the
State to teach Christianity in the
schools. The real question is, how
much it may teach, and in what way ?
But quite as evidently, it may not
teach the teRets and doctrines which
are peculiar to any sect. What, then,
do all Christians accept They all &C
ceptthe Bible. They all agree that the
Bible isthe source of correct knowledge
concerning Christianity. Therefore the
Bible may be read IN the schools. BUTT
must be read without comment, for
comment is Interpretation. The State
has the right to insist on the reading
| of the Bible, even if objection is made,
although it may be eXpedient under
strong opposition to relinquish it.
There may, also, be the use of the
Lords prayer, or of other simple
prayers which are according to the
spirit of the Gospel. And there may
be the singing of hymns, provided they
do not involve a definite theology. No
one would contend that these, although
they have a certain value and impress
sion, provide religious education such
as children need. The studies of pri-
mary and grammar schools, in which
nearly all children remain till the age
of fourteen, have so remote q relation
to religion, that they may be said to
have none. In higher schools, certain
studies, such as history and moral
philosophy, include some reference to
| Christianity. The history of the Puri-
tan founders of our nation, and of the
causes which brought them to this
country, the history Of the Protestant
reformation, are SO much a part of
secular history, that it would. be Alb
surd TO ignore them. And ethics can
not be entirely separated from some of
the ~precepts Of Christianity. But the
amount of religious instruction which
swould be provided through these more
advanced studies of the public schools,
is a small part of that which is needed.
We do not see how the State would be
justified in attempting more than this
general teaching concerning religion.
And to so much as this we believe
there is likely to be little opposition.
The Catholics, for example, complain,
not that there is so much religion In
the schools, but so little. The schools,
they say, are goddess. Their real OBJ
lection, probably, lies at another point,
namely, the tendency of daily mingling
churches to. weaken allegiance to the
Catholic Church. But this American
ling, as it is sometimes called, is one
of the principal objects for which the
system exists, and is one argument in
it's favor.
The amount of Christian instruction
which is, or may be, provided by the
schools, is not enough, and, in no
proper sense of the term, can it be con
sidered the religious education which
is needed.
The real and practical question is,
therefore, how a Nmore definite and
thorough education in the truths and
realities of the Christian religion may
be made general. We must turn away
from the schools, not because they
have failed in this respect, but be
cause, except in a limited degree, it is