St. Paul daily globe., 1893-08-29

| ChiIdren-A Question of Doe
trine or SaIvation-A Dis
cussion Without Conclusion.
About dozen ministers and teach
ers had an interesting meeting at the
Swedish Augnstana church yesterday
1t had been called by Rev. B. P. Nor
man for the purpose OF discussing what
may be termed the bad boy problem.
Rev. j. G. Petri was elected chairman
and Rev. A. q. II. 0v2rn secretary of
the meeting.
Rev. Norman opened the discussion
by stating that an aIarmingly large
number of boys i'll this city are going
from bad to worse. They get into bad
company and are gradually carried into
1.-The path of crime" In certain locaIi-
ties the very air seems to be charged
I with vicious influences. lie had called
the meeting TOR the discussion OF this
evil and of the feasibility OF establish
ing sort of reform school to which
wayward boys might be sent and thus
! saved from ruin
B. A. Holland. parociial school
teacher, thought too little attention was
paid to the religious needs of the chill
dren, many of them receiving only one
hour af religious training a week, while
| their parents perhaps attend as many as
many as four meetings during the same
time.
Rev. S. Johnson wanted to know what
kind of children were to be sent to the
proposed schoOI-thoSe who are too bad
! for the home and too good for the public
reform school?
| Rev. Norman answered that he had
/ bad boys III view in particular
Rev. Overn did not see how religious
/ instruction was 10 be given in such
| school. What denomination WAS 10 con-
! troll that? How could the different de
nominations be satisfied with that part
of the work?
| Rev. Norman knew of many people
! VINO, although they did not pay any at
J tentlOn to religion themselves. would
| still have their wayward children IN
| sTructed in religion. if they only could
/ be made decent, respectable citizens.
Hence the speaker wouie have religious
! instruction at the school.
Rev, Petri gave brief account of the
! school system of his church, beginning
with the Sunday school, and closing
| with GuStaVuS Adol phuS college of ST,
| Peter. The other scandinavian churches,
| he said, were equally we'll supplied with
| schools. especially colleges. But in
! spite OF all these accommodations. he
/ knew of pious parents who were unable
| to control their boys, and who would
come to their pastor and ask: Where
shall | send my bOy?p Such a school
as the one suggested wOuld thus fill
legitimate demand; for it is looked unon
! as disgrace 10 be sent to the public re-
! form school.
Mr.. johnson again raised the question
OF religious instruction. and pointed out
! the difficulties attending II.
MI Hailard tried To solve this problem
! by suggesting nOn-sectarian inStruc-
ton. lie thought it would suffice to
teach as Jesus ana the apostles did,
and let dOgmatics severely alone: all
but the UniversaliStS ana the Uni
tarians ought 10 he able 10 agree to that.
Rev. J. j. Kildsig said this sounded
We'll, but to apply 1t in practice is very
difficult. He thought all The different
denOminatisns believe they teach as
Jesus ana the Apostles did" still they
differ in some respects. And ne for
, one. being Lutheran, would not like
to have Baptist say 10 his boy. You
are not baptized
A. Wadensten, missionary, thought
wayward children ought TO be sent to
some good school before they are twelve
years old. lie wished den0minatiOnal
differences could be overlooked in this
matter. If the LuIheTans are in the
lead The others ought not 10 Withdraw.
Let us act as Good Samsritans." he
said. Let us make this a heart affair.
Let us save the bows. A drowning man
dom stop to ask. Are you Lutheran
or a Baptist?" "
Rev. l.. =. Paulson thought soma of
the Butherans We're more anxious to
protect their doctrine tnan 10 reach Ou
a helping hand. Under such ciTcum
stances it would be next to impossible TO
build reform school with religious in
structiOn. He did not look upon re-
hglouS instruction as absolutely iDdiS-
pensable, however. A firm. systematic
guidance being the main thing i'll edu-
eating children.
Rev. .. BOdien was afraid the plan
could not be realized on account of the
above mentioned religious difficulties.
Mr.. Halland again scored the Ortho-
doX churches on accountOf their attach
ing snch tranScendent Importance TO
their dOgmas.
Rev. johnson assured the last speaker
that the Lutherans we're as anxious as
tie rest tC have the evil Temedied. But
they wanted to be frank from the very
start, so as TO avoid taking uD work
which in the long run might possibly
prove failure. The LutheranS cannot
agree among themselves. how can they
work in harmony with others?
Kew. OFcrn admitted that the aim was
great. But as an honest man he would
not use questionable means. Tor no mat
ter how important the emu is ii does not
| Justify the means.
Rev. Paulson also admitted that the
prospects now were far from bright.
Some one had suggested that the differ
! ent denominations should have the same
chance. a fine state of things. That
would reduce the school 10 a battle
! ground for the different denominations.
! Rev. j. u. HuitkranS thought books
/ and papers and instruction hardly were
/ the proper things for vicious boys. "A
! place TO work is what they need" he
! said; ''let us make those boys work as
! hard as on the farm. and we may eX-
/ pect to reform them indeed"
Rev. OF. Peterson. the father of "tne
! Norwegian Methodist Church OF Amer
J ica," was persuaded 10 say few words.
I He pointed TO the non-religiOus charac-
! ter of our common schools as
/ proof tLat it is impracticabie. not
! TO say impossible. TO give common
/ religious instruction TO persons of diff
! great denominations. Those speakers
/ who wanted TO overlook denominationai
! differences weFs kindly reminded by
/ Rev. Peterson that. as far as his ex-
! perience went. people who are most
| anxious 10 pose as Liberal; are usually
! the most strOng-headed and partial.
! In conclusion Rev. Norman said the
meeting could not point to any tangible
J result, but he was glad the matter had
/ been discussed so understandlngly, and
! he would soon arrange for mass meet
] ing to continue the discussion.
! Billiard tournament.
Commencing Sept. 5 there viii be in