The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-13
Religion and the Public Schools.

|
Some OF the Protestant religious papers
are protesting vigorously against bill
| which has been prepared for submission to
| the Legislature OF this State. providing
| that the schools OF the different religious
denominations shall participate In the pub
| lie school fund.
The theory OF the bill Is that 1t is not just
to tax people for the support OF State schools
when their consciences compel them to send
their children where they shall receive re-
ligious instruction. which the State Is de-
barred from giving. As the measure has
been drafted by q Roman Catholic law
yer, Mr.. DENIS A. SPELLIssY. 1t is
assumed by these papers that It
is the beginning Of q Roman Cath
ollc movement for the overthrow OF
the school system. though the bill applies
to all religious bodies. Besides tho Roman
Catholics. the Lutherans of the West pro-
test against taxation for purely secular ed
ucation. on the same grounds. In the Epis-
copal Church. also. there Is considerable
party which rejects such education as OF
greater damage to the soul than Of profit to
the intellect. They want their children
to go to parochial schools. where religious
education shall go hand in hand with the
secular training. In all tho Protestant
Churches efforts are making to combat the
infdel tendencies OF this time by the more
careful and systematic incubation OF re-
llgious faith among their children. The
fear or distrust Of the States secularization
OF education is therefore not confined to
Roman Catholics. by any means. 1t Is ex-
tending throughout the earnestly religious
community.
The particular measure Of Mr.. SPELLS
sY. however. excites Protestant suspicion
because he is a Roman Catholic, and be-
cause It Is accordingly looked upon as
a device Of the Roman Catholic hierarchy
for Its ACKNOWLEDGMENT at the expense
Of the school system. The passage OF
this BILL" says the Christian Enquirer.
q Baptist paper. would be like the gun
fired from BEAUREGARD's cannon on Fort
Sumter. that would make every drop OF
Protestant blood tingle."
1t seems that. In fact. the bill represents
few individual Roman Catholics only. and
not the hierarchy. At the meeting OF the
trustees OF st. Patrick's Cathedral last
week the measure was not regarded with
approval. and Archbishop CoRRIGAN HIM
self spoke Of 1t as most unwise." saying
also that he did not know OF Bishop In his
archdiocese who approved OF the movement
or course. IL the State provides any edu-
cation, 1t must be secular only. II tho
people are taxed for public schools. the in
struction in them must be wholly secular.
The Boston C0ngregdtiondlist expresses the
hope that the religious character OF the
nation will rise to so high a level that it will
be felt to be necessary that every child in
the land should be impressed. as an essential
part OF his education, with a sense OF his
personal responsibility to Cop and the SUI
preme importance OF obedience to GoD"
1t thinks. apparently. that when that eleva-
ton Is reached no one will object to re-
ligious education in tn public schools. But
what is this personal responsibility" and
In what consists this obedience The
answer involves the differences which dl-
vide opinions variously and radically. They
are the differences which separate Protes-
tantism from Roman Catholicism. and split
up Professionalism into so many opposing
camps. Every Church exists simply be-
cause 1t believes that obedience to Cop re-
qulres its specific doctrine.
Hence the public school system cannot
contiHuo Except as purely secular system.
1t cannot undertake to settle the vexed
question Of what obedience to COP Is.
1t must steer clear OF all religious
disputes. and to do so 1t must steer
clear OF religion altogether. The more
earnest the religious convictions OF peo-
pie are. the more impossible is it for them
10 agree on an eclectic religious education.
Each party wants nothing except its own
understanding OF obedience TO COP Incul-
Gated. Until. then. all the people are
united In a uniform faith. we must have
only secular instruction in the schools sup
ported by public taxation.
II. however. the education furnished by
the State were restricted to its legitimate
sphere. the chief cause of this religious
opposition to its secularizatiOn would be
Then 1t would be merely rudi-
and continued during few years
Of childhood. The taxation for 1t would be
less. and the subsequent training would be
eft TO parental discretion and TO private en-
terprise. religious and philanthropic.