The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-10
sEcTARIAN TEAchINc.
The Reform School Sill Further Dis
cussed.

To the Editor Of the Press:
At the demand Of the Roman Catholic
Church in Maine substantially the same
measure regarding religious instruction at
the Reform School that was defeated two
years ago has again been introduced into the
legislature Of this State. The bill consists Of
one section, as follows;
Clergymen Of all religious seets or denomlna-
tions shall be admitted TO the Maine State Reform
School TO instruct the inmates 10 the faith OF the
inmates or his parents and such clergymen may
administer the Sacraments OF his church to such
inmates without hindrance or interference on
the part OF any officer Of said school.
At the first glance the bill may appear
harmless. The Catholics are shrewd enough
to cover the evil features Of the measure with
an appearance Of fairness. So noted have
they always been for their skill In diplomacy
and for their ability to make evil things ap-
pear harmless that history has crystalllzed
this popularity in the word JeSuitiSm, de-
faed in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary as
cunning; deceit; hypocrisy; deceptive
practices to effect a purpose" This bill Is
deceptive In appearance; its purpose Is evil
The State Reform School Is non. sectarian
institution. Under the rules OF the trustees.
clergymen OF every denomination are
.
The private devotions and outward forms
required by any church for individual
prayers are allowed all inmates, and no effort
Is made or allowed to interfere with or bias
the minds Of inmates on religious matters
The bylaws require that the boys shall be
taught the general preeepts of the Christian
religion, the power and goodness of God and
lessons Of morality and virtue, but the teach.
ing of those dogmas which are peculiar to
the different sects is not allowed.
&H.ee o 1. IL .kA A.. ~.
factory to the Catholics. They have In all
respects the same privileges that the Protest
| ants enjoy. They can visit the school on
| Sunday, read from their own Catholic Bible
| pre- ach from suitable scripture texts Of the
| power and goodness OF Ged, teach lessons OF
| orality and virtue aud instruct the boys in
| the general truths of Christianity common to
| all Christian faith. They can invoke the
| blessing OF God, and can worship Him In
| song and prayer. In all these respects NO
| discrimination whatever Is made against the
| Catholics.
1t better suits the purpose Of the Catho
| lies, however, to pose as martyrs. They
claim they cannot preach to the boys In thi
way. Pray, why can they not? There
nothing In the canon law Of their churcl
which forbids 1t. Catholic priests can opel
| a convention or a legislative session witt
prayer; why then can they not pray at tn
Reform School? They read papers, max
addresses and give instruction at public gath
ering of Protestants and Catholics. Why cal
they not do so at the Reform School? III II
conventions, legislatures, teachers institutes
| etc, Catholic priests can make public pray
ers and give practical talks on morals and re
| ligiOn without the use OF saoerdotal robes
the same at the Reform School. And II tn,
Catholic children are really suffering for tn,
want of religious instruction, their priest
| ought to do so.
When the Catholics say they cannot con
Il i. III Al
under the rules OF the trustees they stat
what Is false. They can, but they will not
Suppose Baptist clergyman should say b
could not preach to the boys at the Reform
School unless he were permitted to have
baptismal font In the chapel aud immers
valid reason Tor changing the statute lawp
would quickly be said that IL he could no
preach without immersing the boys, he ha
better stay away altogether.
Tnere Is nothing whatever to prevent tn
Catholics from conducting religious service
az the Reform School. except that IL suit
their. purpose better to stay away and pos
as injured innocents until the time come
wnen they can establish their church at tn
scnool and have full control Of the Catholl
boys. They do not wish these boys to com
70 .ne age OF understanding before uuitin
Win the Roman church; but while they al
still young. before they are old enough
wise enough to comprehend what they al
doing, they must be coaxed or driven I'M
that church. and then held in spiritual bon,
age Tor the remainder of their lives.
To accomplish this the Organization of
Roman Catholic church at the Rafor
School, and the complete control of Cathol
children this bill has been introduced in
the legislature. Let US observe some of h
serious objections to the bill.
First-The bill takes the moral and r. II
ious instruction OF the boys away from Il Il
trustees to whom it properly belongs.
was for the moral reformation Of the CHI
dren that the school was established. IN
school was not instituted simply for Il
feeding, clothing and shelterIng Of boy