The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-03
THE BIBLE IN THE SCHOOLS.
=. W. narboe CHALLENGES Mr. Hasksii'a
Interpretation Of n sfatute.


quissoed In By the school officers aud tsaoh-
ers OF the state as just and fair inter-
pretation OF the Law, will establish pfeoe-
dent In Montana which. IN my opinion.
will be detrimental % the highest and best
Interests Of the people OF the state for in
lta hnal analysis 10 10 not whether tho Law
beariaR a. on tue question forbids the read
ina OF the Bible In our public schools. but
this being the law. - u a wise aud indi-
cious one and calculated 30 promote the
welfare OF the people as a whole and 20 sx-
alt the slater Tho saying, now moro than
l.eOO wears old. We can do nothing against
the truth but for she truth" is az true now
as when fi'at uttered and stands 40 an i'm
prsgnable barrier TO any ana all human
legislation, unwittinRly though 10 NAV be
done. that Is ii ectod against the source
OF ell true education and knowledge.
Granting that the law Of the state Of Mon
tsna is acainst the reading Of the Bible IN
our public schools. / submit. IL n a wise
aud iudicious lnwl Will IL do evil or goodl
Will II exalt ouf people or degrade theml
Is - right OF wrongl According 10 the
grand t'uth snunoiated In the statement
that whatever ia morally ong cnn never
be made legally right by any human lsQis-
lation of whatever kind, and Woe versa.
As young and hopeful commonwealth.
aoarosly out Of our swaddling clothes OF
etatehood and legislation, We should be
exceeding caieful how We make laws for
our government lest We cast a stumbling
block In the way of our own material pro-
gress aud tho moral education OF the peO-
pie.
But q word as 20 the Interpretation OF the
Law as given by the attorney general. But
before doing 30 / would call attention 10
the complaint that IL sent mp from district
IL In Madison county IL saws; The peo-
pie Of the disiriot object TO the expenditure
OF school moneys In attempting 10 convert
their children 20 the Methodist faith"
Plainly this would be wrong. indeed the
spirit and practice Of proselytism is gen.
orally wrong but in our oharitabls inter-
pretation of the conduct OF the teacher
which provoked the complaint we are dis
Eosod to think that the complainant un-
willingly erred. in that the reading Of the
Bible and the singing of songs was taken
for an attempt at prosslytinR. for it is not
stated whether that part of the Bible read
was historical. biographical. geological,
poetical. or scientific. and surely In no one
of these phases OF Bible teaching is there
anything more distinctively Methodist"
than Baptist, or Pfesbyterian. or Protest.
ant. or Catholic. or Jewish.
i would like for the said com plainant to
define what he means by Methodist
faith" and then make the charge, IL he
wishes. established by proof. that ths
teacher In district IA required her pupils TO
study and learn and believe thts Method
ist faith;" then, and not till then, will ne
anyone. for the law of the state of Mon
tana bearing on the subject is sgninst such
a course, and the just sense of she peopls is
likewise against it.
infer from his silence that the attorney
general has reserved his opinion on one
part of the question submitted TO him till
another time. namely: How to prohibit
the singing of hymns in the schools" II
the attorney general should rule adversely
on this point, sneh patriotic airs ss Amer
ioa." John Broun's Body" ''Yan-
kes Doodle" and last. but not any means
the loa@. Marching Through Georgia"
the weird martial spell that broke
the baokbone OF the rebellion. will
be folded up and laid away TO repose for
ever in the dust OF the grave of forgotten
memories which lie so near the heart Of the
few surviving Veterans who followed the
old flag TO final triumph. and which as an
unsullied trophy they have thus Yainly
hoped TO transmit as legacy to their chill
drsn.
In his adverse ruling against the reading
OF the Bible in this schools. the attorney
general calling attention to the provisions
of the school law which says that no books.
tracts. papers, catechisms or other publloa-
tiona of partisan. aeetarian or denominR-
tOnal character shall he used in any
school. tacitly assumes that the bible Is a
partisan. sectarian OF denominational pub
licAtion, and at once jumps 10 the conclu
sion that 10 10 inhibited by the
constitution and prohibited by the lAe. and
therefore must not be read ia the public
schools of the state. Whoever heard be-
fore that the bibl0 was partisan. seotarian,
or UNCONVENTIONAL In chara0tsr2 When
ono of our most distinguished fellow coun-
trJmen lay diving he said 10 one of his at
tendAnts: Bring me tie book" When
asked which book. he replied: There IL
but one book; bring me the book" II was
not "A Methodist book. or a Baptist book, or
Protestant book; II was book for all aud
for every one aud the faith of the great
heart Of the dying man embraced 10 as the
only hope Of universal man. Aud sad. in
deed. will be the experience Of the Ameri-
can people IL ever they, in obedienca to the
aided aEd Abetted BY continental European
inateTialism. shall bar the doors OF our
Gchool houses against the bible. the entrance
OF whose words Riveth light. Let us beware
what we do.
With the utmost Difference TO the exalted
position and great learning of the attorney
general OF the state 1 ON bold 10 say that
his Interpretation of the law in the case is
without warrant or sanction IN the statute. |
he law contemplates. and wisely enough. |
the prevention of introduction into our
public schools of any or all literature that |
teaches seotarianism or denomination |
hlism; this aud nothing more. And few |
statutes. II any, ate more specific. than this /
one. Mark the language OF the statute it. /
self; mo books, tracts. papers. catechisma /
or other publications Of a partisan. secta-
rian or UNCONVENTIONAL character shall be /
used in any school, neither shall any /
political, sectarian or UNCONVENTIONAL doc /
trine be taught therein" Could ANYTHING |
DO plainerr The Language Of the statute 1
itself IL self-intsrpf eting. Tbs framcr /
that drew this statute and the mem |
bsrs OF the Legislators that voted /
its adoption, Understood ths English iau- I
guage, and 10 "a IN impeachment Of their /
aud honest purpose in framing |
this law. to Say that they for one moment
In its passage contemplated the prevention |
OF the Bible being read IN ths common |
schools Of tue state.
Now, then. let Us sum up the whole mat |
ter. IL the teacher In district 10. Madison |
county. required her pupils against their
consent 90 attend any place Of worship, or !
II in her school she taught her pupils sec |
tarGn or UNCONVENTIONAL doctrine, then. |
IN the former act she would be inhibited |
by the constitution. and In the latter pro- |
hibited by Law. But Il she merely caused |
the Bible TO be read IN her school she |
stands unchallenged by the Law
4. W. BARnEE.
Great Falls Mont. Dec. -. ls93