The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-22
Religion and the Public Schools.

The SPEILIssY bill to enable the religious
schools OF the different Churches TO particle
pate in the distribution Of the public school
fund was denounced in several Protestant
pulpits last Sunday as measure conceived
by the Roman Catholic hierarchy. The
Rev. DIR. KERR. Presbyterian. spoke Of 1t
as an attempt by Rome Ito destroy the
public school SYSTEM" which will be met,
IL needs be. with the sword" Tho order
has evidently gone forth from Rome"
declared another Presbyterian preacher.
Ito fight for division Of the public school
fund In America"
The truth Is that the SPELLIssY bill Is not
favored by the Roman Catholic hierarchy
In New York. Archbishop CoRRGdAN has de-
scrlbed IL as most unwise;" and tho Roman
Catholic Bishops generally are OF tho same
opinion. As Mr.. RICHARD CROKER said last
Sunday. lit originated in the minds OF n
few individuals only. and is the sugges-
ton OF aymen rather than priests. II it is
introduced into the next Legislature 1t will
have no organized backing, religious or po-
litical: and hence, there Is no chance what
ever OF its passing. Mr.. CROKER regards 1t
as relating to "one OF those subjects that
ought not to be brought into politics" and
that will be the feeling OF every Democratic
leader. Catholic or Protestant.
The pulpit denunciations Of last Sunday
were, therefore. without Justification. There
IL no occasion for any alarm such us these
preachers tried to create. Undoubtedly.
the Roman Catholic theory OF education is
that 1t should be founded on religion. and
that tits not SO founded 1t lmperils the soul
more than it profits the intellect. But that
belief prevails among devout Professionals
also. So imperative is the need OF moral
and religious training in the public schools.
said the Rev DR.. RAISsFoRD last Sunday,
that IL would far sooner that such moral
teaching were givon by the Roman Catholic
priesthood than that no teaching OF that
sort were given" In his opinion, the pres
ent teaching in these schools docs not
properly educate" for you cannot teach
duty to man except as 1t is based on duty
to GOD" He said no was not in favor OF
the division Of the school fund. but really he
advocated tho essential principle Of the
SPELLIssY bill. for he saw no insuperabie
objection TO having the children taught by
clergy OF the Christian bodies to which their
parents belong"
There is, however. an insuperable objec-
tion to such course. and because of it
neither political party will take the re-
sponsibility Of the SPELLIssY bill. 1t is not
possible for the State to provide religious
education consistently with the theory Of
our Government Instead of becoming
more religious the public schools must be-
como more completely secular. as a conse-
quence OF the present agitation. Both the
Roman Catholics and the Jews are OPP
posed to the reading OF the Bible in
them; and last Sunday Rabbi SLOVENIAN
demanded that the offering OF prayers
should cease also. DR.. RAINsPORD's scfkme
would be as destructive OF the school sys-
tenn as Mr.. SPELLIssY's plan would be. Any
effort to introduce religious education into
the schools. whether 1t camo from Protes-
tants or Catholics. would be fatal to them.
They cannot exist unless they keep out re-
ligion altogether. as tho cause OF the Bit
terest and most violent disagreement
known TO mankind. They must be secular
only. or the whole system will be torn to
pieces by religious controversy.