The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-12
THE REASON WHY.

A correspondent recently inquired why
the reading of the Bible in the public
schools was prohibited by our constitu-
ton. The reason is because the Bible to a
Catholic or Jew is q sectarian book and
sectarian instruction cannot be given in
the public schools of country whose con-
stitution prescribes absolute separation of
church and state and maintains perfect
liberation Of religious opinions so long as
they do not violate our civic laws enacted
for the preservation of public morality.
The Roman Catholic church has protested
frequently against the reading of the
Protestant Bible in the public schools as
sectarian book, and in every state where q
case has been brought before the highest
courts the objection has been sustained;
the courts have held that the Bible to
Catholic or Jew was a sectaran book,
and that sectarian religious exercises had
no constitutional place in our public
schools.
If the Bible is to be read, what Bible
The Protestant Bible or the Douay YER
sion? The Jews reject the New Tesla.
ment, and so our Bible is to them a
sectarian book. The Roman Catholics
originally justified their establishment of
parochial schools and their plea for a
share of the public money for their sup
port upon the ground that they were
taxed for the support of the American
public schools which were really sectarian
schools, since the reading Of the Bible
was enforced in them, a sectarian book
The late Rev. DIR. Howard Crosby. of New
York city, very able and strictly ortho-
dox Presbyterian clergyman, always op-
posed the reading of the Bible in the
public schools. upon the ground that under
our Federal constitution it had no business
there; that secular religious instruction
must be confined to the church and the
home in order not to weaken the inHu-
ence and popularity of The American com.
mon school into which, in his judgment, no
religious exercises that could be construed
as sectarian instruction should be adj
mitted.
These are some OF the sound reasons
that have persuaded lawmakers to con-
additionally prohibit religious exercises
in public schools If they are not pro-
hibited they can at any time be constitu-
tionally resisted IN the courts under our
fundamental Federal compact. These ap-
peals TO the courts are always successful ::
they always cause discord and sectarian
bitterness to prevail. and In our Judgment
our constitution makers were wise in pro-
hibiting school exercises that cannot be
In &c
United States.
Attorney General Jones last year ex-
planned in his published opinion that the
courts of New York. Wisconsin and Ohio.
indeed the courts Of every state where an
/ appeal had been taken had ruled that read :
ing of the Bible in the public schools As
part of It's exercises was sectarian religious
instruction. since 10 the Roman Catholic,
the Jew or the agnostic IL was a sectarian
! book. The American idea of public edu-
cation is that the civil authorities should
educate the children to citizenship. and
the churches, whether Roman Catholic.
Lutheran. Presbyterian, Epscopalian or
other. should attend TO their special re-
hg.ous instructions each IN its own way
and by its own regulations, while no part
Of tbs taxation OF all shall be diverted
| ever so indirectly. to the use of any relig.
| ious sect.
/ This American idea o. the public schools
/ must he maintained with stern justice to
TAXPAYERS, and nothing that can be con-
strued by the courts as seota-ian religious
! instruction can Re lawfully admitted.