Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-11
IN ITS OWN DOMAIN.
The School Question as Related to
the Church and State.
DR.. HAMLIN STATES THE ISSUE.
The Effort Being Made to Divert
the Public School Fund.
ORGANIZED RESISTANCE.

The large congregation that filled the
Church Of the Covenant yesterday morning
listened to q sermon from the pastor. Rev.
DR.. Hamlin. on the subject Of Church and
State" DR.. Hamlin discussed the modern
tendency to merge these two powers. He
said that there was no doubt that 1t was
the intention of the founders of the republic
to ordain a complete separation Of the
church and the state. He referred to the
two provisions in the Constitution which
forbid religious tests and legislation respect
ing an establishment of religion or prohib-
iting the free exercise thereof expert
ence" said the speaker, has demonstrated,
however, that they are not sufficiently full
and explicit The intention Of our people
undoubtedly is complete separation. Not
only to have no state church, nor merely
to forbid the state to interfere with any cit
liens religious convictions and preferences,
but to prevent any indirect and insdious
methods of using the public money or pub
lie Office to advance the interests Of any
religious denomination.
State Charity Aid.
This national purpose has been meas
urably defeated by granting state and ma
tional aid to charitable institutions under
sectarian control. and by the system Of
seems small and harmless thing. and I'M
til recently has not been recognized as
violat ton of the fundamental principle Of
separation between church and state But
it plainly is such a violation. and estab-
fishes q. very hazardous precedent. AS to
tie Indian schools, several of the leading
denominations have renounced their part
nership with the state and determined to do
their school work, as they do their church
work. with their own funds. This must be
made universal. Indian children must either
be educated in government schools at pub
lie expense. or the mission schools must be
paid for wholly by those that control them.
For myself. decidedly prefer the former
alternative. AS to charitable institutions,
the same must be done
He referred to the Indignation which was
expressed because one church, the Roman
Catholic. gets the lions share Of public
money used in charities. NO doubt" he
said, this Is grossly unfair. But to base
our objection upon the unfairness Of the
distribution is to practically concede that we
would be satisfied II We could only get our
full share of the spoils. That is, we are
willing to have virtual union of church and
state provided We can sufficiently profit by
| It, But the chief point Of peril to
this principle lies at the public schools.
They are founded upon the conviction that
| in a republic the only safe citizens are in
| teiiigent citizens. Hence all are taxed, re-
gardless of any personal return from the
taxes that they pay; regardless Of whether
| or not they have children Of their own; that
all the children of the state may be educat-
ed for the common safety and welfare The
schools thus created and maintained are
| among our most priceless national possess
sions. Now, these schools are as
sailed by one class of our citizens. Not by
a political party, but by a church And by
church whose center of authority and
power is not within our own territory but
In a foreign land; not in a republic but in
a monarchy; whose own government is a
combination OF absolute and oligarchic rule
whose oliiclai business is all transacted in
an alien and dead language, which flies a
nag OF Its own side by side with the sta
and stripes. and which owns supreme AL
leg1ance to sovereign who claims the right
pleasure. 49, --'~
| Tribute to the Roman Church,
These characteristics Of the Ca,boi,o
| Church are mentioned solely by wsv NJ
definition and description. None of rs T
| trust. are blind to the great merits and in
| estlmaDIe services of that church. We con
| ADOPT the eloquent words of the late DIR.
| Schar in his noble paper upon The rerrion
OF Christendom, read before the parliarnent
OF religions at Chicago. the Latin church
Is a glorious church, Cor she carried the
treasures of Christian and classical utcra
ture over the gulf of the migration of ma
| tons, and preserved order IN the chaos of
civil wars; she was the alma mater of tho
barbarians of Eu1opa; she turned tainted
savages into civilized beings, and worsh hin
ers of idols into Worshioers of Christ. she
built up the colossal structures Of the uap;,l
theocracy, the canon law, the monastic ord
ers, the cathedrals, ami the universities
she produced the profound systems OF the
scholastic and mystic theology: she stimu-
lated and patron.zed the renaissance the
printing press, and the discovery Of a new
world; she still stands, Ike an immoyapie
rock, bearing witness to the Fundamental
truths and facts IF our holy ;elgion, ard
to the catholicity unity, unhroken continu-
ity and independence of the hurch and she
is as Jealous as ever in missionary enter
prise and sef-denying works of Christian
charity.
with such church. as a religious organi-
cation, and in all her eligious activities
we not only have no quarrel, but we have
profound sympathy and desire to have
hearty cooperation. Her attitude toward
the public schools is not to be met by
frantic denunciation; by theatrical appeals
to God, to 'wither the tongue that will not
curse her because of st. Bartholomew; by
linking her as cause with rum and rebel
lion; nor by any form of ridicule or clamor
She has indeed committed heinous crimes
against property, liberty and life: against
human rights and human freedom and prog
ress. But what Protestant church is in q
position to cast the first stone at her?'
Kind but Decisive Action.
The preacher spoke of the immense serv
ice to civil freedom, social order and per
sonal morality rendered by the Catholic
church. He referred to the services OF
Catholics in the late war and the work fol
the Union performed by Archbishop Hughe:
of New York city. The debt which tn,
temperance cause owes to Father Mathew
was mentioned. He believed in recognizing
such facts, to refrain from false accuse
tons and to try to understand the Catholit
position and to meet 1t with cogent argu
ment and with kind but decisive action
He referred to the efforts being made il
the states of New York and Maryland t
divert a portion of the public funds L
Catholic parish schools. Now the gist,
; said the preacher, "of the claim for sucl
: action is that the public schools are God
/ less. This We meet with emphatic de
3 NAL They do not. indeed teach denomi
national Christianity in any form, but the,
do teach Christian morals. They, like al
our other American institutions, are in
I formed and transfused by the spirit o
/, Christianity.
2 Our koman Catholic friends insist tina
eluca ton in religion IS essential We as
1 sent most heartily. But We say, such edu
cation is the work OF the home and tn
S church The state cannot give it withou
making choice between different denomina
. tons; that is, without practically setting Vi
a state church If any citizens feel that tn
: urinary schools must share with the HON
e and the church the work OF religious educa
ton let them maintain such schools at thei
L ,u-p cost Rut thew saw. this Is a grieyOu