Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-19

conscierce and freedom fran I'll retsiossl
fxssxx.E.-
Ne sacrament Of any fasticuEsr church
o. creed 10 used o. allowed Ia the insfssu-
sioa.
Services Of purely zos-seetasiaa ehss-
sctss are held IN the chxpsi On SUNDAY. =
pxss Of the discipline Of the school. These
services are cenasc.ed BY eiefgymen o.
iaJmsn Of ds&esens denominations
Sunday school u e3nancted every Sua-
day By the teaehsxs Of the trstitutioa under
the direction Of the sapefintendsnf- The
| International Sacday School Lesson Quar-
sesIies are used. and the teachers drss
lessons Of practical morality acd virtue
| from the Bible text
Ciergymen CT all denominations csr
hold services according to the rule Of nor
ssctsrixrism ed address the Inmates u2on
! giving notice 70 the saperint snd=n:.
We invite and earnestly rfeaess clergy
men of all the different denominations %
hold such services ~ the scnool.
PAssaEs and frieads can furnish the
inmates Of the telsoi with books OF prayers
| used in ard by tasig faith. and the children
/ car read Them at their isissre.
Any inmate daaserocsly siek. or dying,
can sead fer any priest OF Clergyman hs
nay desire. asd have III tbs oftiees 9f his
chureh for sGsa sick persor, and every
| facility viii be sdosdsd 70 such cieTgymen.
| Private deyotions and the outward form.
required by any church for inoividuk
payers, are slioseiAii inmates.
| No effort IL made or allowed to interfere
with or bias the minds CT the inmates OF
religious matters
| The question u the religion or sect 10
ceyer asked thesa Committed to the school,
nor are they asksd the religion Of their
parents.
The trustees Of the State Reform School
deeply regret that there is any EFFORT being
made to introduce secssrian teach
| ing into the school, believing il allowed
and introduced by any denomination OF
church, IL would be . disturbing element to
lis usefulness and future saecess--and
when = claim for such teaching is presented
TO ihs Legislature Of our State, the ocea-
sion demands ard calls for the most care
fal attention and consideration. and the
trustees believe that they would &c derelict
in their dnty, if they failed to enter thsi,
earnest protest.
IL Is believed that such legislation would
| be Inconsistent with the established policy
and princ!p ais of our State in the establish
mens Of its public Institutions.
What are the considerations that actuate
opposition to the measure proposed? They
should be Intelligent considerations. lt lie
not because the claim il maze b. mem-
/ be-s Of the Roman Catholic chUrch--it il
no, controversy with this church as 8
/ Christian denomination.
/ We Oppose the purpose Of any sect to
use the Reform School, State institution.
where the inmates are boys OF parents Of
all denominations, to teach and discuss Sec
tartan differences for strictly denomlna-
,i0nsl ends. 1t should be done elsewhere.
! Why is the bill. under discussion and
upon which you are TO act, before you! II
| is because the Roman Catholic priests d.
sire provision made q. the school for Cath
olic worship and instruction to such Of ils
inmates as are claimed by that church.
Roman Catholic priests, a. all other
clergymsn, are allowed and welcomed
/ 70 address the boys at suitable
times in the chapel On The gen.
efai principles Of the Christian religion,
the power and goodness Of God, the truths
of the Bible, both Protestant and Catholic,
/ and lessons of morality and virtue The
bylaws Of the school provide that mo
sectafian preaching or instruction shall be
allowed" This system Of public worship,
though acquiesced in by other secls, is
not accepted by tine Roman Catholics.
Az hearing before the Judiciary COM
mittse Of the last Legislature, Father T.
z Liushsn, director of the Portland csihe.
dral, read the foilo~ing statement of what
is wanted:
First Instruction in Catholic Cate
chem By Catholic teachers-say one hour
each Sunday. at least.
Second. Mass Tor Catholic boys oncs q
month, a. least.
Third. Confession for Catholic boys
once in three months, at least, and without
offensive surveillance. or il boy desires.
to confess before or after mass, that he
may have the opportunity Of doing SO.
! Fourth Communion every three
months, at least.
! Fifth. Confirmation annually, il there
be applicants for the sacrament.
Sixth. The sick: That notice be sent to
the bishops house when Catholic boy is
dangerously i'll, and that the attending
priest have facilities to exercise his minis
Try for the sick boy"
tLt 1897 l<ckiSlA-
ture, they now appeal to this Legislature
for the enactment Of the bill before you.
The bill is general, vsgue and elastic. Its
meaning and application are subject 10
mischisvous doubt. II is uncalled FOR b.
any public necessity. the inmates Of the
Institution are now enjoying their religious
constitutional rights. liz is not asked for
by them or by The parents Of boys who are
inmates When or,oiT, iupnrt
become generally understood aud sppre-
ciated, it is believed it will be opposed by
our entire Protestant community. and by q
large number Of the thoughtful Roman
Csth olics. wb9 reee gnize the teaching Of
the Founder Of Christianity. and who have
seen the evils, both TO church and State, of
ecclesiastical interference with civil govern
ments abroad, aud who do not forget that
they are American citizens. It is an en-
cioachment of eeclesisstical ambition upon
the civil domain.
Ii is un-American as it would ree1re q
sectaran Classification Of the Doys ard
teachers entirely st variance with the
principles Of eur government. II would
change the chsrsC!ec Of cur Reform School
which was establ'''. ed and has been hither-
to maintaine', upon strictly non sectarisn
basis. IL lakes from the managers the
coH'roi Of the Institution given them by the
law of the State establishing it and subject
ing it 10 the whims of its inmates and their
parents. or the tictstiol Of irresponsible
persons from without.
The bill, if i. should become law, would
open the bsosd door 20 sectarian strife at
the institution. The principle involved In
he bill sui jeots our civil institutions 10
ecclesiastical control; thereby undermining
our established system Of government,
invading sacred constitutional rights,
The bill purports to be drawn in the in
tesest Of the inmates Of the school, WAC
are assumed to be depristd Of s5me essen
tai goo3. or dsffsuded Of some inherent
rghs. This is not the fact. rs is clearly
evide need BY the Law of the State, the by
Laws # the school as adopted by the uus-
tees under he law and approved by the
Governor ani Council, and the statements
already submitted to you. The inmates Of
the Reform School sre not clanioring fog re-
lisious o6serysnces and rites.
It il believed thas this bill ia clearly and
solely the outgrow;h of the effort Of sin
gle sect to establish. by law, their own sec
tartan form of worship in our State institu-
t.oas AID that 1t is IN the interest Of this
sect ouly
General Grant, in hi, address at nes
Moines, Iowa, in 1875, voiced the Ameri-
can sentiment in thus Language: Leave
the matter Of religion 10 the family altar.
the church aud private school, supported
entirely by private contribution. Keep the
church and state forever separate"
Ia his message to Congress, Dec. Z, 1876,
"a ffpr a 10 mo in